CRAFTING A CALMER SELF BLOG

I can’t help it, but I love shawls. The only thing I love more than wearing them, is making them. Easy to knit or crochet and even easier to wear. For those of you not familiar with the “shawl scene”, a shawl - derived from the Persian word “Shâl”- is a simple item of clothing which is worn loosely over the shoulders, upper body, arms, and (sometimes) over the head. Usually constructed as a simple square, rectangle or triangle, the shawl is a great beginners project, but can be transformed into a work of art through complicated stitch and pattern work for the most seasoned knitter or crocheter.

A little history . . . Dating back to the original part of a Persian traditional costume dress in the early Achaemenid dynasty of ancient Persia, “shals” were woven from beautiful threads of woolen twill, for the adornment of women and men. It is believed that the shawl also first caught on in Northern India around the late Achaemenid Era, gradually spreading to the Far East and to the Middle-East. The shawl of course has been worn throughout the centuries, but in modern everyday American fashion, I feel it is...