Here at Long Thread Media, we have all been oohing and ahhing over the delightful projects and articles in The Wonders of Wool eBook just added to the Library. Whether you want to learn something new about the properties of wool, or read an entertaining story about sheep-rearing nuns, The Wonders of Wool has plenty to entertain and inspire. On top of all the great information, there are fourteen stunning projects to knit, weave, and stitch. One that particularly caught my eye is the Weldon’s Shetland Shawl.
Going on a Journey with Weldon's Shetland Shawl
Designed by Carolyn Wyborny, the Weldon’s Shetland Shawl started as a choose-your-own-adventure knitting project inspired by a class with Gudrun Johnston. Carolyn wanted to design a triangular shawl that featured two large lace motifs and felt substantial, but only used one skein of fingering-weight yarn. Having knit a few one-skein shawls that would have been better off as cowls, I can respect this as an impressive feat of design! Carolyn did plenty of math and tinkering so we don’t have to!
Carolyn’s original Weldon’s Shetland Shawl was knitted with Hazel Knits Entice, a fingering-weight yarn commonly called MCN—a blend of 70 percent superwash Merino, 20 percent cashmere, and 10 percent nylon. She used the colorway Frost, a pale turquoise green that beautifully shows off the lace stitches in the pattern.
Devin Helmen picked up the thread with their handspun version, using handspun Rambouillet yarn from Lani’s Lana. With a beautiful light gray and a medium gray as options, Devin decided not to choose! Instead, they used the light gray for the garter stitch triangle, the medium gray for the Myrtle Leaf Chart, and returned to the light gray for the Point Lace Chart. The result is a stunning color-blocked shawl!
Devin's version uses two colors of Rambouillet to create a lofty and bouncy shawl.
Choose Your Own Adventure
One thing that I love about lace shawls is their flexibility. You can easily adapt them to just about any yarn you want and get a delightful result! With that in mind, here are a few thoughts on how to go about choosing a yarn for your own Weldon’s Shetland Shawl.
If You Want it Warm and Bouncy
How about a classic Shetland yarn? With a rainbow of colors to choose from, Jamieson and Smith’s two-ply jumper weight will make a beautiful Weldon’s Shetland Shawl. Use about four balls of a single color to get the look of Carolyn’s original or mix and match colors as Devin did for their version!
This is also the perfect option for farm yarns—think of those special skeins that come with the sheep’s name and picture on it. Whether you’ve had the opportunity to meet the sheep or not, I can’t think of a better use of a special skein or two.
A bouncy wool yarn will make for a classic and warm shawl.
If You’re in the Mood for Delicious Drape
Imagine this shawl knit in an alpaca/silk blend—the alpaca will lend drape and warmth, and the silk will add a bit of shine. Three skeins of Blue Sky Fibers Alpaca Silk sport weight yarn would make a luxurious Weldon’s Shetland Shawl.
Or you could go full glam with two skeins of Malabrigo Mora, a pure mulberry silk yarn available in a range of solid, semisolid, and tonal colors. You’ll have a classic shawl that’s perfect for special occasions.
Unspun fibers can show the qualities of the alpaca/silk blend even more clearly than the spun and plied yarn (from top): Cultivated silk (Bombyx mori), alpaca/silk combed top (75/25), and comparatively “wooly” alpaca roving. Photo by Kate Larson
Leftovers? Try Something New!
Whatever yarn you choose, you’ll want to use up your precious leftovers. How about trying something new, like Carol James’s Fingerwoven Bracelet? It's a simple and easy project, with easy step-by-step instructions—no loom required!
A fingerwoven bracelet in luxury yarns is a quick and satisfying project for using up leftovers. Photo by George Boe