Kællingesjal, 1897

The pattern for the recreation of this lovely 19^th century shawl from the Vendsyssel Museum, Denmark is by Mette Rørbech. To read more about her work on this project and to see more photographs, including historic ones of the shawl, go to

http://knitforwardsunderstandbackwards.blogspot.com/search/label/Kællingesjal%201897

The pattern is available on Raverly in several languages. The shawl is knit in four sections, and is easily adapted to different sizes. Basing the interior triangle on the wingspan of the first edging, I had to add an extra 150 stitches to it as my arms are rather long and so the edging came out very long, too. Not to worry, though, as the lace patterns of both of the edgings was easy to memorise and the interior triangle, once past the ridged area, was plain garter stitch.

I also did not mind knitting and knitting this shawl as I was working with the wonderful Wool Out of Wales (100% Leicester Longwool, fingering, 400 yards.) It is a glorious fine 2ply undyed wool with a slight halo to the knitted fabric. 

The photograph of the shawl draped over the chair, with the light shining through, shows how finely it knits up but is deceptive in that the shawl is also extraordinarily warm. This shawl took just under four skeins on 3.75mm/US 5 needles.

The shawl comfortably wraps around the body and shoulders and ties at the back with specially shaped points. We had fun taking the photographs to show off the shawl from various angles, illustrating all of its merits.

So thank you, Mette Rørbech, for working out and sharing the pattern of this lovely shawl. My thanks, also, to my friend, JK, for posing so elegantly in the shawl, both indoors and outdoors in snowy weather, and for arranging the shawl so beautifully on the chair and in the window sill.