Striation Valley Shawl

Because the shawls resembled the ones my grandmother used, referred to as “pełegrine” in Venetian dialect, they never caught my attention much.

I couldn’t comprehend all the excitement surrounding them.

However, when I discovered Stephen West’s remarkable creations, I found them to be genuine pieces of art. The blending of colors and textures forms unique shapes, designs, and new hues.

I felt overwhelmed when I first approached his work, not so much due to the new techniques – as I am quite an adventurous knitter – but mainly because of the yarns used. The idea of working with a lace yarn and managing over 600 stitches on the needles seemed daunting.

However, I recently discovered my love for challenges and impulsively decided to purchase his Striation Valley shawl pattern and dive in.

I had some balls of Scozia 1 yarn, a blend of alpaca, wool, and viscose from Lollocrea, stashed away for a while. This yarn is a personal favorite! It’s budget-friendly with excellent results. The wool component gives it elasticity, while the alpaca adds a soft fuzziness. It’s sturdy, easy to work with, and glides smoothly on the needles.

This is the outcome! I finished the shawl in only 20 days, and I couldn’t be happier with it.