Irish knitters hold an online Secret Santa every December called "Knitmas". It's run by extremely clever and hard-working elves over diverse social media including Ravelry, Twitter and Elfster. You have to be Irish or in Ireland to participate and the gifts must include something made by hand. You must carefully research your giftee to figure out what s/he would like and really make a special package for them. Last year, I got a wonderful person with the nickname "LismoreLady" in the draw. I found out she liked bright colours and geometric shapes and that she is indeed very lady-like. I decided to design a shawl for her, and this is the result. LismoreLady has the original electric-blue-and-hot-pink one now, but I was delighted to make another for Knitty in gorgeous Pixie yarn from Dragonfly Fibers.
Lady Lismore is a crescent-shaped shawlette worked in two colours. The pattern showcases a trio of multi-wrap stitch patterns. The way these stitches are worked create wavy stripes of colour in the knit. The technique is not complicated to work, which means you get a great effect without huge outlays of effort.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] 32 inch US 6/4mm circular needle
Notions Yarn needle T-pins and blocking wires (Optional, but recommended)
GAUGE
18 sts/36 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch (relaxed after blocking)
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
This shawl starts with a garter tab cast-on and proceeds in stripes of stocking stitch and bordered multi-wrap stitch patterns. The final rows rapidly increase the number of stitches to make 48[52] "points" and the cast-off is very loose due to the doubly-wrapped sts.
Wrapped Stitches
A wrapped stitch is a stitch with extra wraps of the yarn around the right needle during the creation of the st. Insert the right needle into the next st, wrap the yarn around twice, and draw all the wraps through to make a new, elongated stitch, slipping the stitch off the left needle as normal. On the next row, drop the extra wraps before working the stitch.
CDD: Sl 2 sts together (as if for k2tog), k1, pass 2 slipped sts over. TW3 (Turn 3 wrap sts): Sl 3 double-wrapped sts to right needle purlwise, dropping the extra wraps. Sl these 3 sts back to LHN. Work P1, k1, p1 into these 3 sts all together. W: Wrapping + number of times e.g. K1W4 is "Knit 1 st, wrapping yarn 4 times" e.g. P3W2 is "Purl 3 sts, wrapping yarn twice each time.
Turned Wraps Pattern
Each RS row increases the st count by 4 sts. Row 1 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, *k3, k3W2; rep from * to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 2 [WS]: K2, p3, *TW3, p3; rep from * to last 5 sts, p3, k2. Row 3 [RS]: With MC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, *k3W2, k3; rep from * to last 5 sts, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 4 [WS]: K2, p5, *p3, TW3; rep from * to last 7 sts, p5, k2. Row 5 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k1, *k3W2, k3; rep from * to last 4 sts, k1, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 6 [WS]: K2, p4, *p3, TW3; rep from * to last 6 sts, p4, k2. Row 7 [RS]: With MC, k2, yo, k1, yo, *k3W2, k3; rep from * to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 8 [WS]: K2, p3, *p3, TW3; rep from * to last 5 sts, p3, k2. Row 9 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, *k3, k3W2; rep from * to last 5 sts, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 10 [WS]: K2, p5, *TW3, p3; rep from * to last 7 sts, p5, k2.
Elongated-St Waves Pattern
Each RS row increases the st count by 4 sts. Row 1 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, *k3W2, k3; rep from * to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 2 [WS]: K2, p3, *p3, p3W2; rep from * to last 5 sts, p3, k2. Row 3 [RS]: K2, yo, k1, yo, k2, *k3W2, k3; rep from * to last 5 sts, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 4 [WS]: K2, p5, *p3, p3W2; rep from * to last 7 sts, p5, k2. Row 5 [RS]: With MC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 6 [WS]: Knit. Row 7 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, *k3, k3W2; rep from * to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 8 [WS]: K2, p3, *p3W2, p3; rep from * to last 5 sts, p3, k2. Row 9 [RS]: K2, yo, k1, yo, k2, *k3, k3W2; rep from * to last 5 sts, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 10 [WS]: K2, p5, *p3W2, p3; rep from * to last 7 sts, p5, k2.
Seafoam Pattern
Each RS row increases the st count by 4 sts. Row 1 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, *k1, k1W2, k1W3, k1W4, k1W3, k1W2; rep from * to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 2 and all following even rows [WS]: Knit, using the same colour yarn as previous row. Row 3 [RS]: With MC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 5 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k1, *k1, k1W2, k1W3, k1W4, k1W3, k1W2; rep from * to last 4 sts, k1, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 7 [RS]: As Row 3. Row 9 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, *k1, k1W2, k1W3, k1W4, k1W3, k1W2; rep from * to last 5 sts, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2. Row 10 [WS]: As Row 2.
Charts The charts for this pattern are very large and fit on a letter-sized page.
Click here and print the resulting page.
DIRECTIONS
With MC, cast on 2 sts and knit 5 rows. After knitting last row, do not turn work, but pick up 2 sts from the garter ridges along the left edge. Pick up 2 further sts from cast-on edge. 6 sts.
Note: Carry CC up the side of the shawl within patterned sections, but cut CC, leaving a tail, when working the stocking stitch sections and borders.
Stocking St Section Row 1 [RS]: With MC, K2, yo, k1, yo, k to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: K2, p to last 2 sts, k2.
Repeat these two rows 5 more times.
34 sts after first repeat complete.
Rev St St Border Row 1 [RS]: With MC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: Knit.
Row 3 [RS]: K2, yo, k1, yo, p to last 3 sts, yo, k1, yo, k2. 4 sts increased. Row 4 [WS]: Knit.
42 sts after first repeat complete.
Work Rows 1-10 of the Turned Wraps Chart. 62 sts
Work a Rev St St Border. 70 sts
Work a Stocking St Section. 94 sts
Work another Rev St St Border. 102 sts
Work Rows 1-10 of the Elongated-St Waves Chart, then rep rows 5-6, then rep rows 1-4 again. 134 sts
Work a Rev St St Border. 142 sts
Work a Stocking St Section. 166 sts
Work another Rev St St Border. 174 sts
Work Rows 1-10 of the Turned Wraps Chart. 194 sts
Work a Rev St St Border. 202 sts
Work a Stocking St Section. 226 sts
Work another Rev St St Border. 234 sts
Work Rows 1-10 of the Seafoam Chart. 254 sts
Work a Rev St St Border. 262 sts
Work a Stocking St Section. 286 sts
Work another Rev St St Border. 294 sts
Size Large Only:
Work Rows 1-10 of the Turned Wraps Chart. 314 sts
Final Rows & Bind-off Size Large start here: Row 1 [RS]: With MC, K2, [yo, k1] twice, *k3, k3W2; rep from * to last 4 sts, [k1, yo] twice, k2. 318 sts
Row 2 [WS]: K2, p4, *TW3, p3; rep from * to last 6 sts, p4, k2.
Size Small start here: Row 3 [RS]: With CC, work row 1 of the Turned Wraps Chart. 298[322] sts.
Row 4 [WS]: Work row 2 of the Turned Wraps Chart.
Row 5 [RS]: With MC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, *[k1, yo] 3 times, CDD, yo; rep from * to last 5 sts, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2. 398[430] sts.
Row 6 [WS]: Knit.
Row 7 [RS]: With CC, k2, yo, k1, yo, k4, *[k1, yo] 4 times, k1, CDD; rep from * to last 7 sts, k4, yo, k1, yo, k2. 498[538] sts.
Row 8 [WS]: Knit.
Row 9 [RS]: Knit, wrapping yarn twice for each st.
Bind off as follows: Sl1, dropping extra wrap, *sl1, dropping extra wrap, pass first st over; rep from * to end of row. Secure final st with MC yarn tail from Row 4.
FINISHING
Wet-block hard to measurements, following any yarn care instructions on the ball band.
Weave in ends.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Elanor is an ex-engineer and as such her work tends to the structural and geometric, and she loves to try out new techniques.
If you'd like to see more of Elanor's designs, they're on her blog.
