Roads Not Taken Shawl by Kristina Smiley

Roads Not Taken Shawl

Crochet
March 2018
DK (11 wpi) ?
20 stitches and 8 rows = 4 inches
in Double Crochet
5.0 mm (H)
5.5 mm (I)
900 - 1000 yards (823 - 914 m)
One Size
US
English
This pattern is available from expressionfiberarts.com for $6.00.

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This pattern is designed for use with 5 skeins of our Alpaca Silk DK yarn. Shown in colorways: Ash (2 skeins) and Tiffany (3 skeins). Choose any colorways you like, though, and opt for as many shades as you want. Our alpaca silk dk creates an elegant drape that is hard to beat. It just feels luxurious draped over your shoulders and puddles and cuddles you!

Notes From the Designer:

•An inspirational pattern based on Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken.

•Crocheted in the shape of an asymmetrical right-leaning triangle.

•Consists of three separate sections with alternating colors and textured stitch patterns.

•Requires Size H (5.00 mm) hook.

My favorite poem is The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost. I love the way the speaker spends the first few stanzas describing the two roads as being very similar and hard to choose between. Life is very much like this part of the poem. We are presented with several paths, or choices, throughout our lives. Like the poem, we are free to choose whichever path we want. The last stanza is very different from the rest of the poem. Most interpret the meaning of the poem and most specifically, the last stanza, as being inspirational for life. Their take is that we are given choices and should feel free to take the paths least traveled. However, my interpretation is that both paths Frost describes are exactly the same and the speaker in the poem chose one at random. He looked back on his choice and decided to embellish his experience to make it sound better. We often do the same when reflecting on our own life choices.

I decided to use this poem as an inspiration for the shawl’s design and used the Herringbone stitch to create rows that resemble the paths described within the poem. The pattern is split into three sections, The Traveler, The Adventurer, and The Wanderer. The first section consists of alternating rows of double crochet and Herringbone stitch and contains stripes of both colors to resemble paths or roads. The second section begins the transition from two colors to one and consists of the Trellis stitch pattern to resemble many winding roads that provide opportunities for adventure. The third and final section completes the transition from two colors to one and consists of the Trellis stitch pattern to resemble many winding roads. It finishes with simple decreasing double crochet rows until the shawl becomes a point with just three double crochet stitches remaining in the row.

Designed by Kristina Smiley

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