Knitting a Down Shawl

More than 250 years ago, the knitting of down shawls originated in the Orenburg land and turned from a folk craft into a true art. Shawls, warm shawls and stoles made by the craftswomen not only keep you warm in the cold but truly adorn their owner, endowing her with genuinely Russian beauty.

Differences between down items

Traditionally, goat down items are called Orenburg shawls; this is, of course, correct, but there is a more precise classification:

1. Shawls. As a rule, they are densely knitted, but their border can be openwork. An Orenburg shawl is square and can be small (with a side of up to 110 centimetres), medium (120–140 centimetres) or large (from 150 cm on each side).

2. The openwork gossamer shawl. It stirs the minds of sophisticated fashionistas and is the object of their desire. What young woman would not want to have in her collection a lace adornment of fine work which, at a length of two metres or more, fits into a goose eggshell?

3. The warm shawl. It is a very warm, weighty and voluminous shawl. Sometimes it is decorated with tassels.

4. A stole is a long openwork scarf. Their fabric is a favourite field for decoration with beads, complex patterns and embroidery.

The colour of a genuine Orenburg shawl depends on the colour of the goat down; most often it is white, grey, brown or black.

Modern knitters, as keepers of the secrets of the Orenburg down-knitting craft, show imagination and enterprise. Besides classic items, they excellently knit stylish cardigans, boleros and ponchos without departing from the technology. This creative approach has found a response in the hearts of Russian and foreign fashionistas. Today goat down items are on trend – they can be found in upmarket salons and branded shops.

The preparatory process

Knitting a down shawl begins with processing the natural raw material. About 320–450 grams of down are used for one item, depending on the size of the down item and its density.

The goat down is carefully gone through and sorted to get rid of foreign inclusions and stiff hairs. Short fibres are combed out of the down with a special comb. Then the goat down is formed into yarn. For this, Orenburg craftswomen use an electric spinning wheel or the traditional spinning tool – the spindle.

The thread should not be strongly twisted; this will negatively affect the quality of the item – it will become too stiff. To give the thread strength, it can be twisted with a silk or cotton thread. Then the craftswomen form balls, preparing for the knitting process itself.

An Orenburg shawl is knitted on needles. Needles No. 1.5 and No. 2 are considered the most suitable. The length of the needles is not fundamentally important, but Orenburg needlewomen prefer to work with short ones, no more than 18–20 centimetres.

Basic knitting operations

Craftswomen say that in mastering such an art as knitting a down shawl, it is important to learn how to make the basic elements, namely the ornament, the border and the corners. Some patterns must be clearly visible both on the front and on the back. Others should read only from the "face".

The basic elements of Orenburg knitting have the following names:

• "berry";

• "honeycomb" – a popular pattern for light shawls;

• "cat's paws" – resembles a cat's tracks in the snow;

• "mouse track" – four openwork holes converge into a small rhombus;

• "peas";

• "little fish" – looks like fish scales;

• "glukhotinka";

• "accordion" – a fairly rare pattern;

• "chervonki";

• "kosoryadki" – a path of stitches in diagonal rows.

Needlewomen also knit complex patterns, but the secret is that they are made up of basic elements. For example, the beautiful and complex "snowflake" ornament can be obtained in two ways:

1. By combining the patterns "kosoryadka" – "mouse track" – "glukhotinka".

2. "Kosoryadka" – "mouse track" – "berry".

An experienced craftswoman spends several weeks knitting one down shawl. If the shawl is to be large, and with a design or inscription as well, the work of making it can stretch to a whole month. Is that a lot? Given that the Orenburg shawl is famous for its artistic value and is a keeper of traditions, one cannot speak of wasted time, since true creativity cannot be combined with haste.

This work is extremely painstaking, requiring experience, accuracy and perseverance. It is not for nothing that they say a genuine Orenburg shawl should be knitted only in the Orenburg region, by the hands of those carrying on the work of their grandmothers and great-grandmothers.