Whew! It’s been a week. I feel as though I have been tumbled around in a wind tunnel and come out of the other side. Somewhat windswept - but in a good way.
I am torn between wanting to plaster all of my Paris photos all over social media - and my goodness there are a lot of them - but also don’t want to bore people rigid. As a compromise (and so that I could play around in Canva) I made a little collage of some of the best bits just so that I could admire the colours and remember the atmosphere a little bit more.
I’m pleased to report that my fears about travelling solo were absolutely unfounded. Everything went smoothly - the travel apps worked and I successfully navigated the Paris Metro system without a hitch.
No one batted an eyelid at my knitting going through airport security I’m pleased to say. Although they did instead direct attention to my knee-high zip up boots 🤣
Happily I was able to style it out with hand-knit stripey socks to pad up and down the security line in while my boots went for some special X-ray attention. It’s always gratifying to be able to say ‘thanks, I made them’ when someone asks where you got your snazzy socks from.
One things that really struck me about Parisian women - and I did an awful lot of people watching from cafes over the course of my weekend - is how stylish and accessorised they are. I started by wondering why they always seemed to wear a lot of layers - outfit, then coat, then scarf, then often a woollen shawl (sometimes tucked into their handbag).
Then I realised the endless possibilities that such layers added. Sitting outside at a pavement café in November requires a certain dedication to the cause that I was unprepared for. These chic Parisian ladies on the other hand seamlessly transitioned their outfit into something more suitable with the swish of a shawl.
And when a faint drizzle descended I succumbed to the classic caught-in-the-rain frizzy haired look in minutes, while they just draped a scarf over their head and shoulders and carried on regardless.
Talk about style goals!
With this in mind I have been reviewing my shawl/scarf wardrobe options this week and I came up with a few beauties I thought you might enjoy.
☕ Jules Hogan Knitwear does the most amazing knitted shawls and wraps - her whole Instagram account is beautiful and she has some wonderful knitted pieces in stock right now.
☕Purl Soho have some beautiful (and free) wrap patterns in a variety of weights here. I particularly like the look of the Featherdown Wrap.
☕Oaken is a fabulous shawl and/or blanket pattern from TinCan Knits that has been in my queue for ever.
☕My Hebridean Hap shawl pattern uses 2 skeins of rustic DK-weight yarn and I have long been thinking about knitting a larger, more generous version. Maybe this is the prod I need.
☕If you are in the UK and in need of yarn for all of this knitting there is a woolly event going on in Welwyn Garden City this week - culminating in a yarn festival on Sunday 19 Nov. I am planning to pop along so if you are going do let me know and maybe we could meet up?
Wishing you a very warm, woolly and stylish weekend
Paris is beautiful any time of year and I agree, people watching at a cafe is the best way to waste an hour or two. Thanks for the patterns. It is winter here, and thus time to pull out the trusty needles!
Love your pictures and insights of Paris. After reading I feel a shawl is a necessity! I love the look of the Featherdown wrap but I’ll have to try and source a UK yarn alternative to the Purl Soho Pouf. Any ideas greatly received 🙏