Rodeo Queen Shawl

Rodeo Queen Shawl by Laurie Beardsley

What is Being Made

The Rodeo Queen Shawl is a generous crescent-shaped wrap designed by Laurie Beardsley as both a practical cold-weather accessory for stable mornings and an elegant evening piece for honky-tonk outings. This knitted shawl showcases the distinctive Rodeo colorways from Dye2Spin, originally featured in the 2014 DFW Yarn Crawl. The shawl is available in two sizes with different yarn weights, offering flexibility for various knitting preferences and desired finished dimensions.

Sizes and Finished Dimensions

• Small Size: 60 inches (152 cm) wingspan with 8.5 inches (21 cm) depth at the widest point, worked in fingering weight yarn
• Large Size: 60 inches (152 cm) wingspan with 15 inches (38 cm) depth at the widest point, worked in DK weight yarn

Knitting Techniques Used

The Rodeo Queen Shawl employs short row shaping as its primary construction technique. The shawl is knit from the bottom up, meaning knitters begin at the lower edge and work toward the top, with the short rows creating the distinctive crescent shape that gives this wrap its elegant silhouette. This bottom-up construction method with short rows allows for a graceful curve and controlled depth increase across the width of the shawl.

Stitches and Stitch Work

While specific stitch patterns are not detailed in the pattern overview provided, the use of short row shaping indicates the pattern incorporates turning techniques to build the crescent form. The construction method suggests the use of basic knit and purl stitches combined with strategic yarn overs or decreases to manage the shaping and create the frilly, decorative qualities mentioned in the design description.

Materials and Tools Required

For Size Small (Fingering Weight):

• 450 yards (412 meters) of fingering weight yarn—note that Dye2Spin's Rodeo Queen fingering weight is specially sized at 463 yards per hank
• US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles, 40 inches (100 cm) long, or size needed to achieve proper gauge

For Size Large (DK Weight):

• 500 yards (460 meters) of DK weight yarn, with the option to use 250 yards each of a border color and body color if desired for a two-color design
• US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles, or size needed to achieve proper gauge

Skill Level

The Rodeo Queen Shawl is classified as a beginner-friendly knitting project, making it an excellent choice for newer knitters looking to expand their skills into shawl construction while learning short row shaping techniques in a forgiving, visually rewarding project.