It’s Katniss’s birthday today, so I thought I’d do a post in celebration…and also show you my latest project, which I made for the occasion. Check out this quote if you want proof:

I kept telling myself if I could only hold out until May, May 8th, I would turn twelve and be able to sign up for the tesserae and get the precious grain and oil to feed us. ~ Katniss Everdeen, “The Hunger Games”

I didn’t know what to make in honor of the Mockingjay…until I was looking at the dress she wears in the 75th Hunger Games interview. I thought it would be super cool, symbolic, and an appropriate ‘birthday present’ for Katniss if I made a shawl that looked like the wings of that dress (click here to see a picture.). I don’t know if I succeeded, but here it is!

Here’s how I made it, in case you’re dying to make your own Katniss shawl! 😉 I used the “I Promise You Pineapples” shawl pattern by Justyna Kacprzak, which I thought looked rather wing-like. It was fun because no two rows were exactly the same. I’ve come to the conclusion that I just don’t like mindless crochet…I get too bored. So this pattern was perfect!

What I Used:

• 2 skeins of I Love This Yarn in Greybeard (unfortunately they did not have the same dye lot)
• A tiny bit of I Love This Yarn in black
• J (6.00 MM) crochet hook

My Modifications:

I did check my gauge, but when I finished all 33 rows of the shawl, it was very short, it didn’t reach my wrists like in the first photo. I wanted to make it bigger, but I didn’t want the bottom to get longer, so I modified a bit. This is where I started my second skein…one skein was enough to make the whole 33 rows. Row34: Don’t fasten off, but ch 3, turn, *shell in next shell, ch 2* until you reach the marked st, then make 2 dc into that st. Cut the yarn. Then turn it around so you can work back across that row. Row 35: Skip 2 dc, next shell, and join your yarn into the next shell after that. I joined with a standing dc. 2 dc into that space, *ch 2, shell into next shell* across, dc into ch 3. Repeat these rows until you have 2 shells and one half-shell on top. Then do it on the other side. You’ll have to start at the 17th shell, though, and begin with Row 35 like this: Modified Row 35: Standing dc in marked shell, dc in same sp, *ch 2, shell in next shell* across, dc into ch 3. You will have approximately five bazillion ends to weave in, but the shawl will be extended. I kind of like how it looks, what about you?: Next I joined my yarn to the end of a row (after spending approximately five bazillion hours weaving in those ends) and did: Edging Row 1: Ch 3, *shell in next shell, ch 2* across. When  you reach a half-shell (2dc), work your shell in between the 2 stitches. Then fasten off gray. Edging Row 2: Join black and ch 3. *shell in next shell, ch 3* across, shell in last shell, dc into ch 3. Fasten off and weave in all ends, and YAY! Since this was I Love This Yarn, I stuck in the washer and dryer and it came out so much softer and drapier…one of the reasons why I really do

Or it could be a really fluffy scarf, if you’re so inclined.

I’ve been meaning to make another shawl for a while, so I’m glad I finally got around to it…just in time for my favorite book character’s birthday! Now I just need to figure out how to wear a shawl and look confident about it…does anybody have any tips?

May the odds be ever in your favor!