I was showing a co-worker of mine a new sweater I just finished that doesn't have an attached closure, like a button or hook. Instead, I just wrap it around me in various ways and close it with a shawl pin. She was a bit horrified to see me stabbing my knitting with what looked, to her, like a sharp object.

I said, "Well, it IS a linen sweater, and, anyway, this isn't sharp." She was mystified and told me she had never seen a shawl pin before.

Have I got some shopping suggestions for her, and you, gentle readers.

Now, the easiest way to get a shawl pin is to buy an appropriate hair accessory and wear it on your sweater, shawl or scarf. Hair forks and shorter hair sticks work well.

Etsy is one of my favorite places to buy shawl pins. There is a lot of variety there. Schoolhouse Press sells some truly beautiful works of art (penannulars serve the same purpose as shawl pins, so don't overlook them). Annie's Attic (in nearby Berne, Ind.) also sells some interesting designs.