Hello! A day earlier than my usual Friday posts because I’m away tomorrow, I hope this reaches you well. I was going to publish this, my hand-knit ode to love, even earlier. Two months earlier to be precise, on Valentine’s Day. But when it comes to knitting, I’m not rushing anything.
For me, knitting is all about love. Love for the people I knit for. Love of the materials and the techniques. Love of working with colour. And love of the rhythmic and relaxing nature of knitting. With all of that in mind, I designed a shawl I named OXOX XL.
One side of the shawl is adorned by the traditional OXOX cable, also known as the hugs-and-kisses cable.
That explains the OXOX part of its name. The XL part refers to the size of the cable. Traditionally it is worked over 8 stitches and 16 rows, but for extra large hugs and kisses I’ve enlarged the cable both widthwise and lengthwise.
With a wingspan of approximately 1.80 metres (71 inches), OXOX XL is a generous but not overwhelmingly large shawl.
It is big enough to be worn with the point at the back and one end draped over the shoulder…
… or tied in a nonchalant single knot.
(Can you see the windturbines in the distance behind my left shoulder? I was not the only one posing against that background. What’ll the cormorant have thought of those two humans there on the dyke, with one of them holding up a strange sort of wing and wrapping it around herself in different ways?)
OXOX XL is also the perfect size to simply be wrapped around the neck, the way I’d usually wear a shawl like this.
I’ve loved working on this shawl, especially knitting the final version. Not just because of the interesting cable and the soothing stocking-stitch-with-garter-ridges alongside it, but also because of the yarn. It is Big Merino Hug from Rosy Green wool, an aran-weight 100% organic merino. Big Merino Hug is super soft, and knit on 5.5 mm (US 9) needles, it gives a lovely and drapey fabric. The colour I’ve chosen is red hot ‘Chili’ – the colour of love.
A colour that feels at home on the IJsselmeer coast, where the photos were taken.
If red isn’t your thing, there are 35 other colours to choose from.
Or perhaps you’d prefer to stash dive? In case you don’t have exactly the kind or amount of yarn specified, or would rather make the shawl larger or smaller, the pattern includes tips for adapting it.
It is available in English and Dutch and contains written instructions as well as charts.
Well, I’m going to love you and leave you now. Thank you as always for reading, and if you’re going to knit an OXOX XL shawl, I hope you’ll love knitting it – for yourself or for someone else you’d like to wrap in a soft, hand-knit embrace.
Prachtig ontwerp!
Dankjewel! De kleur rood is in het echt iets dieper dan op de foto’s. Dat is denk ik voor jou nog wel aardig om te weten.
Ontzettend leuk! ❤️
Dank je! Erg leuk om te breien ook.
Lovely, striking, cheerful- even upstaged by the bird!!
Enjoy.
It certainly is a happy colour. Thank you for your kind words!
Prachtige shawl en de kleur staat je goed.
Mooi hoor!
Dankjewel! En jij hebt al gevoeld hoe lekker zacht de shawl is.
It is the perfect shawl. Great size, great design, great color! Well done, you! (And hopefully me too very soon!)
Thank you! You’re going to knit one? How exciting! Do you have a colour in mind?
Wat een prachtige sjaal en mooi ontwerp !Nodigt uit om deze sjaal te gaan breien. 🧶
Dankjewel, en mocht je er eentje gaan breien, veel plezier!