# Just Wondering Why.........



## maleknitter (Jun 19, 2013)

I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all. 
Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


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## galaxycraft (Feb 15, 2011)

They are great for restaurants, theaters, malls, - where ever the AC is usually too cold.

I use mine in such settings as well as around the house and the neighborhood on cool mornings/evenings.
I make them for nursing homes, VA hospitals, VA homes, etc.
I also give/send them out after natural disasters.


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## shepherd (Feb 25, 2012)

You are not looking in the right places - especially re: shawls


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## agnescr (Aug 14, 2011)

I knit them and wear them daily  :thumbup:


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## LizAnne (Nov 25, 2011)

I wear my shawls all seasons but summer.


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## Kay Knits (Aug 4, 2012)

I wear them instead of a sweater or jacket. I have quite a few in different styles, colors, and patterns. I really like them in the winter -wear them at work a lot. Warm on shoulders and arms, yet an extra set of sleeves are not in the way as with a jacket or sweater. Particularly when using computer. I prefer not having that bulk. Sometimes people just have to play with them a while and use shawl pins to find the style they like and are comfortable wearing.


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## CarolBest (Sep 14, 2011)

I worked in a middle school last year and all the girls wore cowles. The teachers too. Some wore scarfs and shawls with the points in front and wrapped around the neck or tied in back. One girl's mother crocheted her an asymmetrical cowl with a big zipper on the side. I loved it and copied it , as you would expect. Carol


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## alvadee (Nov 21, 2013)

maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


I agree with you. I don't wear any myself, don't like them.


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## Kathie (Mar 29, 2011)

I've asked this question too. I think they are beautiful but have never seen anyone wear one in my area.


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## annweb (Feb 23, 2012)

They are not popular in the U.K.at the moment although I see Agnes ,who is in Scotland ,wears one.


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## nanciann (Aug 9, 2011)

Church...grocery store...theater....car...work...where ever one would wear a sweater...around the neck as an accessory...winter scarf.....over a coat...
With a dress...with blue jeans...oh so versatile....


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## Slidell411 (Sep 29, 2013)

I had a friend ASK me to knit her a pair of socks. I bought the yarn and knitted them. Three weeks after I gave them to her I asked how she like them. She said she hadn't even tried them on...........................
I was surprised by her answer and that she even admitted it.
I haven't made her anything since and if she ever asks again 
l'll tell her I'm too busy with another project.


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## kiwiannie (Jul 30, 2011)

I only have one shawl and i wear it on speacial occasions.


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## jvallas (Jul 16, 2013)

I wear a very utilitarian cowl, because Illinois winters are bitingly cold and it protects against wind and cold way better than a scarf. And isn't flapping around as a scarf would. 

If I ever manage to make a shawl that I have oh, so many patterns for, I suspect it'll mostly keep me snug in the house more than make any fashion statement away from home. And I'm really not sure who among my "giftees" would actually want one. Maybe my 12-year-old granddaughter, just for the dramatic statement it would make!


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## pfoley (Nov 29, 2011)

I have never worn a shawl and only have seen one person that I know wear a shawl and only when cold. 
I do wear cowls and infinitely scarves in the winter and I know my friends and granddaughters wear those also.


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

I wear my out on the deck in the evening when it is cool. Watching tv, on the computer, reading. Whenever.


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## hannabavaria (Sep 25, 2011)

http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-170308-1.html [similar disscussion, 22pg.s]

In fall/winter I like to wear them (triangular shawl) over a blue-denim jacket/midi Loden coat.

Need to make some cowls, both long (eternity) & short, b/c long scarves tend to get caught on wheel chair.



maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


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## countryknitwit (Nov 13, 2011)

I too wear functional cowls/scarfs, as do many of my friends. I am not into fashion type items. Likewise with shawls, I have never made one, mainly because I like the sleeves in sweaters, although am thinking of making a poncho, as an extra layer in the fall. Again, our winters are extremely cold, and I live near Lake Michigan which, while beautiful, causes cold breezes, even when the temperature isn't that cold.


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## Knitted by Nan (Aug 3, 2013)

CeramicGA said:


> I kind of agree. Rarely do you see women wearing theae shawls andthey look old ladyish and out of date when they do.
> 
> They're great in theory, but I rarely, even in knitting classes, see people wearing them.


Do you know what people wear around their shoulders when watching TV or reading in bed. I wear my shawls all the time. Who cares if I look old ladyish or out of date. Not all of us pander to the latest fashion trend. Besides, they are fun to knit. As to rarely do you see women wearing their shawls, well, all the time I see women wearing shorts that are so tiny you can see what they had for lunch and the shorts are torn in that fashionable way. Soooooo, maybe we ladies should all wear these tiny little, bitty torn shorts when shopping, after all you see so many women wearing them. Or tottering around on those ridiculous, clunky, six inch high heeled things they call shoes when we go to the supermarket, after all women seem to be wearing them today. Get a grip, go on a trip, back to your bridge and hide under it with your troll friends. We here like to knit shawls because they are fun and some of us do actually wear them.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

EveMCooke said:


> Do you know what people wear around their shoulders when watching TV or reading in bed. I wear my shawls all the time. Who cares if I look old ladyish or out of date. Not all of us pander to the latest fashion trend. Besides, they are fun to knit. As to rarely do you see women wearing their shawls, well, all the time I see women wearing shorts that are so tiny you can see what they had for lunch and the shorts are torn in that fashionable way. Soooooo, maybe we ladies should all wear these tiny little, bitty torn shorts when shopping, after all you see so many women wearing them. Or tottering around on those ridiculous, clunky, six inch high heeled things they call shoes when we go to the supermarket, after all women seem to be wearing them today. Get a grip, go on a trip, back to your bridge and hide under it with your troll friends. We here like to knit shawls because they are fun and some of us do actually wear them.


I'm with you on this.


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## littlebaba (Jul 20, 2013)

I would freeze to death in a grocery store or restaurant without one. Why are those air-conditioned stores always sooooooooo coooooooold


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## Knitted by Nan (Aug 3, 2013)

littlebaba said:


> I would freeze to death in a grocery store or restaurant without one. Why are those air-conditioned stores always sooooooooo coooooooold


But that is only in summer, in winter they crank the heat up so far you have to take clothes off otherwise you would boil. That is where the shawl comes into its own. Slip it around your shoulders when the store is icy cold in summer and take it off when you boil in their winter heat. Shawls are great.


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## inishowen (May 28, 2011)

annweb said:


> They are not popular in the U.K.at the moment although I see Agnes ,who is in Scotland ,wears one.


I haven't seen one worn in UK since the hippie era!


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## laceluvr (Feb 16, 2012)

inishowen said:


> I haven't seen one worn in UK since the hippie era!


I bet if Kate Middleton wore a shawl or cowl, they'd probably become the latest trend...LOL!


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## Viwstitcher (Jul 29, 2013)

I'm in a prayer shawl ministry. It is very rewarding. One month of the year I buy luxury yarn, find a particularly beautiful, ornate pattern and make it for me. At least that's the plan. More often, I hold on to my yarn and keep knitting shawls for the ministry. This year I bought a silvery teal alpaca silk and I will definitely make it up for me.


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## Smudge (Apr 19, 2012)

I knit and crochet ponchos and wear them, usually in the cooler months, and have received many compliments and requests to make them for younger members of the family. I agree they tend to be associated with the hippy era but then I am told I am an 'ageing hippy'! so no surprise there then. I love them.


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## agnescr (Aug 14, 2011)

I love mine and as i said earlier wear them daily.....taught a friend to knit shawls,she loves them as well, now got 2 ladies from my knitting group doing them,unbeaded shawls for day beaded shawls for evrning/nights out


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## Geebart (Jun 2, 2014)

I see more scarves in Central Texas but sometimes see lovely shawls at theaters-where it's always cold in the audience. When I travel, I pack one or two scarves to dress up limited clothing. I fly with a shawl to use as a wrap or as a "blanket" on the plane. A scarf or shawl and sparkly earrings can dress up anything. Also use a shawl to keep shoulders warm while reading in bed.


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## cydneyjo (Aug 5, 2011)

I wear mine and really enjoy knitting them. I find that when I have a shawl on, I'm comfortable in icy restaurants and movie theaters. If something is around my neck, I'm comfortable all over.


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## grandmatimestwo (Mar 30, 2011)

My daughter wears her cowls all winter long....and in Boston the winter is long and the wind is cold! She loves that they stay in place around her neck, and are safer than wearing a scarf that could get caught in a subway door, or pulled.


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## Crumplin (Sep 7, 2012)

I much prefer shrugs - they don't fall off my shoulders, or have flappy ends, and they DO keep my arms warm !!!

Edna C


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## jemima (Mar 26, 2011)

I don't think Shawls are a UK fashion but they seem very popular in the US.


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## pebblecreek (Mar 13, 2011)

Six years ago I too knitted my friend a pair of sox for special birthday of hers. I spent more than 3 weeks knitting because I was working 50 hours a week. I gave her the socks and have never seen them on her feet, I'm sure she gave them away. Six years later, I made a neck scarf and all my friends loved it, one wanted the pattern, she again spoke up and said make me one, I answered, no, I spent 5 hours on it, and her answer was, but you love to knit so much what difference does it make? My answer to her was, well then for the 5 hours I'd be knitting your scarf I could be cleaning my house, now if you'd like to come and clean my house for me while I'm knitting your scarf, maybe we could work it out,she laughed and laughed but I think she got the message.


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## Marylou12 (Dec 11, 2011)

I have never worn one and don't plan to start. 
I too, have never seen anyone wearing one.


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## cathy73 (Apr 8, 2013)

I see quite a few people wearing shawls. Mostly younger women using them as a fashion statement and worn in interesting ways, as a scarf, dramatic drape, etc., but a growing number of people using them to ward off chills inside. The fine lacy ones fold up so small, easy to carry in a purse but surprisingly warm if you get chilled.


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## gheitz (Apr 14, 2011)

I have many summer scarves/cowls that I wear...and the winter ones are perfect for keeping my neck warm.


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## granmarie5 (Jul 2, 2012)

In the early 90's my sister in law from Glasgow gave me a beautiful tartan shawl from Pringle the weaver. I wore it for extra warmth while on yard duty while teaching. Now that I am retired I wear it when the weather gets chilly. Other people have given me shawls as well so now I have a great variety that go with any of my outfits. I do not have a knitted shawl, they are all woven. But I have knitted a few shawls for friends.


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## Donnathomp (May 5, 2012)

I see them every day. And it goes from the very young to the elderly.


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## vannavanna (Oct 15, 2012)

annweb said:


> They are not popular in the U.K.at the moment although I see Agnes ,who is in Scotland ,wears one.


I live in Manchester too and see many being worn including mine!!


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## Valkyrie (Feb 26, 2011)

I rarely wear scarves because I have this phobia of being choked by my own scarf. Don't know why I think this way as no one I have known personally has ever died this way.
Who knows?  :-(


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## Capva (Jan 24, 2011)

Laceluvr, there actually is a Kate Middleton shawl. Have seen the pattern on a site (can't remember which) Google it. I make and use shawls all the time. They are a handy accessory.


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## Kathie (Mar 29, 2011)

grandmatimestwo said:


> My daughter wears her cowls all winter long....and in Boston the winter is long and the wind is cold! She loves that they stay in place around her neck, and are safer than wearing a scarf that could get caught in a subway door, or pulled.


I see cowls here as well. It's just the shawls that don't make an appearance. Maybe I just don't go to the right places. I'm more apt to be in a hardware store than the mall. lol


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## Marny CA (Jun 26, 2011)

I live in southern California ... and the shawls that my friend Sandra made for me via triloom are worn a lot. They usually all wind up in my car, which means that passengers also enjoy them.

My friend in Tucson AZ liked a shawlette shown in the local knitting shop - so she chose the yarn and I made it for her and gave it to her a month later when she visited. Now both her daughters-in-law would like the same pattern in their colors; one lives in Henderson NV and the other in Tucson AZ.

edit: this is the pattern I used - but my pictures are still in the camera.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/miami-beach-shawl

I might make myself one, too ... just for the times I'm reclining or sitting at my computer. (it probably will wind up in the car! LOL)


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## mstanton60 (Aug 10, 2014)

I love the look of a shawl (and shawlette). In my classroom, I always have one on my chair for me - - or sometimes a student to wear. I bring them to restaurants, theaters and any place with AC. Sometimes just the comfort of a shawl helps you through difficult situations, I always brought the one our church's shawl ministry made me when I was going through chemo and still use it to wrap up at home. Keep making them and maybe start a shawl ministry. The rewards are wonderful!


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## elenapicado (Mar 18, 2012)

I wear my hand knitted shawls pretty much from October to April, and have given away several to folks that have fallen in love with them. They wear them as well, and I just knit myself a new shawl! In our horrible hot summers I just wear (to church only) some very thin and lacy shawls (acrylic) that I bought.


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## AggieAggie (Jul 5, 2014)

I wear my shawl under my jacket. It is better than a scarf because it keep s my back and shoulders warm, as well as my neck. 
As for the cowls, I make them for my nieces and nephews children. It is safer than a scarf, I don't have to worry about them getting caught on something.


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## Mfndrn (Dec 5, 2013)

You ask the same ? I have.
So I knit socks and really enjoy seeing all the kids and grandkids and sisters and myself and husband wearing them and enjoying them and asking for more.


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## cbjlinda (May 25, 2011)

I see people wear them in church all the time and they are very handy to wear at home especially when you just get a chill and don't want to turn up the heat for one reason or another.


maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


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## Marny CA (Jun 26, 2011)

The triloom shawls my friend made for me have the pointy back sort of down by my tush. 

The shawlette just snugs around the shoulders. Can also be wrapped around neck like a scarf/cowl.


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## Audrey Jeanne (Jun 14, 2012)

I have at least 6 shawls -- they're wonderful in the summer when in an air-conditioned restaurant etc. -- I also always take one on the plane when flying.. Airplanes get cold so they're the perfect answer.... I've had fellow passengers come up to me and say " why didn't I think of that".....

Maybe people don't think of the many uses of stoles and shawls... they're really great accessory -- AND so easy to knit... generally a "no-brainer".....


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## anetdeer (Jul 16, 2012)

I saw quite a number of young women wearing them in NYC last November and I see 50/60ish women with them in the casinos in Atlantic City. They all caught my eye.


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## Beachkc (Aug 24, 2012)

I wear shawls and knitted stoles or wraps and receive so many compliments. Our winters are mild here in the Florida panhandle and I rarely pull a coat or Jacket out of the closet.


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## elbev (Aug 25, 2011)

I admire seeing the beautiful shawls on this site but they would not be a common sight in Belfast. I keep telling myself maybe when I get time to make one for myself that I will start a new fashion trend???!!


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## Condia (Jul 24, 2012)

Everyone around here (OHIO) wears both although I like the patterns of Cowls I think they are way to bulky and ugly to wear. I love shawls though and wear mine whenever I am chilled.


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## betty41 (Jul 19, 2011)

I have one shawl that belonged to my late SIL. I kept it as a reminder of her. I put it on one chilly night and now I love it. I use it when it is chilly sitting on my deck and when I am knitting or crocheting during chilly nights in the living room. I haven't made one yet, I am too busy making things for others. Maybe next winter I will tackle one.. love this site. so friendly. betty41


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## domsmum (Jun 20, 2012)

I saw a lot of cowls in Manchester last year, worn as thick scarfs mostly. I made my son one and he wore it all winter. My daughter wears a small shawl I made her as a scarf. I take a crocheted shawl that my daughter bought me when flying, it's light and warm. I'm working on one to replace it as it's getting a bit dog eared.


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## irishsmitty (Apr 20, 2011)

grandmatimestwo said:


> My daughter wears her cowls all winter long....and in Boston the winter is long and the wind is cold! She loves that they stay in place around her neck, and are safer than wearing a scarf that could get caught in a subway door, or pulled.


Yes, my daughter too, they are safer than scarfs 
and warmer . I like poncho's for in between weather.
I made shawls too, but a never wear them.


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## czechmate (Jun 17, 2011)

I have wore the short when its cold enough,it's what I like not what others say is in fashion.


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## czechmate (Jun 17, 2011)

short cape that is


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## Gullasel (Jan 17, 2014)

I make them along with scarves and toques ... and the ladies who dispense them tell me they are always in demand and needing more .. along with the shawls etc, i also do prayer shawls which are quite popular as well. 
Like you I have not personally seen any women wearing them save for a Nun who finds the air chilly in the evenings .. but I am assured by the ladies all the items are quite in demand .. 

G


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## nanaof3 (Sep 17, 2011)

That's funny that you ask...I am wearing a shawl right now....it's a bit chilly here in Michigan this morning..mostly damp...but not enough to put on a sweater or a sweatshirt...but a shawl fits the bill...covers the shoulders.


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## Knitted by Nan (Aug 3, 2013)

Valkyrie said:


> I rarely wear scarves because I have this phobia of being choked by my own scarf. Don't know why I think this way as no one I have known personally has ever died this way.
> Who knows?  :-(


If you believe in reincarnation perhaps you are a reincarnation of Isadora Duncan. I am a Buddhist, therefore I believe in reincarnation.


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## Knitted by Nan (Aug 3, 2013)

Capva said:


> Laceluvr, there actually is a Kate Middleton shawl. Have seen the pattern on a site (can't remember which) Google it. I make and use shawls all the time. They are a handy accessory.


Just a few images of Kate wearing a shawl.


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## Celt Knitter (Jul 13, 2011)

Never without my shawls.......they cover a multitude of sins, can be as glamorous or workaday as you like, are a godsend if the air conditioning is too cold, are very portable. Cowls are similar and, unlike scarves, they don't blow off, they stay where you put them and don't get caught in car doors. If you are working outside in cold weather, they are far safer since they are unlikely to get caught in machinery etc.....both can make you feel like a million dollars and draw many positive comments from other people.


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## RoxyCatlady (Mar 22, 2011)

maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


Guess you've never hung around with me  I wear them (shawls) around the house, like the "Hap shawls" of old, as well as when we go out to dinner. I've worn them on a summer eve sitting out around a campfire, as well as around a patio table.

I've only ever worn one cowl - though it wasn't supposed to be one! I had made a lone tube, thinking I could pull it up over my head like a hood for windy winter days, or have it scrunched down around my neck when I only needed the warmth there -- Unfortunately, I didn't make it long enough to be a hood. So I just wore it as a cowl - but that was before cowls were popular/common. That winter, people would see this thing sticking out of my coat, and compliment me on my "sweater", lol... I would explain, and they all thought it was a great idea. (I wasn't even working at a yarn store, or a big-box store, but I sure sold a lot of yarn that winter!!)


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## mgt44 (Jun 28, 2011)

Shawls are a god-send to nursing mothers. Also many office workers wear them because most office buildings have problems with HVAC systems, creating cold areas. A few summers ago I worked at a swank office building in Virginia where I swear the temperature never went above 60 degrees. If you toured random office buildings, you would see sweaters or shawls on the back of the chairs of female office workers. I personally have never used a shawl because I am already top-heavy so I wear long, body-draping sweaters to keep warm at work.


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## flitri (Jun 13, 2011)

I haven't seen anyone wearing shawls in the daytime around here, but of late I have seen a few ponchos.


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## Ronie (Jan 21, 2011)

I wear mine at home. Our evenings are cool and I wear it when sitting out back.. or watching TV. I also love to knit them.. I think they are so much fun to work on but only so many places for me to wear one.. Actually I have one pinned to my bedroom curtains, it looks great there and I have used a scarf for a dresser scarf. 
I like to wear lace scarfs though and I have seen lots of very pretty cowls..


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## Ms Sue (Jun 5, 2013)

I have a triangular shawl I wear at home while sitting, but am not as comfortable wearing it out - hard to keep in place without a lot of "fiddling". Scarfs and cowls are great in the winter, but leave your arms exposed. I really liked the silver anniversary shawl a KPer showed earlier this week. It was square with a slit on one side to the middle. It looked like it would stay put on your shoulders and it was a lacy pattern that was beautiful. Want to try that for myself.


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## Loniegal (Nov 28, 2013)

I don't have one but I plan to make a shawllette that I can take to cold restaurants and theaters.


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## PaisleyCat (Apr 20, 2014)

I have to agree with you on the cowls--I have never seen one worn personally. Could be I live in Atlanta, but it does get cold here too.

Now for shawls--those I ADORE!! I am making a Ruana right now and have 4 more lined up to do in succession. I also own about 6 fabric shawls from before I learned to knit this past February, :thumbup:


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

LizAnne said:


> I wear my shawls all seasons but summer.


I think Summer is one of the best times to have a shawl and use it. It was warm yesterday, but I was out with friends, and each time we got in the car, after a minute of two for it to cool down, it was too cool for comfort. I wore my shawl in the car and was thankful I had it with me.


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## Isuel (Sep 27, 2011)

I've made many and purchased many, i'm making one right now for the winter. I always wear and carry one with me.


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## Hazel Blumberg - McKee (Sep 9, 2011)

I usually carry a shawl along with me whenever we go out to eat, because some restaurants are really air-conditioned. Also, I wear shawls around the house in the winter all the time. Sometimes I just throw on one of my shawls to go places. I get a lot of use out of my shawls.

It's great that you knit shawls for your wife!

Hazel


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## Feigy (Apr 26, 2014)

I have seen women wear shawls over a light coat when the weather gets colder. It looks pretty.


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## Niki-knitter (Jan 28, 2011)

I wouldn't use one... I like sweaters or vests & cowls & scarfs... I don't like having to keep fiddling w something hanging on my arms or slipping off shoulders, put ends into a belt around ones waist.... No, that might be a vest! To each his own.


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## springdh (Feb 26, 2012)

I had never worn a shawl before, then started seeing them being worn at weddings, restaurants, etc. in the Philadelphia area. So last year I made my first "cat paw" wrap, and now I'm currently working on a "Semele" lace wrap, using a much finer yarn. Both wraps were made for weddings I would be attending. I like having an event as a goal. Both wraps turned out well, and I plan to pack/use one every time we travel. The second wrap is versatile and will also be worn as a scarf. Once you feel comfortable wearing them, shawls, wraps, & scarves not only give warmth, but substitute as an accessory. I wish my husband could knit! You are a keeper :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Metrogal (Mar 15, 2011)

Here in California I see them everywhere. Especially cowls, but I also see a lot of shawls, especially in the evenings.


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## Karen L (Feb 3, 2012)

I have a couple old ones that I need to modernize and then I would use them. Las evening we went to a wedding reception and it was so cold that I went to the car and got my husband's jacket and wore it. He was so cold so he wore my sweatshirt that had my name on it. I would certainly have worn a shawl if I had one that would work. Would anyone have any ideas how to modernize mine? It is a rectangle with long tassels on it. My daughters say I could wear it but without the tassels. What could I do to the ends? They are gathered together with the tassels attached.


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## fayp (Sep 24, 2012)

Who cares what 'others in my area' are wearing? I use them to fend of the A/C at concerts and theaters. Also I have a Book Lovers' Shawl that I use when sitting quietly at home on the computer, reading or knitting. None seem to slip (though none are triangular) and can readily be removed if I warm up too much. My one pretty shawlette I secure with a wood double-point so it stays put without a fuss. My hands are always kept free, not clutching at a shawl. Currently I am making the Tristano to wear during my harp playing.

If you'd rather not make them, don't. There are lots of other wonderful projects to choose from. Enjoy whatever you are making.


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## mlsolcz (Feb 16, 2012)

maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


Come to Portland, OR, you'll see many women wearing them.


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## SAMkewel (Mar 5, 2011)

EveMCooke said:


> Do you know what people wear around their shoulders when watching TV or reading in bed. I wear my shawls all the time. Who cares if I look old ladyish or out of date. Not all of us pander to the latest fashion trend. Besides, they are fun to knit. As to rarely do you see women wearing their shawls, well, all the time I see women wearing shorts that are so tiny you can see what they had for lunch and the shorts are torn in that fashionable way. Soooooo, maybe we ladies should all wear these tiny little, bitty torn shorts when shopping, after all you see so many women wearing them. Or tottering around on those ridiculous, clunky, six inch high heeled things they call shoes when we go to the supermarket, after all women seem to be wearing them today. Get a grip, go on a trip, back to your bridge and hide under it with your troll friends. We here like to knit shawls because they are fun and some of us do actually wear them.


I'm with you on this. My mother was a slave to fashion and never did understand why I am not. If I like it and feel comfortable in it, I buy/make/wear it; otherwise, I don't. I don't buy/read fashion magazines, go to fashion shows, or scope out the stores to see what color/style is "in" this or any other year. I think I have way more fun than she did. She wore high heeled shoes always until she ended up with arthritis in her ankles and could barely walk. She also was a fan of the fashionable suntan. She was relatively careful about it, but died of malignant melanoma anyway.....


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## mrsbee03 (Jul 31, 2014)

Here on the Seattle area, you can't swing a knitting bag without hitting someone wearing a cowl. We have chill and dampness much of the year, and cowls can be made in all weights and sizes to cover all seasons.

I also see many shawls, though you might not notice them many times as they are worn draped in different ways, bunched as a scarf, pinned, etc. if you ever go to any kind of knitting event, shawls are EVERYwhere! 

I think that if there were more nice shawls sold in stores, many more people would wear them. As it stands, you usually see them amongst people who do knitting/crochet, know someone who does or is lucky enough to receive one as a gift. I would love that, as I'm still working to try to complete my first lace shawl. Once I do, I'm gonna be wearing that thing everywhere possible--lol!


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## Kaiess (Jan 25, 2013)

EveMCooke said:


> Get a grip, go on a trip, back to your bridge and hide under it with your troll friends. We here like to knit shawls because they are fun and some of us do actually wear them.


Gracious! What is this all about? Was it necessary to be so rude?


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## galaxycraft (Feb 15, 2011)

Kaiess said:


> Gracious! What is this all about? Was it necessary to be so rude?


Was a response to a troll.
Disregard as Admin has handled the troll.


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## pommom2 (Jul 9, 2012)

Don't see other women wearing them too often but I have made several for myself and wear them and always get complements on them.


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## Janeway (Nov 22, 2011)

I do wear mine but have had people ask me what are you wearing? I gave a shawl to an 85 year old & she said what do I do with this?

Our local breast cancer ladies who are taking chemo do wear them, but I don't know if they wear them otherwise as they take them home but bring them back when they are taking the next treatment.

I don't send women wearing them in my large city nor church.


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## Gweneth 1946 (May 20, 2012)

Maybe your not looking/living/hanging out in the right places or the right time of day, or out in the right weather. But if that is a concern of yours I would only make them on a request. Some people were only wear the really fancy ones on an occasion, evening out, wedding, xmas party etc. The heavier ones would go over a coat in the winter and in the early Fall before it is really cold.


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## damemary (Mar 14, 2012)

Fashion can be quite local. Some locales are fashion-forward; others slower to try something new. Everything usually eventually makes the circuit. Think of ruffled scarves.


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


Same can be said for socks....also the homeless with the charities that knit them hats, mittens, gloves, scarves etc. like they are from the Charles Dickens poor houses. I have yet to see any of the myriad of panhandlers, food line recipients or methadone clinic clients with anything hand made on.

However, there are those who enjoy making such things so more power to them. Prayer shawls in my day were exactly that since one needed to cover ones head but like nun habits went flying away. With what use to be considered Pentecostal gyrations nowadays in church one would need a very sturdy shawl pin or wear a cowl instead. For one to pray while making an item is a great idea and now I pray while *hand washing dishes* (yes I have only used a dishwasher at one time to rinse the dishes and since I own antique glass dishes I don't dare use one now even though the detergent has changed--less lye).

The retailers are selling cowls so there must be a market need for them but those are machine made. You can do due diligence research and find out how the market is going for such items.

I agree I have never seen anyone wearing them even in the dead of winter or the hottest days with the A/C cold enough to freeze body parts in the huge stores (even Michaels/JoAnn/Hobby Lobby) with only commercially made garments and accessories on. But the river in Egypt is very wide and long and just keeps rolling along.

As for the British, I found it very disturbing to see the Larkrise "folk" wearing lots of shawls (especially the waist wrapped ones) while the Candleford "citizens" didn't in the series Larkrise to Candleford. Was that to show the class/cast system of old?


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## inishowen (May 28, 2011)

Back in the day, it was poor women who wore shawls. My mother told me they called the women "shawlies". They couldn't afford a coat. This was just after the war.


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## Kaiess (Jan 25, 2013)

galaxycraft said:


> Was a response to a troll.
> Disregard as Admin has handled the troll.


Oh! Apologies! I thought it was in response to the OP.


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## galaxycraft (Feb 15, 2011)

Kaiess said:


> Oh! Apologies! I thought it was in response to the OP.


Not a problem.


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## AuntKnitty (Apr 10, 2011)

I knit, wear and sell quite a few shawls. I wear them instead of a coat or sweater in the spring and fall and WITH a coat in the winter. I wear them around my house, while our shopping and socializing. Frankly, I could care less if anyone else wears them!


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## gma11331 (Oct 18, 2011)

I've never seen anyone wearing one but I don't go out a lot. I made one (a rectangular lace) and gave it to a friend but have never seen her wear it (she admired it so I gave it to her). I like making lace but would like an outlet for it.


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## Celt Knitter (Jul 13, 2011)

"As for the British, I found it very disturbing to see the Larkrise "folk" wearing lots of shawls (especially the waist wrapped ones) while the Candleford "citizens" didn't in the series Larkrise to Candleford. Was that to show the class/cast system of old?"

Class is a factor, but it has more to do with economic and social change with the better-off affording warmer clothing and better housing. A coat was a luxury for most. However, in movies and television, it is more about projecting a perception of an era. You don't see the Larkrise people wearing Hapsalu or Orenburg lace shawls because they were neither practical or affordable even if they had known about them. At the time the book was set, the once predominant wool was rapidly being replaced by cotton, the basis of the first Industrial Revolution. The Enclosure Acts decreased the land available for the poor to graze their sheep. The transition from Larkrise to Candleford mirrored a pivotal point in English history. The disappearance of the heavy woolen shawls is a metaphor for the change. It has a corresponding change in our era when people switched from knitted to store-bought garments which made some of us feel we had made it because we could afford to buy them.


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## DollieD (Mar 7, 2011)

CarolBest said:


> I worked in a middle school last year and all the girls wore cowles. The teachers too. Some wore scarfs and shawls with the points in front and wrapped around the neck or tied in back. One girl's mother crocheted her an asymmetrical cowl with a big zipper on the side. I loved it and copied it , as you would expect. Carol


I am looking for a good bandana pattern....so far...no good!


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## beejaye (Aug 25, 2013)

Kathie said:


> I've asked this question too. I think they are beautiful but have never seen anyone wear one in my area.


I have never seen anyone wearing them in the UK or in Spain where I now live.


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## gma11331 (Oct 18, 2011)

I noticed all the shawls the women wore in "Lark Rises--." I loved that show. Brendan Coyle before his Downton Abbey role. (I married a Coyle--maybe he's a relative! lol)


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## Janina (May 2, 2011)

I crochet my shawls. I give some as presents and my friends do wear them. Either at work or at home on chilly nights of when they have an evening out. You probably don't see people wearing them but they DO. :lol:


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## mmccamant (Jul 17, 2011)

jvallas said:


> I wear a very utilitarian cowl, because Illinois winters are bitingly cold and it protects against wind and cold way better than a scarf. And isn't flapping around as a scarf would.
> 
> If I ever manage to make a shawl that I have oh, so many patterns for, I suspect it'll mostly keep me snug in the house more than make any fashion statement away from home. And I'm really not sure who among my "giftees" would actually want one. Maybe my 12-year-old granddaughter, just for the dramatic statement it would make!


Along with all the uses others have listed (I had a shawl in my bag and wrapped it around me just yesterday in an over-air-conditioned movie), I sometimes wear a wool shawl OVER my winter coat for another layer of warmth, or sometimes over my shoulders before I put the coat on. Tied in back, a triangular shawl works well to fill in the neckline of a coat, too. I grew up in Minnesota, have lived in Chicago for 40 years: winters are cold in both places and it's nice to have lots of options. I have a collection of hats and scarves that my family thinks is excessive.


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## mmccamant (Jul 17, 2011)

DollieD said:


> I am looking for a good bandana pattern....so far...no good!


Look at this one, which can be knitted in a small bandana style or a larger shawl:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-age-of-brass-and-steam-kerchief


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## chills (Apr 28, 2011)

I love my shawl's. Would.love to see everyone shawls.


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## hannabavaria (Sep 25, 2011)

FREE shawl-knitting cheat-sheet:

http://www.laylock.org/blog/2011/05/free-shawl-knitting-cheat-sheet/


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## aljellie (Mar 4, 2011)

I'm a great fan of shawls. Love to make and wear them, anywhere that I'm a little chilly from restaurants to sitting up in bed reading. Wear them with anything from jeans and pjs to fancy outfits. Get lots of compliments too. Just cause you don't see anyone else wearing them is no reason not to where them yourself. It all boils down to personal preference though. I can't stand pulling cowls over my head and think they're silly even though they seem to be popular.
ellie


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## past (Apr 3, 2011)

I wore shawls when I was a teen. Shawls and ponchos were very popular back then. One day for some unknown reason I started thinking that shawls were for old ladies. I know, call me a snob. However, now I like to keep a shawl handy. I have a small one in my purse. It might be chilly in a restaurant, church, store and I need something quick to cover my shoulders. The other night we were walking through the campground and I wished I'd grabbed a shawl. It wasn't cool enough to want a sweater, but it would have been nice to have something to cover my shoulders and neck.


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## SAMkewel (Mar 5, 2011)

mmccamant said:


> Along with all the uses others have listed (I had a shawl in my bag and wrapped it around me just yesterday in an over-air-conditioned movie), I sometimes wear a wool shawl OVER my winter coat for another layer of warmth, or sometimes over my shoulders before I put the coat on. Tied in back, a triangular shawl works well to fill in the neckline of a coat, too. I grew up in Minnesota, have lived in Chicago for 40 years: winters are cold in both places and it's nice to have lots of options. I have a collection of hats and scarves that my family thinks is excessive.


I can't help wondering why anyone would think what anyone else has in the way of hats and scarves is excessive, especially when you live (and I do, too) in a cold climate. Go figure, eh?


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## joycevv (Oct 13, 2011)

I wear my shawls and cowls all the time, to brighten up my drab work wardrobe. They're really useful as there are a lot of drafts in our school.


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## Sperson (Jul 28, 2011)

Shawls are my favorite things to knit and I have made many. I really don't wear them too often but I always think it is the process and much as the product that make my knitting hobby so satisfying. I also knit many other things except socks. I haven't be interested in that yet.


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## mmccamant (Jul 17, 2011)

SAMkewel said:


> I can't help wondering why anyone would think what anyone else has in the way of hats and scarves is excessive, especially when you live (and I do, too) in a cold climate. Go figure, eh?


They just think I should be satisfied with fewer choices!


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## bevqual (May 9, 2011)

I wear mine in Church because sometimes the AC is so cold!


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## Gwen in L.A. (May 28, 2011)

Perhaps it depends where you live. I'm in Los Angeles, CA. Never see anyone wearing shawls, from Pacoima to Beverly Hills or Santa Monica (my typical travels).

I kept an old machine knit shawl at my desk, just in case of cold neck or back of arms, but rarely wore it.

Last year or so there was a fashion trend of wearing skinny scarves with T shirts or camisole tops (worn like a necklace/color accessory) but that has died out with the heat.

Cowls? Not seen either, really. Other than Jan-Feb coldest weather, when scarves of various types, including the shawlettes worn with V to the front and wrapped on the neck are worn.

In cool weather, I do see fingerless mitts and short fingered gloves, suitable for texting. 

For myself, instead of a shawl, I will knit and wear a shrug. Have one small Faroese shawl, which I like because it stays on my plus-size shoulders.

YMMV


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## SAMkewel (Mar 5, 2011)

mmccamant said:


> They just think I should be satisfied with fewer choices!


But that wouldn't be nearly as much fun!


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## mirl56 (Dec 20, 2011)

You can mail your next shawl to me -- I wear them all the time.


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## SAMkewel (Mar 5, 2011)

Gwen in L.A. said:


> Perhaps it depends where you live. I'm in Los Angeles, CA. Never see anyone wearing shawls, from Pacoima to Beverly Hills or Santa Monica (my typical travels).
> 
> I kept an old machine knit shawl at my desk, just in case of cold neck or back of arms, but rarely wore it.
> 
> ...


Back in 1956 I moved from Michigan to Long Beach, CA, as a Navy wife. I spent the next seven years moving every six months or so, ultimately ending up back in Michigan. I've been cold ever since, including most of the summer because they really overdo AC here. I left my heart in Southern California.....


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## knovice knitter (Mar 6, 2012)

Valkyrie said:


> I rarely wear scarves because I have this phobia of being choked by my own scarf. Don't know why I think this way as no one I have known personally has ever died this way.
> Who knows?  :-(


The famous dancer Isadora Duncan died after being strangled by her own scarf. She was driving an open roadster, scarf blowing in the wind and it caught on the spokes of her rear tire and did her in.

I had a personal experience. When I was in high school, I bought myself a beautiful Edwardian style maxi coat. My mother crocheted a very long (too long) scarf to wear with it. I actually had to wrap it around my neck twice and it still hung to the toes of my lace up granny boots. One day I stepped off a curb on a very busy downtown corner. A car rounding the corner caught my scarf on its trailer hitch. I couldn't release the scarf as it was wrapped twice. I ran down the street for a least a block before the yarn tore. Good thing it was a busy day and traffic was moving fairly slowly. So yes it can happen. Just always be aware of the scarf and your surroundings.


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## litprincesstwo (Nov 11, 2012)

I made one for a secret pal gift last Christmas. The gal at work generally uses it off and on all day. We have people who think the AC needs to run all day. 

I have one light weight shawl that I've used several times but don't like the way it blocked. I've even re-blocked it, but still unhappy with the results. I also have a heavier stole that I use in the fall and winter. It was my first experience at making a stole. It's not perfect but I do love using it!


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## rujam (Aug 19, 2011)

maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


I think the same thing sometimes yet guess what I
am knitting at the moment? A feather and fan wrap in a yarn called Sirdar Escape, a variegated yarn. I really feel the cold around my shoulders. I usually make toys so I'm having a break from them. I hope your wife appreciates your work. I made my dil a cowl and a beret to wear at work as it is very cold there. I doubt if she's worn them.


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## imashelefrat (May 16, 2013)

My daughter wears a shawl I made for myself (crochet,triangle, fringes, black) 42 years ago and it looks so up to date.You need the right weather and the right life style for it.


maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


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## KateLyn11 (Jul 19, 2014)

I have to say I don't see a lot of them but I do like cowls in place of hats when it is very cold out ( I don't like hat hair). And I have knit myself a couple of simple shawls in iridescent yarn to dress up a basic black dress.


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

Celt Knitter said:


> "As for the British, I found it very disturbing to see the Larkrise "folk" wearing lots of shawls (especially the waist wrapped ones) while the Candleford "citizens" didn't in the series Larkrise to Candleford. Was that to show the class/cast system of old?"
> 
> Class is a factor, but it has more to do with economic and social change with the better-off affording warmer clothing and better housing. A coat was a luxury for most. However, in movies and television, it is more about projecting a perception of an era. You don't see the Larkrise people wearing Hapsalu or Orenburg lace shawls because they were neither practical or affordable even if they had known about them. At the time the book was set, the once predominant wool was rapidly being replaced by cotton, the basis of the first Industrial Revolution. The Enclosure Acts decreased the land available for the poor to graze their sheep. The transition from Larkrise to Candleford mirrored a pivotal point in English history. The disappearance of the heavy woolen shawls is a metaphor for the change. It has a corresponding change in our era when people switched from knitted to store-bought garments which made some of us feel we had made it because we could afford to buy them.


A good point made with the Pratt sisters views on fashion and norms. The sad episode of Queenie doing her bobbin lace work and trying to pass on the art form.


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## fairfaxgirl (Dec 26, 2012)

maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


I've wondered the same thing--don't see anyone wearing them in this area either.


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## Jeaniew (Feb 5, 2014)

I live in the NC mountains which does have pretty cool winters and I wear my shawls and cowls regularly, and scarves too. I made the Wingspan shawl in Dragonfly worsted and its huge. I wrap up in it like a mummy and its better than a jacket. Layers of wool, can't beat that with a stick!


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## Knitted by Nan (Aug 3, 2013)

Jeaniew said:


> I live in the NC mountains which does have pretty cool winters and I wear my shawls and cowls regularly, and scarves too. I made the Wingspan shawl in Dragonfly worsted and its huge. I wrap up in it like a mummy and its better than a jacket. Layers of wool, can't beat that with a stick!


I made a wingspan with very expensive alpaca yarn from Peru. It was in my basket on the bench in the dining room. Frodo the cat thought it was a nice warm place to sleep and also loved the shawl. Loved it to bits in fact, thought it tasted yummy. Yes, he chewed a hole right through the layers of the folded shawl and no it could not be mended. He now has it in his little box where he is supposed to sleep.

I think I had better add that the culprit is sitting there in my avatar, sleeping on some merino fleece that I had washed and was in the process of combing. Naughty cat.


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## dshorty57 (Apr 18, 2011)

I wear a shawl everyday at work because of the ac-well heck actually all the time-- I wear them in restaurants because of the ac--love my shawls


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## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

I don't sit still enough for a shawl. However, I do love shrugs and very light soft scarves (can't stand things on my neck, but need to keep it warm for spine issues).


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## Georget (Jul 14, 2011)

I live in northern Ohio 25 miles from Lake Erie and wear shawls all the time. I have7 (One for each day?) in colors that coordinate with my clothing. Some are very short just to keep the chill off but most are rectangular and longer so I can double them if I want more warmth. Different yarns and different patterns. Most are dressy to wear to my Bible meetings where the air conditioning is on. Others are less formal and I wear them to the library, shopping, doctor's offices etc. I prefer them to sweaters that cling close to the body and don't allow for the air pockets that insulate and keep my body heat in. I also wear them around my shoulders and on my lap/legs in the cold of winter to keep off the chill in my house. (Saves money for heat.) I have seen the darker colored shawls around the shoulders of men in nursing homes who have the same trouble with circulation that older ladies have. I guess it's all what you get used to. I used to work in an upscale jewelry store and the dressier shawls seemed to agree with my manager rather than a sweater that looked more casual.


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## Janeway (Nov 22, 2011)

hannabavaria said:


> FREE shawl-knitting cheat-sheet:
> 
> http://www.laylock.org/blog/2011/05/free-shawl-knitting-cheat-sheet/


Thank you very much for this as I knit for charity.


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


Do you ever watch shows on TV? Scarves and cowls are worn all the time. "Kate Becket" on the show called "Castle" is rarely seen without a scarf or cowl. Maybe I just notice more than others do, but there are a lot of characters on lots of shows that wear scarves and cowls. They are not always knit scarves and cowls. Some are store bought silk scarves and cowls. They are very popular. I have noticed a lot of people at the church I attend wearing them. I have not yet made myself a cowl, but when I get around to making one, I will definitely wear it.


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## porpor1234 (Jul 18, 2014)

I have several shawls and wear them with pleasure. I have gotten many compliments over time and feel quite stylish and elegant. It took me a while to get up the courage in the beginning, as not too many women were wearing them but last winter and spring I noticed more wearing shawls. If I'm doing something that requires vigorous movement I will opt for a sweater or jacket but going to church, out to dinner or a meeting is a good occasion to wear a shawl. It just takes a bit of practice to learn how to wear them gracefully but they are a great fashion statement. I hope this will encourage someone else to try it. &#9786;&#65039;

You can make me a shawl anytime! &#128521;

Susan


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## hannabavaria (Sep 25, 2011)

You're welcome, Janeway--just happened to have that handy. 

P.S.: Some scarves lend themselves to seam the ends tog, to make a continous loop.



Janeway said:


> Thank you very much for this as I knit for charity.


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## uscgmom4 (Jul 6, 2012)

maleknitter said:


> I see so many patterns for shawls and cowls and yet I never really see anyone wearing them.
> I made my wife a shawl and she uses it to put over her shoulders when were driving down the road for hours because the AC get's to her but that's all.
> Don't get me wrong, I personally like working on those kind of projects but why bother if nobody wears them. Kind of a waste of time other than the enjoyment of creating the piece.


I knit them and wear them most of the time when I go out and I live in central Florida!! My avatar was taken July last year!!


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