I have discovered I am much more a shawl girl than I am a sweater girl.
Sweaters always give me the itches. Not to mention, I am ALWAYS SO HOT when I go places that I get overheated wearing sweaters. (Which is good since all I have are sleeveless/shortsleeve dresses anyway.)
Not so with shawls! Shawls seem to me the perfect amount of warmth while still giving my arms breathing room.
What I *really* am in love with is something called a Sontag . It is a type of shawl that is made to wrap around you and tie (or button) in the back. I think they are so beautiful! And clever! And HANDY! Here are some I have found on Ravelry~ sadly, all knit.
As you can see, they are mostly made for Reenactments, which I don't do. But WHO CARES!?!?! I am completely comfortable starting new trends. Or even, NOT starting new trends and just wearing what I like. ;-)
I intended to make this shawl to tie all the way around me but it was feeling more like a blanket than a shawl so I stopped. Plus, I was getting a bit irritated by the need to go to the yarn store for "just one more skein." Sad.
But wait! Come to think of it~ I *could* just make ties on the corners and have one after all.....
What a DUH moment. (THAT was embarrassing!)
18 comments:
I would wear these..with some big hoop earrings for sure. Start the trend!
Gorgeous. And if you are looking to do a new profile picture anytime soon, the 4th one down is stunning.
How neat!!! I think I would like a shawl too...don't know if I would be brave enough to wear it out of the home though...like where do you put the shawl when you put your coat on? I absolutely LOVE the sontags especially the last photo you put up...so neat! :) I'll live vicariously through you. ;) Right now, I'm still in my maternity clothing. :/ :-)
They are beautiful and practical. I was going to suggest you sew wide grosgrain ribbon to the ends and tie one on! Picture please!
You, trendsetter, you! ;) Those Sontags are sweet! I'm more of a follower, personally. How long do you think it will take for the trend to get to Wisconsin?
I'm a sweater girl. I'm cold ALL OF THE TIME. I bring a sweater with me everywhere in the SUMMER TIME because the air conditioning is usually too cold!
I love the pics you take of yourself, btw. I'm never brave enough to do that but it's such a wonderful idea. And I'm sure my girls would like seeing more pics of me (when they're older). The problem is I'm not very photogenic. I have one good angle. ;) I really need to get over it though.
My gracious you look stunning:-)!
Is that the infinity dress, by any chance? Whatever - you look great, although I am absolutely positive that I will never, ever wear a sontag. You all can do that trend. It looks too much like a straight jacket without sleeves to me, which probably is revealing a bit too much...
Love this post! Thanks so much for sharing! I agree--start a new trend or do it anyway. :) (I have always preferred shawls to sweaters, for much the same reasons you listed and felt a little awkward wearing them when no one else seemed to. At some point in my twenties I realized I wouldn't wear most of what *most* people wear, so if I was going to be a bit different I should wear what I like.) ;) While in England I found a fleece shawl with pockets on each side and it has been incredibly practical yet stylish for a mom of little loves. On cooler days I could easily wrap it around baby in his Moby wrap for added warmth out of doors. I never knew that variation was called a sontag--a perfect blend of sweater and shawl. If only I were better at knitting or crocheting. After seeing this--I might just need to work a bit harder at it.
I do this all the time! I have many shawls I have made and love them. I get some looks but also compliments. They are so feminine. Sontags were also called "Bosom Buddies!" Go for it!! Dee
Rebecca, you could go to knittinghelp.com or youtube to look at knitting videos. I've done that myself. It's a wonderful invention! :) Once you get the hang of it, you can experiment with new things. A lot of the reason I learned how to knit is because there are just so many neat patterns I wanted to try. :)
Dont feel bad about your duh moment. When I saw the pics I had one too. I have several wide scarves that I like to wear around this drafty house but they get in my way. Cant believe I never thought about crocheting strings on the ends to tie behind me. DUH!!! for sure. Thanks for the inspiration.
Have you ever seen the "Sarah, Plain and Tall" movies?
(If you haven't, I think you would really like them. I loved the first two movies. The third, not so much. Anyway...)
There's this shawl/sontag/thingie? Sarah wears in I think the third movie that I LOVED. If you ever watch it, you'll know the one I'm talking about the moment you see it.
How I wish I had the time to knit something like that for myself!! And if only I knew when in the world I'd ever wear it, I'd be at least tempted to put in the effort. I, like you get way too hot wearing sweaters, no matter how much I love the look of them.
So... just sigh and long, I guess.
I love your cream shawl! The boys have asked about it several times since you visit last fall. I should them the pictures and they like it, too. :)
I have had one of those sontag patterns in my favorites at Rav for quite awhile. I LOVE the last one! I think I'll finally get some yarn to make one! They look practical, comfortable, and very useful! I could see Tasha Tudor wearing one. :D The older I get the more simplistic and practical my tastes become.
Have you taken a look at the schematics (shape) of the knitted sontags? I bet you could create your own pattern for a crocheted one! I would think you could make it either tip to tip or top to bottom. :D
Wondered if you saw this pattern on Rav, http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crocheted-tess-durbervilles-shawl . It's written by the same lady who wrote the pattern for the knitted sontag in the last picture of your post. It's not exactly the same shape but it might be a good "jumping-off" point for you. ;)
Amy~ wearing a coat is a predicament. I take it off and wrap it around my neck as a scarf. Or I don't wear a coat.
Catie~ I am SO unphotogenic. Please believe me. I am disgusting in pictures. You have one more good angle than *I* have.
The pictures I post here I take of MYSELF when NO ONE IS LOOKING and I take a ton so that I can choose the least of all evils. Any pictures that others take of me I hate. LOATHE. DESPISE. But, as you said, it is good to have some of you. For your children and husband, especially. So DO!
Mar~ not the infinity dress, just a red one. And that straight-jacket comment had me cracking up!
Too funny! If anyone deserves one of those it is me!
Leah~ I have seen SPT, though it was years ago. I requested them through the library for a refresher and to check out that shawl! ;-)
Leah T.~ thanks! I'll check it out!
I love shawls and have a huge one to wrap up in just for reading. I think the sontags are interesting so I really appreciated your post about them. I found this link for a crochet pattern and may give it a try myself. http://www.csa-scla.org/articles/Sontag.htm#ModernSontag
Elizabeth
You are NOT unphotogenic. Period. :) I know I've said this before, but I LOVE your profile picture! You look beautiful. :) (The one with the writing on your face. ;)
Timeless Stitches has a crochet sontag. tstitches.com I love them too and I don't care what others think. I think the sontag is more practical because I have to keep holding onto a shawl but the sontag is tied on so nothing to fall off the shoulders. You go girl!!. Love your site.
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