I love Shakespeare comedies. Even though they are predictable, and (in the current liberated climate) dreadfully un-PC, there is just something universally appealing about the Bard’s sense of humor. Throw in a few cross-dressing women, add some gender-bending repartee and sneak in a practical joke or two and you just can’t go wrong.

I also love to make and wear well-fitting shawls. Unfortunately I find so many patterns (including several of my own) are beautiful when they are flat but put them on and they bunch and gather. If I spend untold hours creating a wrap, I want my work to actually show!

When I created the structure used for all the shawlettes in this series –a half-circle which conforms lovingly to the shoulders– I knew I needed to dedicate the series to Good Old Bill’s ladies. Like the comedies, the framework is the same for all the shawls but each has its own unique pattern.

This collection features lace designs and is dedicated the ladies of three of my favorite comedies: Olivia and Viola from Twelfth Night; Beatrice and Hero from Much Ado About Nothing and Portia and Jessica from The Merchant of Venice. These ladies are strong, sassy, and in some cases tragic–and the shawlettes I created in their tribute reflect a bit of their story.

eBook published in February 2013

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