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Simply Art © Simple Basics - Including Downloadable Patterns
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Simply Art © Shawls Navajo-Churro "Little Blanket" Shawl Pattern
Knit
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This is a simple pattern to knit, and the design may be knit as directed for colors, or your imagination in the use of color or home-spun wool may be substituted. The pattern allows you to create a one-of-a-kind item that is both functional and beautiful. The pattern is written for straight-forward and basic knitting, allowing the yarn to be the "statement" of the project.
The sample shawl is knit in my own home-spun Navajo-Churro wool, but any sport-weight yarn may be used. The sample shawl utilizes the subtle variances of colors that can be found in a specific breed's sheep fleece. If you do not spin your own yarn, simply substitute home-spun yarn with commercial yarn, for your own personal artistic statement. If using Navajo-Churro wool as in the sample shawl, please keep in mind that this wool type is stiffer than many other fleeces. Traditionally used for outer garments and for rugs, it truly is like a "little blanket". Substitute another sport-weight yarn if you wish extreme softness in your finished shawl.
This pattern has been written as a humble tribute to the beautiful weaving of Native American peoples, a way to help preserve the rare Navajo-Churro wool breed, and a reflection of my own Native American Poospatuck Tribe (Long Island, NY) heritage. My own weaving looms are not large enough to weave a blanket in one piece, so I have created a knitting pattern to reflect the essence of traditional Native American designs.
Finished size: 25 inches by 44 inches (52 inches including the fringe)
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Materials Needed to complete the pattern:
Size 5, 29-inch circular needle – to be used as straight needles Sport-weight yarn, 32 ounces total Size G crochet hook to attach fringe and for one edge of shawl
NOTE on Yarn Weight: Navajo-Churro wool is a heavy, dense wool. My own wool spun to sport-weight yields approximately 30 yards per ounce before final fulling as a garment. Fulling, or the washing of the garment gently after completion, will remove a little more lanolin, and the wool will be slighter lighter in weight. I estimate I used about 945 yards of my home-spun wool to knit the sample shown. Your spinning results may vary, and any commercial sport-weight yarn used as a substitute for my yarn should be purchased with the yardage as a guide and not the weight. Colors Used in the sample shawl: Color #1 Black - 9.5 ounces Color #2 Red (dyed) – 1.5 ounces Color #3 Dark Brown-Grey – 5 ounces Color #4 Medium Brown – 9 ounces Color #5 Lightest Brown / “Sand” – 7 ounces
Stitch knowledge required: Cast on, knit, purl, bind off, single crochet
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Pattern Price: $6.00 each. Patterns are available for immediate download. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the "pdf" file, a free download here.
Purchase this pattern directly now using Paypal for payment:
After payment is received through Paypal, you will be directed to a link for the Adobe "pdf" version of this pattern, which you can immediately print or save to your computer. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the "pdf" file, a free download here.
If you prefer to purchase a printed copy via the U.S. Mail and pay with a personal check or money order, please email me using the link at the top left.
Below is a photo of the front of the shawl in this pattern.
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Hand-spun Navajo-Churro wool
Navajo-Churro sheep are a breed that has suffered losses in the past, but are now again being cherished for their strength as a breed and for their beautiful multi-colored wool. Navajo-Churro wool is long, and depending on the fleece, most often used as a strong carpet or outer garment wool. However, I have found many fleeces compare to some coarser Shetland fleeces as far as the softness and hand when spun to knit.
To find out more about Navajo-Churro Sheep, please visit
The Navajo-Churro Sheep Association
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Natural colors of Navajo-Churro wool