Traveling Woman
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.
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:
- tell me you like it (like most people, I enjoy praise)
- knit it and share your ideas with others
- 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:
- repeat chart A until you’re a happy camper
- make the stocking stitch section larger
- 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).
Lovely! Thank you so much for providing this pattern. You are very generous! Now, to find the perfect yarn for mine!
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
Beautiful shawl! I will try to find the right yarn to do your pattern justice!
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.
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…
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!!!
This is beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing!
Maria E’s last blog: La La’s Simple Shawl
really stunning !!!!!!
tabs’s last blog: CANDY HEARTS RosyRetro soaps
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
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.
It is absolutely beautiful and I am so glad that you posted the pattern.
[...] cool to show for it. I’ve been working on this travelling woman shawl (you can find it here), I made it through the stockinette section but finally made it through a repeat of Chart A last [...]
[...] Traveling Woman [...]
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
[...] a shock to see how big the shawl had become when I had finally bound off. So here we are: Pattern: Traveling woman, available at the site linked or as a Ravelry download. Yarn: Hand-dyed by my indie dyer friend who [...]
[...] the present? The first shawl is the Traveling Woman designed by Liz Abinante. You can find it here along with the free pattern and articles about it. It is a one-skein shawl, which makes it [...]
Thank you so much for sharing the shawl pattern it is absolutely beautiful.
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.
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….
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.
A lowely shawl which I can’t wait to start knitting. It’s generous of you to share the pattern for free.
[...] Traveling Woman Shawl [...]
Thank you for the wonderful pattern- I finished my first one yesterday and it blocked beautifully- and I started another today.
[...] My Traveling Woman Shawl is done and ready to block. Now I’m on to Mara with Madelinetosh Worsted and another pair of Cabled Mitts with Lorna’s Laces Worsted. (Worsted weight – a knitter’s best friend when gift knitting must get done. And Lorna’s and Madelinetosh must have the most wonderful worsted yarns on the planet. Seriously.) I’m also contemplating Colonnade with Lorna’s Laces. Elf Donna is making one up out of LL Worsted and it is gorgeous. A Must Knit. [...]
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!
[...] is the third pattern in a series inspired by the television show Bones. Previous patterns include Traveling Woman and [...]
[...] up quicker. I might be a little addicted to them. Mini shawls like Multnomah (I made 2 of them), Traveling Woman (I made 1, so far), Mara (just finished one of these – love it), Damson (still need to try [...]
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.
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
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!
[...] Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Peppergrass for another Liz Abinante project – her little shawl Traveling Woman. This one is based on Angela Montenegro of Bones, and it was the perfect excuse to buy new yarn. [...]
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!
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
Great pattern. Thanks for sharing!
Barb’s last blog: Entropy or Keeping one’s head above the Stash
[...] : Traveling Woman by Liz [...]
[...] — of tern is calling my name. I decided to make the traveling woman shawl (rav here, or here if you’re not on rav). Oh sure, I could make another ishbel, but with the lettuce leaf green [...]
Beautiful pattern saw it made up by someone in our knitting group.
Thank you kindly.
[...] part of my lazy lacy summer, knitted in Knitabulous Fiftyfifty (which was amazing) on 4mm circs. Traveling Woman was a lovely, quick shawl. I added an extra repeat of chart A and still only used 75g of yarn. It [...]
[...] still trawling the world wide web for replacements and I think that I’ve narrowed my choices down to a [...]
[...] to see that the pattern that was chosen(by votes) was for the Traveling Woman by Liz Abinante. Liz’s website features the pattern for free and you can also find out details about it on Ravelry here(if you [...]
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
[...] shawls to knit. I would love to try Multnomah (direct download), the one skein stole or even Traveling Woman, if I manage not to mess up even easy lace patterns anymore. Some yarn is just too gorgeous too be [...]
So absolutely beautiful. I am adding this to my knitting queue!
Lazy Knits’s last blog: Knitting – Left and Right Twists
[...] Here’s the link if you’re not on ravelry (why not!!) yet. Aside from my caution about the bind off, I don’t have too many comments. No modifications to the pattern, though I think I’ll make it again and add to the width and do more repeats. And maybe block it with slight points. But I’ll be wearing it to work tomorrow, for sure. [...]