Many of us love knitting shawls, but we often struggle when wearing and styling those hand-knit shawls. You’ve chosen the perfect skeins of hand-dyed yarn, spent way too much time searching Ravelry for the best pattern, and then weeks knitting your shawl. However, when it’s time to wear, you often lack inspiration, or struggle keeping it on your shoulders. I’ve put together this list of my favorite ways to wear your hand knit shawl. 

  • Wrap it

Simple wrap your shawl or shawlette loosely around your neck.  You can put the widest part of the wrap at your back, shoulder or at the front. Cross the ends around your neck and you are done!

AgeLeafy Bias shawl knit with two skeins of Annual BFL Yarn Lily Worstedan
  • Pin it Down

Pinning a shawl is the easiest way to fasten a shawl around your shoulders. You can wrap the shawl and fasten with a pin or brooch. Fancy or casual, shawl pins come in many different styles. Our Spring into Fall Mystery shawl made from mini skeins of hand-dyed yarns is a perfect shawl to fasten with a pin.

Why Backyard Garden for a DK weight yarn?

  • Tie the Loose Ends of Your Shawl in the Front

If you want to show off the lace work on the ends of your shawl, consider tying them so that they hang loosely in the front like a scarf. You can even knot them if you feel like the loose ends may slip. 

  • Cowl

Wearing as a cowl can be a good idea if you want your shawl’s warmth close around your neck. Wrap a long narrow shawl loosely around your neck and tuck the ends through to secure in place. To ensure your knitting shows, be sure and have the right side out and let the edges show.

  • Wear it Off to One Side

If you’d rather not have a triangle shaped shawl point down your back, consider putting the center of your shawl over one shoulder. This is my go-to way to wear triangle shawls as I like the little bit of extra warmth it gives and often lets me leave my jacket at home.  Shawls aren’t just for grannies and wearing it off center make it a trendy handmade accessory.

  • Tie the ends in a knot

Long narrow shawls can sometimes be a problem when they are only wrapped once around your neck. The long narrow tails slip and unless you are tall, may seem overwhelming. To solve this, I tie a simple overhand knot in one of the ends. This is hands down my favorite way to wear my Hygge Wrap pattern. Hygge is a fun, easy knit. Made as a fade holding two strands of yarn it is quick to knit, and the garter stitch makes it so squishy and the perfect extra bit of warmth.

Hygge wrap knitted with three skeins Backyard Garden Fingering/Sock, worn with the end tied in a knot.
  • Bandana style

Position the point of a triangle shawl at the front like a kerchief, wrap the ends around your neck crossing them in the back, bringing the ends forward to hang loosely.  Or knit your shawl as a kerchief style cowl for easy wear!

Blye Bandana Cowl knit with three skeins of Wildflower Garden Bulky yarn

Shopping for the perfect hand dyed yarn in online yarn stores can be stressful.  I work hard to portray colors accurately on my site at New Garden Farm, but sometimes another opinion can help.  If you are struggling to find the perfect yarn for your project, please get in touch with me via email or phone.  Putting colors together is one of my favorite things to do.  Send me what you want to make, color ideas you may have, and I’ll put together some suggestions. With these ideas for wearing shawls, you’ll be ready to start wearing your new shawl! 

I really enjoy getting to know who is purchasing my yarns, so I’d love to hear from you!

Melissa