Cat Mad Crochet

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Full disclosure, I don’t watch Outlander. I started reading the first book, but it just wasn’t my thing. I watched a little of the show, but again, not my thing. Now, though, Outlander seems to be creeping into my world. Specifically, costumes keep showing up on my Pinterest feed. The other day it was this one.

I shared this image with Hannah, and she agreed that the gray wrap looks like an interesting project to replicate in crochet. A quick google search tells me that this wrap has been replicated everywhere from pattern makers to fast fashion houses. Well, then, let’s throw my crochet thoughts at it, too.

Google also tells me the costumers for Outlander like to use fairly historically accurate materials and silhouettes, though that seems to be disputed by some costume historians. Either way, perhaps this shawl-cape-thing (Could it be a thnead?) is a felted knit or just felt because it doesn’t look woven to me. Even with a close up view, I can’t see really clear stitches to indicate if it is knitted or crocheted, but there are bumps and such that could be felted stitches. Or I could know nothing of which I speak. That’s very possible. In the end, it’s not overly important to my recreation because I’m really only interested in the shape.

So what is the shape? It’s a long rectangle wide enough to go from just under the bustline, to the neck, and back down the other side of the wearer. It also stretches from one knee, across the shoulders, and down to the other knee. Are there any extant historical garments with this shape, I wonder? (Not that I could find, but this could be an interesting rabbit hole. If you are interested, start here: Shawl is a Poncho is a Cape | Farm & Fiber Knits.) The cape-shawl-thnead thing has slits for the hands and a shaped opening for the neck. It is, in essence, a big rectangle with openings. Aren’t we all, though? The edge seems to have some sort of more textural border.

I could work the wrap from long edge to long edge, which has a lot to recommend it because crochet tends to stretch from worked edge to worked edge. Too much stretch along the length could leave me with a shawl that nearly drags on the floor as it stretches a bit with wear or because I bullheadedly used alpaca, but this could be accounted for with an open stitch pattern and a good, strong, wet blocking.

Which is why I am not going to worry or feel bad about working this wrap from short edge to short edge. For some reason, the openings make more sense to me when I envision making this wrap when I work from short edge to short edge. I think this is because I would be dealing with the arm slits and the neck opening one at a time if I work from short edge to short edge. If I work the wrap from long edge to long edge, I’m going to have to work the neck at the same time I am working the arm slits and, sooner or later, I’m going to mess that up. Right now, one issue at a time is definitely the best way for me to approach my projects, since my life seems to be throwing all of the issues it can at me at once.  

Some people have argued that this has a hood. Above is the back view, and I am not seeing a hood. Could a hood be added? Of course. Do I want to add one? Maybe? I’ll ask Hannah. If she wants a hood, it will get a hood. If not, no hood. (Hannah and I voted. No hood.)

I’m thinking this is a summer project. I need to finish up my mother’s wrap, Hannah’s wrap, Adia’s sweater, a wedding gift, and then I can maybe start this while I work on a complex motif project over the summer. Or the fall. Or next winter. 

Whatever. I’ll get there.

What fiber will I use? Probably some nice merino, but I have a bunch of nice alpaca silk blend lace weight yarn wandering around the stash and waiting to be used. With this yarn, my wrap wouldn’t have the plushy, cozy look of the original, but it would have the diaphanous look of a fairy tale princess shawl. I like that. I’d be happy to make such a garment. 

So which stitch pattern? Something open and lacy that allows for shaping. 

This is “Daisies” from The Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary. Hannah has had it marked as a favorite for a while, and this could be the perfect project for it. A wrap done with this stitch pattern would be open, speaking to the airy look I was after. It would look good if I gave it a wet blocking. It would end up looking very like something one might buy in a fairy-run night market. This could be it.

I’ll have to find something interesting for the border, but I have a long time before I get there, so I’m just going to float along on happy thoughts of a project to come for a while. This could be an interesting project. I’m excited to give it a try. I’ll let you know how it goes! 

I might also find myself off down the rabbit hole of historical shawl and cape shapes for a while dreaming of new ways to use my stash.