Notes on the Swirl Shawl
Lijuan Jing’s Swirl Shawl is a geometrical masterpiece and a wonder to knit.
For those of you have decided to make this shawl, I just wanted to add a few notes to Lijuan’s pattern to make the process of getting started just a little simpler.
Each hexagon is knit in the round from the outer edge to the center. Therefore in the first line of the hexagon instructions, add the word Join after the the sentence beginning “Each needle…”
To close the hexagon, the pattern instructs you to knit 6 together. Knitting 6 stitches together takes a bit of effort. Nancy McFarlane gave me a great workaround. Rather than knitting the final six stitches together, cut the working yarn leaving a 3-4 inch tail. Thread a tapestry needle with the working yarn tail, draw through the last 6 sts, tighten. Weave the tail into the back of the hexagon.
At the left is my swatch hexagon. I made the mistake of using a long-tailed cast-on. I hadn’t thought out how the hexagons would be joined.
To make all hexagons the same, use a knit-on cast-on. Then, when you join one hexagon to the next, and need to cast-on the remaining stitches all your edges will match.
I hope these little tips make knitting the Swirl Shawl more enjoyable for you.
Thank you for posting these tips! I’m definitely going to put them to use. I always use long tail cast on, and I would have made the same mistake.
KZ
I’m not sure if my query is because I’m inexperienced, or just because I’m British and maybe we call it something else, but what and how is a knit-on cast-on?
Would a provisional cast on work-then you would have live stitches to connect the hexagons?
Allison,
I am sure it is just a matter of nomenclature.
To do a knit-on cast-on…
Make a slip knot and place it on the left needle.
Knit the stitch, but rather than dropping the stitch when it is complete, insert the left needle tip into the formed stitch. Now there are two stitches on the left needle.
Continue in this fashion until the correct number of stitches are cast on.
Carole
Yvonne,
I don’t think a provisional cast-on is the answer here. When you are adding hexagons, you are not picking up stitches all around. You will only be picking up stitches from two sides at the most.
Carole
Thanks for the tips, Carol. I just ran across this pattern in someone’s projects and fell in love with it. I guess ravelry is dangerous that way!
I picked up my stitches between each swirl. For the k6tog, I slipped all the stitches to a crochet hook and pulled the thread through, then fastened off.