Sewing Projects

A hint of lilac

The perfect shawl to snuggle up in. The high proportion of microfibre yarn feels lovely against the skin and warm at the same time. And you will enjoy wearing this long shawl indoors too, when you’re just relaxing on the sofa.

This shawl will go with virtually anything. By emphasising the blue shades it would look great with jeans. By adding some glitter yarn, it would work well as an elegant evening shawl too.

Straight cut pieces like these are ideal for trying out your own design ideas.

For larger women this shawl is really eye catching accessory when worn draped over one shoulder over a dress.

NB: Tips and techniques for creating crazy wool can be found in Sewing Techniques, Crazy Wool.

MATERIALS

Size: length approx 200 cm, width approx 40 cm (79 x 15 ¼”).
* 3 x 50 g balls (length 35 m/ 38 ¼ yd) in blue, violet and pink of Tozo by Schachenmayr (60% polyamide, 15% polyacrylic, 13% polyester, 8% wool, 4% alpaca)
* 2 x 50g balls in pink (length 100m/109 1/2 yd/50g) of Serano by Gedifra (52% polyamide (Tactel), 48% polyamide)
* Spray adhesive
* Water soluble stabiliser 200 x 90 cm (79 x 35 1/2”) ie: Soluvlies by Vilene
* Sewing thread in pink

Instructions

1. First fold the whole piece of stabiliser in half and using scissors cut into two pieces 45 x 200 cm (17 ¾ x 79”).

2. Spray one of the stabiliser pieces with adhesive and start by laying the pink yarn over it in both directions. Edge the pink coloured areas with the contrasting colours.

3. Spray in between the layers with adhesive and then lay rosettes in the blue and violet yarn (Tizio) evenly over the shawl. Re-spray with the adhesive and cover with the second piece of stabiliser.

4. Carefully press down the covering stabiliser (as indicated on the Sewing Techniques page for Crazy Wool). If necessary pin together in places so that the work does not slip when you are sewing. Finally stitch in both directions with the sewing machine.

5. To finish rinse out carefully under cold running water. If necessary add a little detergent to the water for delicate fabrics, so that the stabiliser dissolves more quickly.

HANDY HINT: You can be quite creative when deciding on the shape of your shawl, giving it a personal touch by leaving the ends of the shawl pointed or rounded off, for example.

Further information and special offer

Crazy Wool is one of the two new books by Jeannette Knake is published by Search Press (ISBN: 978-1-84448-357) (the other is Crazy Felt). With this colourful and practical craft book you will learn how to make great selection of fashionable garments and accessories combining wool, machine stitching and water soluble stabilisers.

ISEW web browsers can buy this at just £5.99, p&p free to UK addresses (rrp £6.99). To take up the offer, call Search Press on tel: 01892 510850, quoting isew.co.uk. You can also www.searchpress.com to see more of their great range of art and craft titles.