When I designed the Let’s Tango shawl it immediately reminded me of a bandoneon - the most significant instrument in tango music. As with other members of the concertina family, the bandoneon is held between both hands, and pulling and pushing actions force air through bellows and then through particular reeds as selected by pressing the instrument’s buttons. The Let’s Tango shawl resembles a bandoneon in action.

Let’s Tango consists of three modules for which you will need two different yarns of the same weight. Yarn A will be used for the “body” (i.e. Modules A + C) and Yarn B will be used for the “bellows” (i.e. Module B). You can use any yarn weight from lace to dk. The size will be determined by the number of modules you knit. You will need more of Yarn A than of Yarn B. The yardage of Yarn B should be at least 55% of the yardage of Yarn A.

You can use two solid, semi solid, or dip dyed yarns, and yarns with a color gradient. In the pictures you will find several combinations to demonstrate the various effects:

The teal/orange version (wingspan: 97”/246cm - depth: 15.5”/39cm) combines two long color gradients. Since I used the deconstructed sets of Moca Cotton by Monsoon Calamity I was able to go from one color to the other and back again. I used Orange Ocean as Yarn A (745y/685m) and Moontide as Yarn B (391y/360m).

The black and pink version (wingspan: 65”/165cm - depth: 10”/25.5cm) combines one yarn with a short color gradient (Yarn A - Schoppel Zauberball Cotton Bankgeheimnis – 420y/380m) with a semi solid yarn (Yarn B - Cotton Ball Schwarzarbeiter – 190y/170m).

The melon colored version (wingspan: 82”/208m - depth: 14”/35cm) combines a long color gradient (Yarn A - Wollbonbon Merino 4 ply Melone – 820y/750m) with a solid yarn (Yarn B - Wollmeise Pure Fuchsia – 450y/415m).

Let’s Tango is fully reversible. One side will highlight Yarn A and the other side will highlight Yarn B. Although Let’s Tango is a modular knit there is no seaming involved as you will join all the modules as you go. All instructions are written AND charted, enriched with ample photo tutorials on the techniques of shaping and joining the modules. This makes Let’s Tango a doable project for most knitters.

If you would like to knit Let’s Tango at some point in the future, don’t hesitate to get your pattern now as this weekend (26th and 27th of October EST) it is on sale for 25% off the original price of $5.99 – no coupon code required. So grab it while you can!!!

Happy knitting !!!