by Ágnes Kutas-Keresztes

After a few months off, I started to spin again. I’m not sure what the reason for the long break was but spinning again felt like coming up for a breath of fresh air.

I chose this lovely fiber from my stash and enjoyed working with it so much that I finished two skeins on the same weekend. Though I got a little disappointed when the first skein was dry because I had to realize I had overspun my yarn.

I really don’t like working with stiff and kinky yarns so I tried to remove some of the twist by running it through the wheel again in the opposite direction as if to ply, treadling quickly. And it worked! The result was so lovely I decided I could not let it sit in my stash.

I often wear shawls around my neck. They keep me warm and make my outfit special even if I'm only wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt. I hope you will enjoy making this shawl as much as I enjoyed designing it.

SIZE
One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Wingspan at top edge: 57 inches
Depth: 16.5 inches

MATERIALS
Fiber:
World of Wool Northern Lights Range[100% merino; top]; color: Harmony; 5.85 ounces.


Finished Yarn:
Wraps per inch: 12
Ply: 1
Yardage used: 525 yards / 480 meters
Drafting method: worsted

	Spinning Tool: Spinning tool (Ashford Traditional); [double drive]

Commercial Yarn Alternative
Malabrigo Rastita [100% merino; 310yd/283m per 100g skein]; color: Solis 2 skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #8/5mm circular needle 40 inch circular needle

Tools
yarn needle
scrap yarn and crochet hook for provisional cast on (see Pattern Notes)
blocking pins

GAUGE

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

Provisional Cast on:
This project uses a provisional cast on. Use your preferred provisional cast on technique; directions for one technique may be found here.

Bobble: (K1, yo, k1, yo, k1) into the same stitch.
Turn.
P5, turn.
K2tog, k1, k2tog, pass second and third stitches on right needle one by one over the first.

DIRECTIONS
Set-up
Using a provisional cast-on method, cast on 3 sts and knit 35 rows (17 garter ridges). Turn work 90° clockwise, pick up and knit 17 sts along the edge (use front loops of purl edge sts), then undo the provisional cast-on, place 3 live sts on left needle and knit these 3 sts. 23 sts.

Next row [WS]: K2, pfb, [p1, pfb] to last 2 sts, k2. 33 sts.

Next row [RS]: [K3, kfb] twice, [k2, kfb] 6 times, k3, kfb, k3. 42 sts.

Next row [WS]: K3, pfb, [p2, pfb, p3, pfb] 5 times, k3. 53 sts.

Body
Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 [RS]: K3, kfb twice, knit to last 5 sts, kfb twice, k3. 4 sts increased.

Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 [WS]: K3, pfb, purl to last 4 sts, pfb, k3. 2 sts increased.

Rows 12, 14 and 16 [WS]: K3, pfb, knit to last 4 sts, pfb, k3. 2 sts increased.

Work Rows 1-16 three times in total. 101 sts after first rep, 149 sts after second rep, 197 sts after third rep.

Border
Next row [RS]: K3, kfb three times, knit to last 6 sts, kfb three times, k3. 203 sts.

Next row [WS]: K3, pfb, purl to last 4 sts, pfb, k3. 205 sts.

Next row [RS]: Work Chart across, working Repeat as required.

Work as set until you have worked three full repeats of the 10-row chart. 295 sts.

Row 1 [RS]: K3, kfb twice, knit to last 5 sts, kfb twice, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: K3, pfb, knit to last 4 sts, pfb, k3. 2 sts increased.
Rep Rows 1-2 once more, then work Row 1 again. 311 sts.

BO all stitches as follows:
K1, *k1, slip the two sts on right needle back to left needle and k2tog tbl, rep from * until all sts are bound off.

FINISHING
Weave in ends. Block to measurements.

Ágnes lives, knits and spins in a small village in Switzerland.

She mainly designs shawls, sweaters and small accessories and her work has been published in magazines like Interweave Knits, Knitscene, Knit Now and Twist Collective. You can find her designs on her website and on Ravelry as well.