I have a love-hate relationship with triangle/crescent shaped shawls because I love the way they look, but hate the way that each row starts to take forever when you get near the end. Now that I’ve been knitting more, I’ve learned that there are a couple of neat techniques that make the shawls look cleaner, especially when casting on!

• Appropriate weight yarn
• The appropriate gauge needles (either DPN or circular)

Tutorial by Kate at Modern Daily Knitting
YouTube Tutorial by Andrea at Drea Renee Knits

There are a lot of websites out there that talk about why the garter stitch tab is important, but I loved how Kate had the picture of a shawl with and without the tab. In general, I’ve found Modern Daily Knitting to be a fantastic site for clear explanations and knitting tutorials. I’ve learned that the smallest changes in technique can make the biggest difference!

So far, I’ve used the garter tab cast-on in two projects: the Striped Brioche Shawl, and a recent test knitting project that I’m working on. The brioche shawl pattern included the video tutorial from Andrea, and I thought the visual was helpful for those who had a hard time with the idea of turning the tab and picking up stitches. I can’t wait to write more about this test knit, but here is a sneak peek at the tab cast-on and the fun lace work that the pattern involves!

I like how seamlessly the tab blends into the rest of the pattern. Have you ever used the garter tab cast-on or any other cast-on variations? I would love to see some of the projects that have come out of it! I really like the clean look that the tab cast-on gives the edge of the shawl.

Until next time, happy crafting!