The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society
Page 24
Looking around the room, Eugenie realized that the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society was now held together by much more than her proddings and persuasions. They were bound together by more than their books and knitting even. Somewhere in the last year, they’d been stitched together by love. And that love, more than anything else, would keep them coming back to the Pairs and Spares Sunday school classroom for a long time to come.
Basic Shawl Pattern
By Nanette Mathe
Yarn: Any bulky weight yarn—approximately 600 yards
Hint: Combine two or more strands of a lighter weight yarn to obtain the look and yarn weight desired. If knitting with more than one strand, the shawl will require approximately 600 yards of each yarn. Be sure to knit a swatch to test the needle size to obtain the right gauge.
Gauge: 14 stitches and 20 rows equal 4 inches
Needles: 13 (American) or size needed to achieve the gauge
Hint: If you want to add fringe to the shawl, cut it first. Then you can simply knit the shawl until you run out of yarn!
Fringe: Cut a piece of strong cardboard or mat board 8 inches. Wrap yarn loosely around the board. If wrapped too tightly, the fringe will shorten when it is cut. To put a piece of the fringe on every other row, approximately 175 strands are needed. After wrapping, cut strands on one end only—they will be 16 inches long. Set aside.
Shawl: Cast on 3 stitches.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Knit 1, yarn over, knit to end
Repeat row 2 only until piece measures 35 inches from cast on edge. At 35 inches there will be 143 stitches on the needle. If you have yarn left, or want a longer shawl, knit until your yarn is gone. Be sure to save enough yarn to cast off!
Hint: When starting a new ball of yarn, attach at the beginning of the row. Leave a tail of at least 8 inches of yarn before knitting the first stitch. After knitting the row, tie the two tails together close to the edge of the shawl. These strands will become part of the fringe. Trim to desired length when the rest of the fringe is in place. This way, the ends of the yarn will not need to be buried in the knitting and the shawl will be reversible.
Cast off all stitches loosely. If the cast off is too tight, the shawl will gather, or bunch at the top!
Attach one piece of fringe at each end of every other row. To do this, fold each piece of fringe in half. Using a crochet hook, pull the fold halfway through the edge of the shawl. Open the fold and thread the two ends of the fringe into the opening. Keeping the two ends together, gently slide the fold up to the edge of the shawl. Trim the fringe if desired.
Shawl Variations
• Create a striped shawl by changing colors. Stripes can be equal in length, created by knitting the same number of rows in each color or unequal in length, created by not knitting the same number of rows. Adjust yardage by number of different colors used: for example, if three colors are used, 200 yards of each color will be needed to knit the shawl.
• Create a subtle striped effect by adding a very thin strand of metallic thread every few rows.
• Leave the fringe off of the shawl.
Enjoy!
Readers Group Guide
1. In the novel, Eugenie chooses classic novels for the group to read that feature heroines whom she hopes will inspire fourteen-year-old Hannah. What qualities do you see as being consistent in many fictional heroines? What qualities does your ideal heroine possess? As real life and fiction often play out very differently, what does it mean to you to be an everyday heroine? Who are some heroines of literature that have remained memorable to you?
2. Hannah, while stubborn, angry, and guarded, has an impact on each of the members of the Knit Lit Society, despite the differences in their ages and status in Sweetgum. What character do you think she impacted most? What new friends in your life have encouraged unexpected personal growth?
3. What role, if any, does faith in God and family play for each of the characters in The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society?
4. Sisters Esther and Ruth have a complex relationship. If you walked in Ruth’s well-worn Birkenstocks, would you have handled the situation with Esther and Frank differently?
5. When faced with the threat of a dramatic change in situation, Esther doubts her own ability to adapt. What factors have been personal motivators to adapt within changing situations in your own life? How do you respond to change?
6. Which character in The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society do you most identify with? Which heroine of the classic girlhood literature the Sweetgum women read do you most identify with?
7. Women often find comfort and guidance in small groups such as the Knit Lit Society. Why do you think this is? How have small circles of women impacted your life?
About the Author
Beth Pattillo is the RITA-winning author of Heavens to Betsy and Earth to Betsy. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School and is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Beth lives in Tennessee with her husband and two children. Visit her online at www.bethpattillo.com.