by Rebecca Miller

Created on: November 18, 2008

Shawls, stoles, and wraps are versatile, beautiful additions to any woman's wardrobe. A knit shawl adds a touch of personality to an outfit, whether it be a cozy wrap with jeans and a T-shirt or an intricate lace stole with a formal gown. Shawls come in many shapes, and choosing the right construction can change the look and feel of a shawl dramatically.

-Rectangles-

Rectangular shawls are often called stoles and have the simplest construction. In essence, a stole is simply a very wide scarf, with no complicated shaping. Their simple construction makes it easy to substitute your favorite lace pattern and design your own stole.

Lace stoles in detailed patterns are often knit in two identical pieces and grafted together in the center. This makes the lace pattern symmetrical and gives both ends identical cast-on edges.

Rectangular shawls, particularly those knit in lace patterns, stay on the shoulders well and do not usually require a shawl pin to hold them in place. This is a distinct advantage.

-Triangles-

The triangular shawl is a popular traditional shape, with two points that drape over the shoulders and one hanging down the back. It can be constructed in two different ways for substantially different looks.

Some triangular shawls are knit from the bottom point up, increasing at each side on every right side row and binding off at the top edge. This creates horizontal rows across the back. The point-up construction has the simplest shaping and works best with patterns that draw the eye vertically or diagonally. Beware the temptation to work a striped shawl with this construction, since horizontal stripes are flattering on very few bodies!

The triangular shape can also be achieved by starting at the center neck and knitting outward in the shape of a V. Placing an increase at each edge and a paired increase at the center of the shawl creates a mitered corner for the bottom point. In this construction, the rows run diagonally over the shoulders down to the center point. Stripes of color or of different stitch patterns work up very attractively in this V-shape, making it a good choice for a stash-busting project or an improvised design.

A triangle shawl may need to be secured with a shawl pin to keep in on the shoulders. This problem can be alleviated by making the triangle wider and shorter; try increasing an extra edge stitch every three or four rows to change the angle of the bottom point. This distributes the weight of the shawl differently and is also a better fit

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