A couple of weeks ago, I wrote out to friend and designer Ariane Gallizzi, asking her if it would look weird if I added a section of solid contrasting color at the far end of her Turicum Shawl pattern. I should have known she'd encourage me to do it. Here's what she wrote, "I like if people experiment with my patterns, yes, make that field of green! Worst case, if you don’t like it, you just rip it back."
Of course! Granted, ripping back isn't fun, but it's not the end of the world, especially if you add a life-line to guarantee you won't lose any stitches. So, with my life-line in place, I went for it…and I'm so glad I did.
This project was a lesson in customization for me. It started with choosing a yarn of a different weight and then adjusting the number of rows to accommodate the different gauge. I then added the solid section of contrasting color, and finally, chose colorful beads that "pop", rather than beads that blend, for a totally unique, personalized shawl.
In the event you'd like to recreate my version, here are the details:
LEADING MEN FIBER ARTSShow Stealer Fingering (100 g/3.5 oz)
Main Color (MC): Anne of Green Gables (80 g/2.8 oz)
Contrasting Color (CC): Swamp Thing (84 g/3.0 oz)
US 5 needle
500 size 6/0 Czech glass beads: Silver-lined Topaz
Section 1
- Knit as described in the pattern.
- Knit as described in the pattern, continuing for more rows.
- Once the shawl had 53 stripes in MC, knit with CC only, continuing in pattern for an additional 36 rows (approximately 3").
- Finish with 2 rows in MC (including fringe in MC). Work Row 1 of section 2 one more time, then bind off loosely.
Beads and Fringe
There are a couple of tools that I found indispensable when working my fringe.
Dental floss threader: Though I searched several local pharmacies, I ultimately had to order my floss threader online since no one had it in stock. I consider it an absolute must have for stringing beads on yarn so, to make it easier for Izzy Knits customers, we now include a floss threader in every bag of beads we sell!
Rotary cutter: In my opinion, the ONLY way to cut straight fringe is with a rotary cutter, combined with a marked cutting mat and metal straight edge.
Finally, my last customization had to do with the knot I used to secure the second row of beads. When I tied the square knot as Ariane instructed, my yarn stuck out a bit sideways…no problem in row 1. But I wanted the final fringe to hang down straight, so I opted for a thumb knot instead of the square knot in row 2.
The great thing about this pattern is that, no matter what yarn you choose, you can knit until it's gone, or stop sooner, as I did, when you reach your desired dimensions. Gauge is not critical here. Just remember to change your needle size to correspond with the weight of your yarn and voila! Easy customization.
ONE FINAL NOTE: When choosing your yarn, you will want to select two yarns with high contrast, like the blue and white that Ariane used or the ivory and green that I chose. To test the contrast of your yarns, take a photo of them together, then convert the photo to greyscale (mono or B/W). If the yarns look the same in greyscale, then they do not have enough contrast to create a strong stripe (see samples below).
