More and more, I find myself craving simplicity.
It can be fun to throw yourself into a big challenging project, learning new things, expanding your skills, and surprising yourself with what you’re capable of.
But sometimes, it’s lovely to just go back to basics. A single colour. A simple stitch. A gentle rhythm that allows your mind to rest.
There’s clarity and comfort in that.
And the busier life gets, the more I appreciate the kind of gentle, restorative knitting projects which offer more than they ask for.
So I designed the North Star Shawl to be exactly that.
Get the North Star Shawl Pattern
Until Sunday, June 9th 2024, use the code FOLLOWYOURSTAR when you check out and save 25%.
We’ve always looked to the sky to help us find our way. For thousands of years, adventurers depended on the steadfast, shining North Star to guide them.
Now we depend on a constellation of GPS satellites, whether we’re trekking through unfamiliar neighbourhoods or across remote mountain trails.
These days, when we follow our North Star, we’re looking inwards, instead of upwards.
Self belief. Alignment. The inner light that comforts us and keeps us steady as we navigate our complex, demanding lives.
The North Star Shawl is a simple, timeless design with a contemporary finish.
This asymmetrical triangle shawl features my favourite star stitch (so fun and satisfying to knit) standing out against a stockinette background, and finished with a sturdy garter border.
It’s a relaxing, grounding project and a classic accessory that’s easy to style for everyday wear.
A simple shawl like this is also wonderful for letting a special yarn take the starring role in a design.
The sample yarn I chose is quite a special one.
Yak Singles from NNK Yarns
Lisa from NNK Yarns is a fabulous Aussie indie dyer and friend. If you’ve been in the Curious Crew for a while, you may already be familiar with her work from previous pattern samples, including the Gingerbread House Socks from last year’s Knitvent.
For North Star, I chose her stunning Yak Singles yarn in the Magnolia colourway.
When we lived in London, we had a gorgeous magnolia tree in the garden. That tree brought me so much joy every year, so this one has special meaning for me.
And the yarn itself is magic: a blend of 65% SW Merino Wool, 20% Silk, and 15% Yak, single-spun, which knits up into a fantastically airy, drapey fabric with a glorious sheen: just perfect for shawls.
Depending on your gauge, you should be able to knit the North Star Shawl from a single skein of NNK Yak Singles, as the skeins are 120 grams.
Lisa has a pre-order listing up for us now in her Etsy shop! Aside from the lovely sample colour, she has a wide rage of rich and sophisticated colourways to choose from.
Shop NNK Yarns
And, as always, when I share the sample yarn for any of my patterns, it’s meant as inspiration and a way to highlight the work of other small creative businesses, not as pressure to choose the same yarn I did!
If it sings to you, and you have some room in your yarn budget, this is a beautiful, beautiful yarn that I highly recommend. But half the joy of releasing a new pattern into the world is seeing what diverse, wonderful yarns and colourways everyone will choose for their own project. Knitting from stash or shopping from your local yarn shop or favourite indie dyer is highly encouraged.
So, if you’re on the hunt for yarn yourself, here are the details…
The sample shawl used: 120g (480m/525 yds) fingering weight single ply spun yarn.
You could knit the North Star in any yarn that takes your fancy: because the focus is on texture, you don’t need to worry about a dark or variegated colourway obscuring the stitch patterns.
I hope this new shawl pattern brings you joy.
If you’re casting on, I’d love to see photos of the yarn you choose and your WIP shots.
Tag @CuriousHandmade on social media and use the hashtag #NorthStarShawl so we can see and share your work!
Get the North Star Shawl Pattern
Don’t forget, until Sunday, June 9th 2024, you can use the code FOLLOWYOURSTAR when you check out to save 25%.
