Tien Chiu

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You are here: Home / Creative works / Spiral Shawl
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October 15, 2009 by Tien Chiu

Spiral Shawl

I started this shawl in June, 2003, shortly before AIDS Lifecycle 2.

I had just finished my travel shawl, a blue silk shawl handspun on a drop spindle as I roamed around Southeast Asia on a quasi-pilgrimage, letting go of my past life and considering what came next. I knitted the travel shawl in a counterclockwise spiral as I wandered–which, in Wicca, means letting go, undoing.

On my return, I needed a new project, so I decided to make a companion piece–a clockwise spiral that would help build my new life, the things I most valued.

So, I began the spiral shawl.

Full Shawl
Finished Spindles Closeup
Segment
Four Elements
Light Dark
Action
Compassion
Center
Center Closeup
[Show picture list]

Pattern Credits:

Earth: “Drooping Elm Leaf”, from Barbara Walker’s A Treasury of Knitting Patterns
Air: “Quatrefoil Eyelets”, ibid
Fire: “Chinese Lace”, from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns
Water: Adapted from Suzanne Lewis’s Knitting Lace
Light: plain stockinette stitch
Darkness: “Starlight Lace”, from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns

“Right Action” and “Compassion” are original to the author, as is the overall shawl design.
Shawl design, images, and text all © Tien Chiu, 2004.

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Filed Under: Creative works, Fiber Arts, finished, Knitting

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Comments

  1. Janelle Embree says

    October 24, 2009 at 5:26 am

    Honestly, a 6 year project completed. I’m honored to see the result. I can’t find the words to express my feelings. elegant, diligent and precise. you are some woman!

  2. mil@Rowan Yarns says

    February 15, 2011 at 3:19 am

    Just wanted to stop by and thank you for a great job you have done. This is indeed very nicely done.

Trackbacks

  1. Tien Chiu - Tegan Frisino says:
    February 10, 2013 at 6:07 am

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  2. Tien Chiu | Comfortcloth Weaving says:
    March 17, 2013 at 8:24 am

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    [WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The comment’s actual post text did not contain your blog url (https://tienchiu.com/2009/10/spiral-shawl) and so is spam.

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