Traveling Jeanne Shawl & Contest

There’s still time to join the Destination Yarn Spring Shawl Knit Along. Post your project to this thread by Monday for a chance at a fabulous prize! Also you should go check it out anyways – the stuff people are knitting is really beautiful. I’m going to draw the name for the prize on Tuesday morning. It’s pretty fabulous.

So is anyone going to the Great Lakes Fiber Festival today? I”ll be there for a short time in the morning. Wearing this:

My Traveling Woman Shawl.

I actually finished it a while ago but it went straight from the blocking board into my carry on bag for Napa. I literally unpinned it as the taxi was pulling into our driveway and tucked in the ends on the way to the airport. I’ve been wearing it constantly since then. It served as a headscarf in our convertible driving up Highway 1:

I'm aware that I look ridiculous.

Kept me warm while hiking through Muir Woods:

Group shot.  My hair is not a tangled mess because of this shawl.

Had lots of fun at the wineries:




Then it went with me to New Bern. Again shoved in my carry on just in case. I didn’t need to bring a coat since I had such a useful scarf in case of cold! It was even in my beach bag to be used as a headscarf again if things got too windy.  I didn't need it then but I did tuck the baby underneath it when she fell asleep on the plane home.

Needless to say I love this shawl. And before I blogged it I felt it deserved a little wash and reblock:


That’s a first for me. I’ve never worn a shawl so much I needed to reblock it.


But this is truly the perfect accessory. It’s warm enough to keep off the chill of spring or a summer evening, but is cool enough that it’s not hot and sweaty. It’s light as air so I have no problem bringing it everywhere with me just in case. Folded over and worn with the point facing front it’s completely trendy. And It can dress up my standard outfit of a tank top and jeans skirt in a second. Plus the yarn. Oh the yarn:

I LOVE how the semi-solid knit up with this pattern. And the silver gray goes with just about everything I own. I even bought these sandals so that I would be coordinated:

I've never bought shoes specifically to match a handknit before.

I knit the pattern exactly as written except that I added 2 extra repeats of Chart A. I had plenty of yarn in one skein to do this and I think it ended up about the perfect size. I love how this pattern is shaped. The increases on every row – as opposed to every other row like most shawls – give it a gradual peak:

Not the standard 45 degree triangle. I actually want to use this shaping on all shawls from now on. I’d love to see how the Adamas pattern worked with this shaping, for instance.

Anyways! Enough about how much I love this. On to the specs:

On Ravelry: Traveling Jeanne Shawl
Pattern: Traveling Woman
Yarn: Destination Yarn Sock Yarn Postcard – a super-soft blend of Merino and Nylon.
Colorway:  “Stormy Afternoon”
Mods: Added 2 extra repeats of Chart A
If I could do it again: Would knit it exactly the same. It’s perfect. I want one in every color.
Verdict: WIN. GOLD. YAY. LOVE. HEARTS and BUTTERFLIES and FLOWERS and SUNSHINE.