Let's use all these bookish colors together
Bibliophile shawl: knitting with all twists and turns of a favorite story
Some of us are shawl knitters. Maybe it’s the gauge (not too firm; just easy and soothing), maybe it’s the shape (gently increasing), maybe it’s the finished item (something beautiful and handmade to wrap around your neck or drape across your shoulders when you need just that extra bit of warmth). Or, maybe, it’s as Michelle Obama recently said: when times are difficult and the world feels out of control, slowing down and focusing on something you can make with your hands feels good.
The Bibliophile shawl, with kits in my shop right now, is that perfect combination of slow and absorbing. It’s also, hands-down, the most wearable shawl in my wardrobe.
Bibliophile was designed by my friend, colleague, and chosen sister, Karalee Harding (links to Ravelry), especially for my shop. It showcases my yarn, but is so so much more than a wrap that’s fun to knit.
A shape that defies description
This shawl brings to life the idea of a library, where you’re surrounded by shelves of books, with their different colored spines and the twists and turns taken by the stories inside.
The shawl starts out as a typical triangle. But, each section then uses a different color and features a slightly different texture pattern and a different pattern of shaping. Your choice of colors will determine whether the overall effect is subdued or vibrant, quiet or bold.
This is the final shape 👇🏻, and, friends, it is amazing to wear. It’s really big but also not too deep, just the perfect amount. The long, curving and cornered edges wrap and drape perfectly and effortlessly.
The pattern has two sizes, small and large. With the large shawl, you can use 5 colors (as Marjorie is modeling) or 10 colors.
A perfect little kit
Karalee dreamed up the Bibliophile pattern as a perfect use for mini-skein sets (it was originally included in my 2019 subscription box, where subscribers received two mini-skeins, every other month, and could then knit Bibliophile, a bit at a time, and have a finished shawl by the end of their year’s subscription). It was a fun, twists and turns project that unfolded as the year’s subscription evolved.
So, when I was thinking about this collection, and wanting to include a shawl, I thought … You know what? We don’t always need to invent something new to have that perfect fit. Sometimes, the pattern we already own (and I know that many of you already have Bibliophile) or the pattern that was created years ago, is just perfect.
Karalee knit a new sample for Marjorie to model using all five colors of the Bookmarked palette:
Your Bibliophile kit comes with half-skeins (50g each) of all five of my Bookmarked palette colorways. They harmonize beautifully because they share a common underlayer of color (or, in the case of Lightly Foxed, speckles). This is the muted, soft, rich and textured color set of my dreams—and maybe of your dreams, too.
You can preorder the Bibliophile shawl kit (with or without the pattern) through Sunday evening.
Everything ships in January, so you will have a perfect, post-holiday treat already in the works, and arriving right when you need a pick-me-up.
It’s $92 with the pattern and $86 without it. (I just remembered that many of you already have the pattern, so if you already bought the kit, and already owned the pattern, let me know and I’ll refund the pattern cost.)
A little bonus
Oh, and that little cherry on top of a perfect ice cream sundae? Karalee’s college roommate, children’s book author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, helped found the Applachian Literacy Initiative, which gives low-income students books of their choice. Karalee donates $3 from each pattern sale to the Appalachian Literacy Initiative, and I am matching this from my share of revenue from the yarn.
Each kit I sell means $6 goes toward getting a book directly in the hands of a kid who needs and wants it.
This is the last long-form post in my launch series for Bookmarked. Preorders for the whole collection will be open through Sunday evening, and I’ll send a “last call” reminder on Sunday morning as part of my regular newsletter. Thanks for joining me for this deep-dive look at the collection!