Traveling Woman

by Liz on August 15, 2009

Being an indecisive individual, this shawl is named after two things. First, the song “Travelling Woman” by Bat for Lashes (she’s British, hence the extra “l”). “Travelling Woman” is a song about a brilliant woman with a promising future, who loses it all because she fell in love with a man who had too much potential, and not enough substance. She sings:

Hang on, travelling woman
Don’t sacrifice your plan
Cause it will come back to you
Before you lose it on the man.

The edge of the shawl represents the dangerous web of love, as well as its highs and lows. Along the bind off edge, the shawl can be blocked to subtle points, or straight.

Second, the character Angela Montenegro on Bones. If you’re familiar with Angela’s character, I think the song selection makes sense: she’s artistic, a believer in love, and just the type who might get in a little too deep before she can find her way out (she did get married in Fiji to a complete stranger, afterall). This is the second in a series of patterns based on the characters from the Bones television show.

And finally, the yarn used for this shawl traveled from California to London: it’s only fitting that the pattern be named Traveling Woman.

Traveling Woman

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Download the free pattern. (Current version: 1.3)

While I was designing this pattern, I debated whether or not to release it for free, or to sell it. I ultimately decided to provide it for free. I support open source coding and other free projects, so why not open source knitting? Because this pattern is easy to customize – it is whatever you want it to be, size wise – I felt that it was something that would benefit from a community-type project base. The more people who have access to the pattern, the more ideas spread and circulate. It is my goal to spark creativity in as many people as possible. If you enjoy the pattern, I would encourage you to either:

  1. tell me you like it (like most people, I enjoy praise)
  2. knit it and share your ideas with others
  3. tip me using the donate button

I look forward to providing you with more, open sourced, free patterns!

Yarn:
The Plucky Knitter Merino Cashmere Nylon Fingering (80/10/10 Merino/Cashmere/Nylon) in “Queensway” (385 yd/120g). You can also use Femme Fatale Fibers in Venus Fingering.

Recommended needles:
One US 6 (4.0mm) circular needle, your choice of length (I’d recommend 24” or longer).

Gauge:
Variable due to lace.

Sizes:
I have provided instructions to knit a one skein shawl. This sizing of this shawl is easily adjusted based on your preference. Chart A can be repeated as many times as you like without any problems. If you chose to make a larger shawl, keep in mind that B should only be done once. Chart B is the edge chart.

If you want to make the project larger, you have three choices:

  1. repeat chart A until you’re a happy camper
  2. make the stocking stitch section larger
  3. make the stocking stitch section larger and do additional chart repeats

Resizing Recipe:
If you want to make your shawl larger, follow this formula-type thingy below to set your increases. Plug-in your numbers here:

14 x ____ (# of rpts desired) = x
x + 1 = y
y + 4 =  z
z = number of sts you should increase to

x: ____                y: ____                z: ____

For this pattern, I worked 11 chart repeats. It doesn’t have to be an even number of repeats because we will be removing the markers for the center st and working the shawl as one large piece. My math looked like this:

14 x 11 = 154 -> 154 + 1 = 155 -> 155 + 4 = 159

The pattern as written increases to 159 sts in stocking stitch before beginning the lace charts. Tada!

Pattern notes:
The basis of this lace pattern comes from the Horseshoe pattern in Barbara Walker’s A Treasury of Knitting Patterns (pg 209). I have modified it to add extra rows and width, and created the edging myself.

Always slip markers as you come to them. I have indicated where to slip the marker in the set-up rows, but beyond that, you will need to remember. All stitches should be slipped knitwise unless indicated.

I have knit this pattern with a garter stitch border of 2 stitches on each side. Some knitters may prefer a larger garter stitch border. If you increase the number of stitches in the border, remember this as you increase for the lace section.

The charts do not contain the garter stitch border or the yo at the beginning and end of each row. Instructions are provided in the lace charts section.

In the stocking stitch portion on right side rows, you increase four stitches. On wrong side rows, you increase two stitches.

In the lace portion, you increase two stitches on both right and wrong side rows (you omit the increases along the center stitch).

{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }

Janet August 15, 2009 at 1:09 pm

Lovely! Thank you so much for providing this pattern. You are very generous! Now, to find the perfect yarn for mine!

Tamsie August 15, 2009 at 2:18 pm

Thank you! Beautiful shawl, and I like that you’re sharing it. I tried to “donate” but clicking the link didn’t lead to anything. I’ll try later,
Thanks again,
Tamsie

Minh August 20, 2009 at 7:14 pm

Beautiful shawl! I will try to find the right yarn to do your pattern justice!

Maggie August 23, 2009 at 7:55 am

I love the pattern. Thank you for sharing. I am going to make it for a Christmas present as soon as I decide what yarn to use.

I... August 23, 2009 at 10:30 am

LOVE IT… and how generous of you to share it with fellow knitters…that’s what makes this www so wonderful…I am also enjoying your other topics too..

I…

Crystal August 24, 2009 at 11:51 am

ooooo, it is beautiful Now, I know what I want to make for myself.. If my daughter like it, she will steal from me.. It s beautiful!!!

Maria E August 27, 2009 at 5:45 am

This is beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing!
Maria E’s last blog: La La’s Simple Shawl My ComLuv Profile

tabs August 27, 2009 at 9:37 am

really stunning !!!!!!
tabs’s last blog: CANDY HEARTS RosyRetro soaps My ComLuv Profile

Diane August 27, 2009 at 11:30 am

Hey, just found your blog and I love it. Feminism and knitting is an awesome combination. Also love the shawl pattern, def just went into my ravelry queue. Thanks so much for sharing!
Diane’s last blog: Knitting News: Knitting Up a Poem My ComLuv Profile

Mabel August 30, 2009 at 11:42 pm

Thanks so much for this lovely design. My daughter just bought me Claudia hand painted antique jeans for my birthday and chose this design for me to knit, as she thinks I’m like the travelling woman. Will be casting on in a few days.

Gloria September 1, 2009 at 7:04 pm

It is absolutely beautiful and I am so glad that you posted the pattern.

Timici September 21, 2009 at 4:56 am

here is my Traveling woman shawl:
http://timici.blogspot.com/2009/09/elmaradasaim.html
Thank you very much for the pattern, I like it very much, so beautiful!
hugs,
Timici
Hungary
Timici’s last blog: elmaradásaim My ComLuv Profile

Chris E October 27, 2009 at 5:22 am

Thank you so much for sharing the shawl pattern it is absolutely beautiful.

christie October 28, 2009 at 3:45 am

thank you for the free and beautifull pattern. I’ll try to translate in french, it is not won yet. thanks again.
sorry for my english.

S. Kemper October 29, 2009 at 12:58 am

What a beautiful design! I would never attempt this as I find bigger projects go quicker (for me) in crochet, but I had to write and tell you how absolutely beautiful this design is. I am so sorry it is not a crochet pattern as this would take me years to make in knit. I am a very slow knitter. I am tempted though….

Ankie November 5, 2009 at 9:43 am

Hello!
We are 2 girls in Sweden who are starting a KAL with your pattern. I hope it´s OK!
The pattern is lovley.
Sorry for my english.

Nanette November 6, 2009 at 12:46 am

A lowely shawl which I can’t wait to start knitting. It’s generous of you to share the pattern for free.

Robin November 6, 2009 at 8:11 pm

Thank you for the wonderful pattern- I finished my first one yesterday and it blocked beautifully- and I started another today.

paola November 14, 2009 at 5:48 am

Hi! Thanks for your gorgeus pattern. I’ll start today :). I want to know if you let me to translate your pattern in french and maybe in spanish… I’ll be waiting your answer. Bye!

mimiknits November 17, 2009 at 3:31 pm

Feministy, just saw your latest Bones series pattern and want to thank you and compliment you on your talent. Your designs are beautiful as are your patterns. So well thought out and complete. When there is no confusion about a pattern, my confidence soars. Am starting on the leaf shawl right now! Thank you for your generosity. Good karma and blessings to you.

Nivedita November 29, 2009 at 1:57 am

Beautiful shawl. I love it. Don’t know when I will be able to try my hand at it. Thank you for offering it for free. You are not just very talented, you are also very generous.

Nivedita in India

Debra December 10, 2009 at 7:52 am

Beautiful! this was my first attempt at a lace-like pattern and I only messed it up a little — still pretty even with my mistake. thanks for sharing!

Michelle December 27, 2009 at 8:53 am

Wow! I just loved reading this post. I especially love how you came up with name. As a student who can’t afford to pay for patterns, I’d like to thank you very much for posting this for free. I also appreciate the math you supplied for resizing the shawl, I’m not sure how big I want it to be but I love discovering and learning new things about knitting. I’ve been looking for a shawl pattern for my mother, and I can’t wait to knit it up!

janna January 3, 2010 at 7:18 pm

I made this for my mom for Christmas, and not only did she love it, but she’s actually wearing it as a scarf under her coat! Thanks for a great pattern!
janna’s last blog: Kitties My ComLuv Profile

Barb January 9, 2010 at 8:47 am

Great pattern. Thanks for sharing!
Barb’s last blog: Entropy or Keeping one’s head above the Stash My ComLuv Profile

Tillie January 13, 2010 at 8:25 pm

Beautiful pattern saw it made up by someone in our knitting group.

Thank you kindly.

Annie January 23, 2010 at 4:25 pm

I just wanted to thank you for making patterns and naming them after the characters in the show “Bones” I love the show and your patterns.

Thanks,

Annie

Lazy Knits January 31, 2010 at 10:49 am

So absolutely beautiful. I am adding this to my knitting queue!
Lazy Knits’s last blog: Knitting – Left and Right Twists My ComLuv Profile

Barb March 2, 2010 at 4:55 am

Thank you for sharing. I have never made a small shawl before but this is inspiring!

knitting samurai March 6, 2010 at 5:40 am

I just bound off. It is a lovely shawl and quick knit. Thank you so much. Oh and Bonus that it’s inspired by Bones! Love that show.

nan March 24, 2010 at 3:59 am

There are 3 of us knitting your gorgeous Traveling Woman pattern and all three of us are having problems. Have there been any corrections more recent then August 2009? If so, how can we get them?
Thanks.

Ati April 7, 2010 at 1:45 am

Thank you very much for the pattern. I made the shawl. It is on my blog now.
http://malinaplass.blogspot.com/2010/04/shawl-number-5-ready.html
I am on Raverly, my name is Malinaplass.

jen June 22, 2010 at 2:46 am

I am so in love with this pattern, it makes me want to start knitting. It absolutely looks like something Angela would wear. Gorgeous!

Jen July 3, 2010 at 3:38 pm

This was the very first lace shawl that I’d ever knit and I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed making it. Thank you so much for creating this pattern.

Ketz August 13, 2010 at 11:52 am

Love your Pattern. It was my first shawl knitted ever and it came out beautifully. I will be knitting it again pretty soon. Thanks for sharing your talent!!!

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