If you’re looking for a fresh project that feels meaningful, this one is a lovely choice for spring-to-summer celebrations. The Double Horseshoe Wedding Shawl by Cynthia MacDougall is rooted in a charming tradition. In Great Britain and parts of North America, a horseshoe is seen as a symbol of good luck, and a decorated fabric horseshoe is often given to a bride to carry down the aisle. This design emphasizes that sentiment because the shawl is shaped like a horseshoe, and the lace pattern is also called the horseshoe pattern.
skill level Intermediate
time A lace shawl you’ll enjoy over several focused knitting sessions
ideal for Bridal wear, special occasions, meaningful gifts, and lace knitters who love a clever construction challenge
you will practice Lacework, shaping lace into a curve, managing stitch counts as the curve grows, and consistent tension for crisp lace definition
finished size
Center back length: 18½” [47cm] before blocking; 22” [56cm]
Width at side edges of rows (bottom front edge): 18” [46cm] before blocking; 17” [44cm] blocked
Total length from bottom front edge to top of curve, blocked: 48” [122cm]
Double Horseshoe Wedding Shawl knitting pattern by Cynthia MacDougall for ANPTmag Issue Summer 2017; photo by Carla A. Canonico
This pattern was featured in the ANPTmag Summer 2017 issue, a red-and-white issue created to commemorate Canada’s 150th Birthday. The projects celebrate patriotic colors, while also encouraging makers to take any idea and reinterpret it in their favorite palette and decor style.
From the ANPTmag website, the main design challenge was ‘bending’ lace into a horseshoe shape. Cynthia achieved the curve by doubling the number of stitches on a repeat at intervals around the curve, which is the kind of smart detail that makes this project so satisfying for lace lovers!
Get the Double Horseshoe Wedding Shawl pattern here
https://www.aneedlepullingthread.com/product/double-horseshoe-wedding-shawl/
Get the ANPTmag Summer 2017 print issue here
https://www.aneedlepullingthread.com/product/summer-2017/
Get the ANPTmag Summer 2017 digital issue here
https://www.aneedlepullingthread.com/product/summer-2017-digital-issue/
Double Horseshoe Wedding Shawl knitting pattern by Cynthia MacDougall for ANPTmag Issue Summer 2017; photo by Carla A. Canonico
If you were to knit this for a wedding or milestone event, what color would you pick?
What makes this project so exciting is that it blends symbolism with lace technique, and the curved shaping turns it into a true conversation piece.
Join me next week to find out which inspiring ANPTmag knitting project I’ll share with you!
