Shawl Knitalong

This is the last post of my shawl knitalong. This week we will cast off, make one more rosette, and add  the final touches. This week is where the crochet hook and rosettes come in.

Shawl:
Continue in the pattern from last week until you reach your desired length.
Cast off.
Your shawl may curl at the edges, to remedy this you can bloc the shawl.
To bloc: soak the shawl in warm water for 10-15 minutes,
and stretch it out on a towel in the shape you want it.
You can put weights on the edges that curl.
When your shawl is dry you can start on the decorations.
I would recommend blocking before the decorations.

Decorations:

            

(Decoration) You should have a gradual curve.

Cast on 2 sts in lace weight, also using 2 double points.

First row:k1 kfb.

Next row: k across.

Next row: k1 kfb k1.

First purl row: p across.

k row: k2 kfb k1.

p row: p across.

k row: k3 kfb k1.

p row: p across.

k row: k4 kfb k1.

purl every purl row, knit 1 more before your kfb every knit row, when you have 10 sts on your needle knit stockinette for 5 rows.

It should look like this right after cast off.

Next row: k1 k2tog k across.

p row: p across.

k row: k1 k2tog k across.

p row: p across.

k row: k1 k2tog k across. Repeat k1 k2tog k across every k row, purl across every p row, until you have 2 sts left then cast off.

Leave 3 inch strand of yarn after casting off, use to tie/weave in a spiral until it resembles a rosette.

The end product rosette.

All 9 rosettes.

Alright, now gather your rosettes, finished shawl base, and crochet hook. You may also want to weigh down the top of your shawl so that it is easier to attach the rosettes. 

I used books to weigh down the top. 

Now spread the rosettes out on the knit side of the shawl along the edges.

Turn over the first rosette and find the 2 separate strands, you will use these to attach them to the shawl. Place back on the shawl slightly below where you want it to be. Put 1 strand to the left, and the other to the right. 

I have outlined the st the rosette will be attached to with the crochet hook, which we will use to pull the yarn through.

Pull the right strand from right to left through the outlined st, and the left strand from left to right. Pull tight so that the rosette is drawn up to the st. Tie a double knot to secure. Do not cut the strands.

Right to left.

Left to right.

Continue up both sides of the shawl until all the rosettes are attached.












Using the strands from the first rosette we are going to make a leaf. Start by hooking the yarn through a st to the left. Loop the strand twice around the st, and move up and inward to another st.

Do the same on the other side. Choose a st for the peak of your leaf and draw the left strand through from right to left, and the right strand from left to right.











This is 1 side of the leaf, it creates a ridge that will show up even if your colors are very similar.

Tie over the top of the st, and you have a leaf.
Do this on each rosette at different angles so that it looks more natural. Trim the strands.

Now you have finished the leaves, but we aren't finished yet.

Draw a loop of yarn through the top and center of the shawl, pull the loop larger and larger until you can pull the loop to the nearest rosette, fold, and pull the end back to the source with a little extra yarn. pull the end not connected to the ball/skein almost tight, but keep the loop about the same size as your finger.

 Put your crochet hook through the loop and straight down through the shawl.













Hook the yarn and pull through the shawl and the loop creating another loop, put your hook through the new loop and the shawl and hook and pull through again, creating another new loop.

This will turn into a chain st, work in this way down towards the nearest rosette.
When you reach the rosette pull the last loop large enough to go over the rosette, pull over the rosette and pull the yarn on the back so that the loop is tight, and tie off.

Continue to connect the rosettes with the chain st branching off of other rosettes, connecting from the top, or whatever pattern you like.

When you have finished connecting the rosettes with the chain st you can add a few leaves onto the stems so that they look more natural.

And that is the end of my shawl knitalong. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you for reading!