Flower Basket Shawl 1

If I recall correctly, Evelyn A. Clark started me on this path of lace shawls. The first lace shawl pattern I think I ever saw was Flower Basket, from Interweave Knits fall of 2004. Heck, was it only 6 years ago? I have since knit 5 versions of this pattern, which is a record high for me. There was no Ravelry at the time to help to find new triangular lace shawls, so I kept on doing that one pattern.

First, I completed one in purple bulky weight and gave it away. Wish I'd kept a record. On Ravelry, I have 3 flower basket shawls. The one I'm describing today is called Flower Basket 1, which is I think actually the 2nd one.

In 2007 I think, I went to John C. Campbell Folkschool to learn to spin. While there, I spent some time getting lost in their craft shop. I found some beautiful hand spun. I don't know who spun it, but it is a very heavy worsted single and probably has some silk. I'm very bad at keeping ball (skein?) bands. As I was in spinning class, I wondered how a beautiful lofty single was spun; I still can't do that.I purchased three colors: two greens and a creamy white.

Once I started knitting, I realized that I wanted a larger shawl, and I pressed a skein of Morehouse Farm Merino into service for the border. It doesn't quite match but it's OK. I also wanted some beads, and I bought some cheap white plastic beads that I could thread through the yarn and knit in as I cast off. The thing is so big, it's never been fully blocked to bring out the pattern. I really like to cozy up in it on a cold winter evening.

If you love this pattern ( and this isn't the best version of it) it appears that this pattern is available at Fibertrends, if you don't have the old copy of Interweave Knits. Apparently reprints for this issue are no longer available. Of course, it could be done in any weight of yarn; I'll have examples of others in this pattern in the future.

I love Evelyn's book, Knitting Lace Triangles. It appears to be available from Fibertrends, there are some available at Amazon as well.