I’ve always loved the look of variegated yarn, but I’ve never been wowed by how they knit up. I’m a control freak when it comes to aesthetics and the thought of colors pooling willy nilly drove me crazy. I’ve always avoided them because I didn’t know how to tame them. But one day my boyfriend brought me a gorgeous skein of Spritzer yarn from Cruellas. One look at the shifting turquoise, leaf greens and emeralds and I fell in love. (With the yarn, and maybe a little bit more in love with him as well.) I started dreaming up ways I can show these beautiful color changes to their best advantage. The name of this lovely colorway tipped me off: Peacock Plumes.
Pincha comes from the word peacock feather in Sanskrit. It’s one of my favorite poses in yoga, lifting the body up, balancing on your forearm, your feet reaching for the sky, light as a feather. And in a way this shawl is like that, inspired by the vision of feathers gliding lightly off each other creating a beautiful wrap that swirls around your neck. The shawl is made up of Repeating feather motifs. You knit one feather at a time. Each feather slides away from the previous one reaching further and further, building up in to a lovely wing-like shape.
This shawl uses only one skein of any sock yarn of your choice but it looks best when the color is variegated. Choose bright jewel tones for a tropical bird of paradise look or a more subdued colorway for a dreamy soft look that just hints at the shape of feathers.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below — every knitter's
gauge is unique] US #5/3.75mm needles for working flat
Notions yarn needle
GAUGE
24 stitches /32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
22 stitches /36 rows =4 inches in pattern stitch
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
Because the shawl is worked in garter stitch, there is no need to hide the wraps.
The length of the shawl can be adjusted by working more or fewer feathers.
Instructions for Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off can be found here.
DIRECTIONS
First Feather
CO 16. Row 1 [RS]: K16.
Row 2 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Row 3 [RS]: K12. Turn so that WS is facing, and Cable CO 4 sts.
Row 4 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 3-4 three more times. (20 stitches on R needle, 12 stitches on L needle.)
Row 11 [RS]: K12. Turn so that WS is facing, and Cable CO 3 sts.
Row 12 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 11-12 four more times. (35 stitches on R needle, 12 stitches on L needle.)
Row 21 [RS]: K12. Turn so that WS is facing, and Cable CO 2 sts.
Row 22 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 21-22 four more times. (45 stitches on R needle, 12 stitches on L needle.)
Row 31 [RS]: K12. Turn so that WS is facing, and Cable CO 1 st. Row 32 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 31-32 four more times. (50 stitches on R needle, 12 stitches on L needle.)
Row 41 [RS]: K10, k2tog, turn. Row 42 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 41-42 four more times. (5 stitches decreased, 12 stitches on L needle, 45 stitches on R needle)
Row 51 [RS]: K10, w&t. Row 52 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 51-52 four more times. (22 stitches on L needle, 35 stitches on R needle)
Row 61 [RS]: K9, w&t. Row 62 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 61-62 four more times. (37 stitches on L needle, 20 stitches on R needle)
Row 71 [RS]: K8, w&t. Row 72 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 71-72 three more times.
Row 79 [RS]: K8, w&t. Row 80 [WS]: K12.
(57 stitches on L needle, 0 stitches on R needle)
All other feathers
BO 6 st (Tip: for a smoother edge, do not knit the first stitch. Just slip the first stitch to the R needle, bind off as normal.)
NOTE: After the BO, the stitch rem on the R needle, is counted as the first stitch for the following row. Row 1 [RS]: K16, w&t. Row 2 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 1-2 four more times. (20 stitches on R needle, 31 on L needle.)
Row 11 [RS]: K15, w&t. Row 12 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 11-12 four more times. (35 stitches on R needle, 16 stitches on L needle)
Row 25 [RS]: K12, turn work so that WS is facing, Cable CO 2. Row 26 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 25-26 two more times.
(45 stitches on R needle, 12 stitches on L needle)
Row 31 [RS]: K12, turn work so that WS is facing, CO1. Row 32 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 31-32 four more times. (50 stitches on R needle, 12 stitches on L needle)
Row 41 [RS]: K10, K2tog, turn. Row 42 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 41-42 four more times. (5 st decreased, 12 stitches on L needle, 45 stitches on R needle)
Row 51 [RS]: K10, w&t. Row 52 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 51-52 four more times. (22 stitches on L needle, 35 stitches on R needle)
Row 61 [RS]: K9, w&t. Row 62 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 61-62 four more times. (37 stitches on L needle, 20 stitches on R needle)
Row 71 [RS]: K8, w&t. Row 72 [WS]: K12, w&t.
Repeat Rows 71-72 three more times.
Row 79 [RS]: K8, w&t. Row 80 [WS]: K12, turn.
(57 stitches on L needle, 0 st on R needle)
Keep making feathers until your shawl is as big as you want it to be.
Sample shown has a total of 12 feathers.
BO using Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off.
FINISHING
Block and weave in ends.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Pinpilan Wangsai wears many hats (most of which are knitted). She is a mommy, yogi, teacher, knitter, spinner and all around craft maniac. She believes the power of DIY can help everyone can create their own authentic life.
She writes about teaching yoga and crafting at her blog.
