Planning a Holiday Shawl

I’ve fallen head‑over‑heels for every shade between pale peach and deep terracotta. It feels tied to the season: brighter mornings, longer evenings, and that soft apricot glow the sun gets even when the air is still cool. So when I started thinking about my upcoming trip (details kept vague, but think warm wood and golden light), it made perfect sense to take those colours with me in the form of a shawl.

A Shawl for the Journey

Planes are always colder than I expect, and a light cotton shawl is the perfect in‑between layer — warm enough to be comforting, but not bulky. I’ll probably wear it more like a scarf than a full shawl, especially with a backpack, but that’s part of the appeal. Cotton folds down small, doesn’t crease much, and is easy to throw on for early starts or breezy evening exploring.

Letting the Yarn Do the Work

I’m using Sultan from Cotton Kings — the soft cotton gradient yarn from Hobbii that I keep “accidentally” collecting. This cake moves from the palest peach at the centre to a rich pink at the edge, like a sunrise in yarn form. I haven’t settled on the pattern yet, but that’s half the fun: choosing something that lets the colours unfurl naturally.

Slow Shawls, Slow Making

I’ve actually got plenty of Sultan cakes in different colourways waiting to become shawls. They’re perfect for lightweight layers, but shawls take time — slow, meditative projects that need good daylight for photos. So they’ll appear in the shop gradually, at the pace handmade things tend to move. The one for my trip will be the first off the hook, with others following in their own time.

Making With the Seasons

April is such an in‑between month. The sun looks warm even when it isn’t, the evenings stretch out but still need a layer. Planning a holiday shawl in these colours feels like a way of carrying a little spring warmth with me, wherever I end up wandering. I’ll be adding a few to the shop as I finish them — the same soft cotton, the same slow colour changes — available for just £40 each.