Darling Dotty is a soft, feminine, crescent shawl featuring an all-over dotty pattern and a sweeping border of light-weight bobbles.
I love the all-over dotty pattern on this shawl. I've been quite obsessed with this wee stitch for a long time now and it was the beginning of my idea for the Darling Dotty design. I love the way it adds subtle texture but also creates tiny gaps for the light to bounce through. The result is a fluid fabric which behaves a little like lace but is warmer over your shoulders. The scooping yarn-over breaks between sections in the body add a pretty touch.
Aren't the bobbles so much fun? They're a nice, fresh twist on traditional lace borders and I love these bobbles because they're hollow, so they're soft and flexible and a bit more feminine.
Bobbles are simple to knit. I've given you clear instructions in the pattern which walk you through the method step by step. When you're blocking them I've suggested pushing them outwards with your finger to emphasise their rounded shape.
The shawl starts with a tab cast-on and is knitted from the top down in sport weight yarn. I used nearly two skeins of the very delicious merino/silk sport yarn hand dyed by Australian Dyer Skein. It's light and gently tonal with a beautiful sheen. My shawl is knitted in the yummy "Buttermilk" colourway.
(Remember my recent tab cast on tutorial? You can use that to help you out with the tab if you're unsure of how to knit it. I've linked to it in the pattern so it's easy to find.)
Darling Dotty is a crescent shaped shawl large enough to throw over your shoulders in a poncho style, like in my photos. It's works as a nice light layer on cool evenings and while it's lovely over skirts and dresses, it's also a great accessory to soften jeans and a t shirt.
After a wet blocking and a reasonable stretch it's about 185cm/73" wide and 46cm/17" deep but you could block it longer and slimmer if you like.
To make things as happy as possible for you, I've included written and charted directions and links to photo tutorials to help you along.
Darling Dotty is an ideal knit for experienced knitters and adventurous beginners and it's available on Ravelry now. You can find it in my Ravelry Shop.
Happy knitting! I'm looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful Darling Dottys. X
