Smashing the glass ceiling shawl: (Ethnic Knitting Adventures): Knitty Deep Fall 2014

by Donna Druchunas

My interest in knitting has been kept alive over the years by the almost infinite variety of color, pattern, and texture that is found in collections of knitters and museums around the world. Although I love the smooth, quiet repetition of knitting a rectangular scarf in garter stitch using a luxurious yarn, it is the endless diversity of technique and style that keeps me interested in knitting as more than a way to keep my hands busy while watching TV.

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."
--from The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

by Donna Druchunas

This pattern is entirely inspired by the names of the yarn colors from Periwinkle Sheep. The series is called Strong Women and the colors are She Sings, She Dances, She Speaks, and She Plays.

To me, this bright and simple, yet elegant, stole tells the story of brave women everywhere working to overcome stereotypes, limitations, and discrimination against those of us who were often referred to as “the weaker sex.”

I see myself singing, dancing, speaking, and playing in the streets of Paris wearing this shawl as a celebration of being alive in a time and place where women have more freedom and choices than they have perhaps in any other time and place in history.

model: Kezziah Walker and Tirzah Walker

photos: Heatherly Walker

SIZE
One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Width: 23 inches
Length: 60 inches
Measurements are taken after blocking, without fringe.

MATERIALS
Yarn
Periwinkle Sheep Merino DK, Strong Women Series [100% merino; 225 yds per 100gm skein]
[A] She Sings (yellow); 1 skein
[B] She Dances (red); 1 skein
[C] She Speaks (dark blue); 1 skein
[D] She Plays (teal); 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #8/5mm 24-inch (60cm) circular needle
US #10/6mm needle for bind off
F-5/3.75mm crochet hook (optional for adding fringe)
tapestry needle

Notions
yarn needle

GAUGE

18 sts/22 rows = 4 inches over St st
16 sts/20 rows = 4 inches over patt st, after blocking

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

Open Mesh
Multiple of 4 sts, worked in rows.
Every Row: K4, [yo, k2tog-tbl, k2] to end.

Instructions for the Long-Tail Cast On can be found here.

Bind off: To keep the bound off edge loose, and to make it easier to pick up the stitches, BO using the larger needle in your right hand as you work the stitches.

DIRECTIONS

She Sings
With She Sings and smaller needle, using the long-tail cast- on, loosely CO 60 sts.

Work 3 rows in St st, starting and ending with a WS row.

Work 6 rows in Open Mesh.

Work 6 rows in St st, starting on a RS row.

Work 8 rows in Open Mesh.

Work 8 rows in St st, starting on a RS row.

Work 10 rows in Open Mesh.

Work 10 rows in St st, starting on a RS row.

Work 12 rows in Open Mesh.

Work 12 rows in St st, starting on a RS row.

Continue in this fashion, working 2 more rows in each section St st and Open Mesh, until you have worked 18 rows in Open Mesh (or until you have 10 yards of She Sings remaining, whichever comes first).

Work 4 rows in St st, starting on a RS row.

Next row [RS]: Work 3 rows in St st.

She Dances
Top Edge:
Change to She Dances.

Work 3 rows in St st, starting and ending on a RS row.

[Work 2 rows in Open Mesh, work 6 rows in St st] 4 times.

Using larger needle in right hand, BO. Return last st to working needle; do not cut yarn.

Left Edge:
With RS facing, pick up and knit 103 sts down the edge of the scarf -- 104 sts total.

Work 3 rows in St st, starting and ending on a WS row.
Work 6 rows in Open Mesh.
Work 4 rows in St st, starting on a RS row.

Using larger needle in right hand, BO. Return last st to working needle; do not cut yarn.

She Speaks
Bottom Edge:
Change to She Speaks.

With RS facing, pick up and knit 67 sts across short end of scarf -- 68 sts total.

Work 3 rows in St st, starting and ending with a WS row.

[Work 2 rows in Open Mesh. Work 6 rows in St st] 6 times.

Using larger needle in right hand, BO. Return last st to working needle; do not cut yarn.

Right Edge:
With RS facing, pick up and knit 123 sts along the edge of the scarf -- 124 sts.

Work 3 rows in St st, starting and ending with a WS row.

Work 6 rows in Open Mesh.

Work 4 rows in St st, starting on a RS row.

Using larger needle in right hand, BO. Return last st to working needle; do not cut yarn.

She Plays
Top Edge:
Change to She Plays. With RS facing, pick up and knit 75 sts across short end of scarf -- 76 sts total.

Work 3 rows in St st, starting and ending with a WS row.

[Work 2 rows in Open Mesh. Work 6 rows in St st] 8 times.

Using larger needle in right hand, BO. Return last st to working needle; do not cut yarn.

Left Edge:
With RS facing, pick up and knit 163 sts down the edge of the scarf -- 164 sts total.
Work 3 rows in St st.
Work 6 rows in Open Mesh.
Work 4 rows in St st, starting on a RS row.
Using larger needle in right hand, BO.

FINISHING
Weave in ends. Wash and block.
With She Dances, add fringes to both short edge, if desired, as follows:

Cut yarn of color of choice for fringe into 14-inch lengths. Hold 3 strands together, and fold them in half.

Attach a strand of fringe every 1 inch across both short edges of the shawl as follows:
Hold the end of the shawl with RS facing you and use the crochet hook to pull the folded end through from right to wrong side. Pull the loose ends through the folded section and tug to secure the fringe in place.

Knot the fringes as follows:
Using half the strands from one fringe and half the strands from the next, tie a row of knots about 1.5 inches below the first row. Then add one more row of knots below, dividing the strands back into the original groups.

Trim the ends even, if desired.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Donna Druchunas escaped a corporate cubicle to honor her passions for knitting, world travel, research, and writing. She teaches in the United States and Europe, offers online sock-knitting classes at Craftsy.com, and holds retreats at her studio in Vermont. Her newest project, Stories In Stitches is a pattern line featuring stories about knitters and their lives, traditions, history, and travel, all tied together with gorgeous knitting patterns and projects.

Visit Donna's website at sheeptoshawl.com.