The first kiss of fall fills the air and means that summer is over. It is a wistful time, but a pleasant one.
A friend recently asked me if I could fix the cast on for the French Cancan Shawl, which has a definite hump like many other crescent shawls. I seem to have become the unofficial “hump whisperer.” Please do not put that on my headstone!!
The French Cancan does not use the same rate or method for the increases that I have used in other shawls, so I had to build the cast on from scratch. It isn’t perfect but I think it is an improvement. A link to the cast on for this shawl is here.
I decided I needed to make the shawl to test it. 🙂 I started out with fingering weight yarn and completed the entire body. I found the braided edging (which takes 2 rows per stitch to complete = 800 rows for mine) too daunting, so I started over with worsted weight yarn. Cheater!! 😉
I used very well aged yarn from my stash – Mulberry Silk from Horstia left over from my Viking Turid sweater. Beautiful 50-50 silk and merino yarn.
I added some short rows and other mods to the corners so they would look pointed and not lopped off. Here is my French Cancan blocking:
Blocking shows reduced hump!!
Lettie likes everything French!!
Corner Detail
So there is my French Cancan. I hope to wear it when I visit Surly next week.
So pretty, and so smart to go Worsted. As always, your details are appreciated. Have fun with Surly! Is this a “just because” trip?
Comment by Susan — September 17, 2016 @ 6:24 pm
Magnifique!
Love your corner mods, and wish mine had been likewise modified.
Comment by CreeksideKnitter — September 17, 2016 @ 8:21 pm
I love this piece. At first I thought you had put gold beads on the picot points, then I noticed they were the blocking pins!
Comment by Cindy — September 18, 2016 @ 3:47 pm
I have started this shawl twice and never finished (2 different yarns). I have looked at the photos on Ravelry and never liked the hump. I think I will start over and use your method. I am not knowledgeable enough to figure out your points. Any chance you’ll publish that change? Your shawl is very lovely.
Comment by Mary Jo — September 18, 2016 @ 9:15 pm
Totally beautiful. Maybe you could have “Here lies Susan Rainey. Shawl whisperer.” Chloe
Comment by Chloe — September 19, 2016 @ 6:54 am
Your Cancan looks lovely. I first saw this on someone’s chair at Stitches West this year, and fell in love with it. She used Tanis Fiber Arts yarn, and it was beautiful. I bought the yarn and have had it waiting to cast on while I finished a few other projects. So glad I delayed, now I can use your modification to avoid the hump! 🙂 Shawl whisperer sounds like a great epitaph!
Comment by Amy — September 19, 2016 @ 1:36 pm
That is just lovely! Seems like every shawl you make ends up on my in my favorites list or in my queue! I have to read the pattern and figure out the modifications to the points. Yours looks just perfect.
Comment by Cathy L — September 19, 2016 @ 6:01 pm
This visit has several purposes in answer to a question — but mostly fun and knitting. More afterwards!
Comment by Surly — September 19, 2016 @ 8:40 pm
Gorgeous!
Comment by Joan — September 22, 2016 @ 12:19 pm
I love what you have done with the cast on, and the corners. It is gorgeous.
Comment by Pat Olski — November 23, 2016 @ 9:31 pm