When I finished knitting my first Pi Shawl by Elizabeth Zimmermann I never believed Glenna C. that I would knit another. After all there are so many gorgeous patterns to knit. All this changed the moment I blocked it. I knew I not only had to knit another one, which I quickly procured the yarn for, but that I also wanted a square version and it had to be in Miss Babs Katahdin. I also knew I needed to retain what I loved about the Pi Shawl variation: the mindless stockinette and the simple eyelet detail.
I set about sketching, working out what to do, what color to knit it in and how big it needed to be (answer: very). I adore huge shawl projects where I can just sit and knit until as much of the skein is used as possible, so I also knew I wanted to use as much of the huge 400g skein of Katahdin as I could. With everything worked out I set about knitting it and once it was blocked it was huge and exactly as I had hoped; a square version of the Pi Shawl. While no longer a true Pi Shawl, Peppermint Bay pays homage to Elizabeth Zimmermann and her much loved Pi Shawl.
While this pattern is written to use a light fingering weight yarn, any weight can be used (finished size and yardage will vary) and knitted in a heavier-weight yarn, it would make a fantastic blanket to snuggle beneath.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Approximately 54 inches square
Finished size depends on gauge, and can be easily customized by working more or fewer body repeats.
MATERIALS
Yarn Miss Babs Katahdin [100% Blue Faced Leicester; 1750 yd/1600m per 400g skein]; color: Friendly; 1 skein.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] US #7/4.5mm needles for small circumference in the round: DPNs, 1 long circular for magic loop, or 2 short circulars 2 US #7/4.5mm DPNs for working the edging 16-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle 24-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle 32-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle 40 to 60-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle
Notions 4 stitch markers – one should be a different size or style, to denote the start of the round. waste yarn US E/3.5mm crochet hook for provisional cast on yarn needle
GAUGE
20 sts/30.5 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
15.5 sts/30.5 rows = 4 inches in pattern stitch
Note: While not critical, a different gauge will change the size of the shawl and the amount of yarn required. Make sure you get a fabric you like by swatching and wet blocking.
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
EP (Edge picot): CO 2 sts using the knitted CO method, k2tog tbl, k1 tbl; 2 sts on right needle -- lift the rightmost over the leftmost (the one closest to the tip) and drop off needle.
Emily Ocker's Circular Beginning
This pattern uses Emily Ocker's Circular Beginning, found on p. 141 of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac, but it can be substituted for your favorite circular cast on.
Short Rows
This pattern uses German short rows (see Rililie's fantastic tutorial), but any short row method can be substituted.
Slip & pull: Slip stitch purlwise with yarn in front, then with the yarn in front (as if for a yarnover), knit the next stitch. This results in a double stitch (ds), the slipped stitch with the yarnover. These double stitches are worked together on the following rows, indicated as k2tog-ds.
On Yarn Substitutions
While this pattern is written to be knitted in a light fingering weight yarn, any weight yarn can be substituted. This pattern includes the percentage of yarn you will need to leave to work the specified edging. If you make any modifications to this pattern, a different amount of yarn may be required to what is specified.
If you are using a different weight or amount of yarn or wish to use every inch/cm of what you have weigh your yarn and write the weight down before beginning.
This project uses a provisional cast on. Use your preferred provisional cast on technique; directions for one technique may be found here.
This pattern uses Kitchener stitch to finish the edging of the shawl. Directions can be found here.
DIRECTIONS
Center
Using your crochet hook & Emily Ocker's Circular Beginning (or your favorite circular CO) CO 8 stitches. If you're not already, set up your stitches on your favorite small-circumference method and note or mark start of round.
Body
As piece gets large enough, change to 16-inch circular needle, and then move to progressively larger circular needles as you wish.
Note: Even if you work the start on Magic Loop/2 circulars, we recommend using a 16-inch circular as soon as is practical, as it reduces the risk of ladders.
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: (M1L, k1, M1R, k1) four times. 16 stitches; you have four groups of 4 stitches, use markers or needle grouping to divide them up.
Round 3: Knit.
Round 4: (M1L, k to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1) four times. 8 stitches increased.
Round 5: Knit to end, slipping markers as you go. Round 6: (M1L, k to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1) four times. 8 stitches increased. Round 7: (YO, k2tog) around. Round 8: (M1L, knit to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1) four times. 8 stitches increased.
Work Rounds 3-8 31 times more, and then work Round 3 again. 784 stitches total; 196 stitches each side.
Note: if you're using the yarn called for, working at the gauge called for, there should be approximately 17% of your original total weight remaining.
Edging
Using waste yarn, provisionally CO 6 sts onto a DPN.
Turn shawl so WS is facing and using project yarn knit across those 6 new sts.
Straight Edge 1 Row 1 [RS]: EP, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog. Turn. One edge stitch worked. Row 2 [WS]: K6. Row 3 [RS]: K5, k2tog. Turn. One edge stitch worked. Row 4 [WS]: K6.
Work Rows 1-4 to one stitch before marker. Your final row will be a Row 2. Work Corner 1 next.
Note: If you've worked more or less repeats of the body than specified you may find yourself ending on a row 4 instead. If this is the case, work corner 2.
Corner 1 Row 1 [RS]: K5, k2tog dropping the first of the two stitches worked in the k2tog off the left needle but leave the second/original corner stitch on the left needle -- you will be working into this stitch again. Turn.
Row 2 [WS]: K6.
Row 3 [RS]: EP, k1, yo, k2tog, k2. Turn.
Row 4 [WS]: Slip & pull, k5.
Row 5 [RS]: K5. Turn.
Row 6 [WS]: Slip & pull, k4.
Row 7 [RS]: EP, k1, yo, k2tog. Turn.
Row 8 [WS]: Slip & pull, k3.
Row 9 [RS]: K3. Turn.
Row 10 [WS]: Slip & pull, k2.
Row 11 [RS]: EP, k1. Turn.
Row 12 [WS]: Slip & pull, k1.
Row 13 [RS]: K1. Turn.
Row 14 [WS]: Slip & pull.
Row 15 [RS]: K2tog-ds 5 times, k3tog (last ds with corner edge st) drop the first two stitches worked in the k3tog off left needle but leave the third stitch/original corner stitch on the left needle as you will need to work into this once more. Turn.
Row 16 [WS]: K6. Row 17 [RS]: EP. Turn. Row 18 [WS]: Slip & pull. Row 19 [RS]: K2tog-ds, k1. Turn. Row 20 [WS]: Slip & pull, k1. Row 21 [RS]: EP, k2tog-ds, k1. Turn. Row 22 [WS]: Slip & pull, k2. Row 23 [RS]: K2, k2tog-ds, k1. Turn. Row 24 [WS]: Slip & pull, k3. Row 25 [RS]: EP, k1, yo, k3tog (next st and double st following), k1. Turn. Row 26 [WS]: Slip & pull, k4. Row 27 [RS]: K4, k2tog-ds, k1. Turn. Row 28 [WS]: Slip & pull, k5. Row 29 [RS]: EP, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, k3tog (ds with corner edge st), dropping corner st from left needle & remove marker. Turn. Corner edge stitch has now been worked into for the third and final time. Row 30 [WS]: K6.
Corner 1 is complete.
Straight Edge 2
Work Rows 3-4 of Straight Edge 1 once, then repeat Rows 1-4 of Straight Edge 1, until you have one edge stitch before marker. Your final row will be a Row 4.
Note: If you've worked more or less repeats of the body than specified you may find yourself ending on a Row 2 instead. If this is the case, work Corner 1.
Work Corner 2.
Corner 2 Row 1 [RS]: EP, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog dropping the first of the two stitches worked in the k2tog off the left needle but leave the second/original corner stitch on the left needle - you will be working into this stitch again. Turn.
Row 2 [WS]: K6.
Row 3 [RS]: K6. Turn.
Row 4 [WS]: Slip & pull, k5.
Row 5 [RS]: EP, k1, yo, k2tog, k1. Turn.
Row 6 [WS]: Slip & pull, k4.
Row 7 [RS]: K4. Turn.
Row 8 [WS]: Slip & pull, k3.
Row 9 [RS]: EP, k2. Turn.
Row 10 [WS]: Slip & pull, k2.
Row 11 [RS]: K2. Turn.
Row 12 [WS]: Slip & pull, k1.
Row 13 [RS]: EP. Turn.
Row 14 [WS]: Slip & pull.
Row 15 [RS]: K2tog-ds 5 times, k3tog (last ds with corner edge st) drop the first two stitches worked in the k3tog off left needle but leave the third stitch/original corner stitch on the left needle as you will need to work into this once more. Turn.
Row 16 [WS]: K6.
Row 17 [RS]: K1. Turn.
Row 18 [WS]: Slip & pull.
Row 19 [RS]: EP, k1. Turn.
Note: When working the EP on this row you will cast on a stitch by knitting into a ds. Make sure you cast on this first stitch by knitting through both loops of the ds at once.
Row 20 [WS]: Slip & pull, k1.
Row 21 [RS]: K1, k2tog-ds, k1. Turn.
Row 22 [WS]: Slip & pull, k2.
Row 23 [RS]: EP, k1, yo, k3tog (ds with next st). Turn.
Row 29 [RS]: K5, k3tog (ds and corner edge st), remove marker. Turn. Corner edge st has now been worked into for the third and final time.
Row 30 [WS]: K6.
Work Straight Edge 1, Corner 1, Straight Edge 2 and Rows 1 to 29 of Corner 2 once more.
Cut yarn leaving a tail approximately 8 in long.
Undo the provisional CO and return the 6 stitches onto a needle.
With WS facing, use Kitchener stitch to graft the two ends together.
FINISHING
Weave in tail end only, then soak and wet block your shawl.
Once dry, tighten the CO tail and weave end in. I find doing this after blocking helps to fix the hole that can sometimes develop at the center when blocking hard.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Mitenae is a final year Ph.D student based in Western Australia. She has a background in art, theatre, photography and film, and is an avid knitter and bookworm. She has had one pattern released with SweetGeorgia Yarns -- Bloodwood Cowl -- and is planning to release more patterns now her Ph.D has been submitted for examination.
