Stitching Handmade Shawls from Granny Circles

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A closer view of one of my handmade shawls, which will top off almost any outfit!
A closer view of one of my handmade shawls, which will top off almost any outfit!
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SHAWL CONSTRUCTION Each row of the handmade shawl is assembled horizontally... and then the lines are connected to one another with vertical hitches. To give the garment a triangle shape, the first unit of each new row is sewn to the second puff of the row above. As the rows decrease in width (by units of two), you'll finally come to the last piece of the shawl, which is a single circle. This sphere is centered between the two circles of the row above it, and then stitched to each in a diagonal pattern.
SHAWL CONSTRUCTION Each row of the handmade shawl is assembled horizontally... and then the lines are connected to one another with vertical hitches. To give the garment a triangle shape, the first unit of each new row is sewn to the second puff of the row above. As the rows decrease in width (by units of two), you'll finally come to the last piece of the shawl, which is a single circle. This sphere is centered between the two circles of the row above it, and then stitched to each in a diagonal pattern.

You’ve probably heard the old adage, “Necessity is the mother of invention”? Well, that cliché certainly holds true in my case! I like to design and sew my own clothes, you see, but I’ve always had trouble buying coats or sweaters that look right when worn over a variety of skirt and dress lengths. After experiencing the continual frustration of taking up and letting down the hems of my homemade wraps, I was about ready to give up on finding an appropriate “top layer” for my pioneer-style wardrobe … and then I “discovered” the “granny circle” shawl.

Most of you have, I’m sure, seen examples of traditional granny circle bedspreads made of contrasting rounds of fabric … all of which are puffed and joined together to form an attractive coverlet. Well, I simply adapted the 200-year-old pattern used to craft those quilts and produced a “new-fashioned” garment that’s perfect to wear with dresses, long skirts, or even jeans. My handmade shawl is amazingly easy to assemble … and it probably won’t cost you a single penny to make!

You can, for instance, likely collect free material from your neighbors and kinfolk … or perhaps dig into your own closets and drawers for outgrown clothing. Your sewing friends might be able to pass along some scraps, too. (In fact, just a little scavenging will probably bring you enough material to make several shawls.) Try to find fabrics in a wide range of textures and patterns … since the more variety a handmade garment has, the more authentic it will look (our grandmothers took special pride in using no two circles alike). Any light- to medium- weight cotton blend–or woven synthetic–will work fine. (You should, however, avoid heavy polyester, since it doesn’t pucker well enough to produce a good circle)

Once you’ve assembled your material, remove all the zippers, buttons, or other trim and save them for future needs. Then–using a seam ripper or a single-edged razor blade–take each garment apart and iron the separate pieces until they’re flat and wrinkle-free.

Cut From a Pattern

  • Published on Sep 1, 1980
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