Granny Shawl Joy

Well I am on a roll this week! Another blog post already you say? Its because I have made another thing I want to tell you about!

It all started when I tidied up my yarn stash...

BEFORE...

...AFTER

As I was sorting through l found some leftover chunky yarn in a lovely blue and purple self striping pattern. I had used it to make a scarf when I was learning to knit. The scarf was incredibly long because I had nobody to teach me how to cast off for ages so I just kept knitting! There were a few balls left however and as I had been sitting shivering in our old Victorian home with inconceivable drafts blowing from here there and everywhere (in March!), I thought I should treat myself to a shawl.

I opted for a granny pattern which was free from Ravelry (here is the link if you want to have a go.) There were quite a few options when I searched on it but I picked out one by a lady who has great photographs of her patterns. I always find this visual approach is good for me for a new project. Her name is Solveig Grimstad and her blog is great if you want to have a mooch. I made her flowers in the snow blanket as a baby blanket and finally finished that in February after starting it last May!

As work progressed I realised I was not going to have enough yarn left to complete the shawl! I had no idea what brand of yarn it was or how to get more, and I had promised myself and my long suffering partner that I would refrain from further yarn hoarding until I had used some of what I had! So I did the only logical thing possible. I unravelled my scarf and added the yarn into the shawl! It was starting to look a bit tatty anyway and once the yarn had been reworked it revived no end!

By using the yarn from my scarf and edging in a deep purple (also from my stash) I was just able to get it big enough to be snuggly and practical.

Oh yes! The edging, I almost forgot! I did a few online searches and found a blog with an edging solution for a granny shawl which I used on mine. Here it is if you would like to use it. I found it to be very simple and yet quite striking. 

I am really pleased with the results and with how quickly it worked up. I encourage you all to try a granny shawl! Next time I make one I will use different solid colour yarns and make my own stripe pattern but it was fun working with self striping and quicker without having to tie new colours in all the time, and still very effective I think.

I am sitting in bed finishing writing this post, wrapped in my granny shawl and I am nice and cosy! Get in touch if you try a granny shawl pattern or tag us on instagram so we can have a nosy!