Several people have asked if I could enlarge the Crescent Swallowtail. I always do what I am told 🙂 so I did write up some notes on how to make the crescent larger. I think the math is good, but you know knitters can’t count (just ask anyone who has cast on 397 sts and see if they can come up with the same number twice!!).
Enlarging the Crescent Swallowtail 5-15-2016
PLEASE let me know if you find any glaring errors or suggestions. I will (as with the crescent pattern) keep my Ravelry page updated. After people have made some bigger Swallowtails and I feel the information is solid, I will add the notes pages to the regular pattern so everything is in one place.
There are now two Crescent Swallowtails on Ravelry that were knit by people other than moi — yay!! Now let’s get some bigger ones out there.
PS – I cannot give you yarn estimates. I can only share the yardages I used when knitting my shawls. The good news is that as others knit this version of the Swallowtail, more information will become available. Thanks, all!!
PS to Deborah: My first shawls were triangles as that was the prevailing shape at the time. The problem with them is that as you make the shawl wider to increase the width between points (to fit better), the back just keeps getting longer and longer without adding “value”. With crescents, the length is being added to the endpoints, making them easier to wear because they are long enough to tie in the front, or wrap around the neck. Their gentle curve hugs the shoulders. If they are really long and narrow they can be worn like a scarf. Very versatile and easy to wear!
I think that a few weeks back you posted something about greatly preferring crescent shaped shawls to moon-shaped or triangular. Can you please elaborate? Thanks.
Comment by Deborah Garcia — May 16, 2016 @ 1:31 pm
re: P.S. Not to mention that when you make the triangle larger it appears to be pointing out one’s rear end and nobody wants that!
Comment by Peggy Hagberg — May 16, 2016 @ 8:52 pm
Help! I’m doing an enlarged version of the crescent swallowtail, and I’ve gotten to the bind off row. But now I’m stuck. I can’t figure out the Picot bind off. Nevermind, I’ve got it working now. Tried one more time and got it. OK, I’ll let you know how it comes out.
Julie
Comment by Julie Lanner — May 20, 2016 @ 2:36 pm
Hi Susan,
I am a long time reader and admirer of your work. I just finished my crescent shawl- it is gorgeous. Thank you so much for the modification. I know how much work that entailed, and you did a remarkable job.
Funny thing. I work in the yarn business, and never knit something that is not one of my own designs. Mostly because I have so little time, but also because I always feel as though I should tackle each idea as a challenge. So, rarely do I ever knit for pleasure. I love lace knitting, but I am petite, and never wear triangular shawls. Years ago, I did make the swallowtail shawls as gifts, so I always liked the pattern. Your exquisite rendering was the catalyst I needed to pull out my needles.
I wish I could tell you how much yarn I used, but I am unsure. I used Knitpicks “Bare Gloss Fingering”, but don’t think I started with a full ball (which has 440 yds). I needed to wind and use yardage from a second ball, but again, I have no recollection of how much was on the first ball. I used size 4-7 needles as you recommended, and a 5mm crochet hook for the picot bind-off.
I just have one editorial comment. I am not sure if the count is correct for the crocheted picot bind off,in order for a picot to wind up at the top of the first 2 peaks. However, once I centered the picot on the first peak, it was all smooth sailing.
Anyway,
I am president of my local knitters guild, and plan to show off my lovely shawl tonight, and I will request that members try one of your beautiful variations as their summer challenge. I thought that you and Sally might be interested to know that I recommended your wonderful blog to our group last month.
Thank you for making so many knitters happy!
Best,
Pat
Comment by Pat Olski — June 6, 2016 @ 12:36 pm