by Rachel Brown

“Sing me a song of a lass that is gone say could that lass be I? Merry of soul she sailed on a day over the sea to Skye.” The Skye Boat Song, lyrics adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson by Bear McCreary

Like so many, I found myself completely swept away by the television adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. The incredible vistas of the Scottish landscape, mysterious standing stones, Redcoats and Clansman battling it out over the Moors, and the kilts. Always with the men in kilts…

Not long after I finished watching the first season, I spun up some gorgeous deep red wool/flax top from Spunky Eclectic. I found myself wondering what this very interesting fiber combination would be best suited for, and decided that I really wanted to use it for a a lace shawl. The combination of the wool and flax makes for a challenging and different spin, and then knits up into lace that blocks incredibly well, yet still provides some warmth, a good feature for UK-based garments even in the summer!

The body of the shawl starts with a garter tab, and is worked in a Shetland lace pattern. The body pattern is worked over 6 stitches and 4 rows, so the shawl body can be adjusted to any size desired. After finishing the body, 3 rows of garter stitch are worked, with increases hidden in the last garter stitch row. Then stitches are cast on for the edging, another Shetland lace pattern that includes the body motif. The edging is worked sideways and is attached to the body of the shawl at the end of every other row.

Please note: this is true lace knitting, with things happening on both the right and wrong sides of the work. However, it is worked on a garter stitch background, resulting in a fabric that looks good on both sides.

SIZE
S[L]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Wingspan: 51[58] inches
Depth: 16.5[20] inches

MATERIALS
Fiber:
Spunky Eclectic Wool Flax [60% merino/40%flax; pencil sliver]; color: Lobster; 4 [6] ounces (size small)
Porpoise Fur merino/flax [60% merino/40% flax; top]; color: Broadbean; 4 [6] ounces (size large)

	Spinning Tool: Hansen MiniSpinner; [scotch tension]

Finished Yarn:
Wraps per inch: 14-18
Ply: 2
Yardage used: 240(410) yds
Drafting method: short forward draw

Commercial Yarn Alternative
Blacker Yarn Lyonesse 4-ply [50% Falkand/50% flax; 190 yd/174 m per 50g skein]; color: Jade; 2 [3] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set(s) US #8/5mm straight or circular needles (40 inches or larger), as preferred

Tools
stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Edging Stitch Pattern
The decrease as the end of the RS rows attaches the border to the body of the shawl, decreasing one body stitch.

Row 1 [RS]: K2, [yo, k1, k2tog] twice, yo twice, ssk, [k2tog, yo, k3] twice, yo, k3tog tbl, yo, k2, ssk.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k4, p1, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k1.
Row 3 [RS]: K1, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo twice, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, k2, yo, k3tog tbl, yo, k3, yo, ssk, ssk.
Row 4 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, k2tog, yo, k4, p1, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k1.
Row 5 [RS]: K1, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo twice, ssk, k1,yo, ssk, k3, yo, k3tog tbl, yo, k2, ssk.
Row 6 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k7, k2tog, yo, k4, p1, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k1.
Row 7 [RS]: K1, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo twice, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, k6, ssk.
Row 8 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k5, k2tog, yo, k4, p1, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k1.
Row 9 [RS]: K1, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo twice, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, k4, ssk.
Row 10 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k3, k2tog, yo, k4, p1, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k1.
Row 11 [RS]: K1, ssk, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo twice, ssk, k2tog, yo, k3, ssk.
Row 12 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k4, yo, ssk, k1, p1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, yo, k2.
Row 13 [RS]: K2, [yo, k1, k2tog] twice, yo twice, ssk, k2tog, yo, k5, ssk.
Row 14 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k6, yo, ssk, k1, p1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, yo, k2.
Row 15 [RS]: K2, [yo, k1, k2tog] twice, yo twice, ssk, k2tog, yo, k7, ssk.
Row 16 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k8, yo, ssk, k1, p1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, yo, k2.
Row 17 [RS]: K2, [yo, k1, k2tog] twice, yo twice, ssk, k2tog, yo, k9, ssk.
Row 18 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k4, yo, ssk, k1, p1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, yo, k2.
Row 19 [RS]: K2, [yo, k1, k2tog] twice, yo twice, ssk, k2tog, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, ssk.
Row 20 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3, yo, ssk, k1, p1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, yo, k2.

DIRECTIONS

Turn work. Pick up and knit 13 sts along the long edge (one stitch in each garter ridge), pick up and knit 2 sts along short edge – 17 sts.

Set up row [WS]: K2, [yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog) twice, yo, k1, yo, k2 – 19 sts.

Begin working the shawl body, either from the Body Chart or written directions.

Continue working in pattern until you have 143 (203) sts, ending with Row 1. To adjust the size of the shawl, work for as many rows as desired, ending with an odd numbered row.

Work 2 rows in garter stitch.

Next row, increase for border: K12[14], *m1, k17[25]; rep from * to last 12[14] sts, m1, knit to end – 151[211] sts.

If adjusting the size of the shawl, increase in this row until you have a multiple of 10 sts plus 1 for attaching the edging.

Turn work, and using the knitted on cast on, loosely CO 26 sts. Do not turn; begin working from the Edging Chart or written directions, starting with Row 1. On every odd numbered row, you will attach the edging to the live stitches of the body with a ssk, using up one body stitch.

Work 15[21] repeats of the Edging Chart - you will have one live st remaining. On the next row, work Row 1 of chart again.

BO loosely in knit.

FINISHING
Weave in ends. Soak in cool water and wool wash, and block aggressively to open up the lace patterns.

Rachel is an ex-Bostonian now living in London by way of southeast Texas. When she's not knitting, she's likely to be spinning or dyeing up fiber for her online shop, Porpoise Fur, or wrangling other people's design creations into their clearest form as a freelance technical editor for independent knitwear designers. In addition to adventures in wool, she is one half of the dynamic duo behind Yarn in the City,  organizing knitting and yarn-related events in and around London, and generally trying to build as large a fiber community as possible.

You can find her further knitting/designing/spinning adventures on her website.