Color Adventure, a free knitting pattern from Knitty.com.

INTRODUCTION

Color Adventure

beauty shot by Tonia Lyons

Tangy

The Color Adventure Shawl is a top-down triangle shawl that works best with a color-changing yarn that has long color changes like the sample yarn, Gauge Dye Works self-striping shawl yarn. Instead of working specific row amounts, whenever the color changes, you change stitch patterns.

All of the stitch patterns are simple enough for beginners – but periodically changing stitch patterns provides some interest for knitters of all experience levels.

The final section introduces some rows of eyelets, more simple texture, and finishes with a few rows of garter stitch and a picot bind off.

spacer model + photos: Tonia Lyons

SIZE

One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Width: 62 inches/157.5 cm
Depth: 24 inches/61 cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Gauge Dye Works MCN Fingering [70% Superwash Merino Wool, 20% Cashmere, 10% Nylon; 599 yd/548 m per 6 oz/170 g skein]; color: Whiskey in a Teacup Shawl Stripe; 1 skein

Yarn Characteristics
The sample is knit with a self-striping, 2-plyfingering-weight wool/cashmere yarn with very long color changes that create wide stripes of color when worked into a triangle-shaped shawl.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #6/4mm circular needle, recommend 24-40 inches/60-100 cm

Notions
2 stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

19 sts/32 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

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

If you're using a self-striping yarn with long color changes, work each section until the color change occurs. To avoid color ‘blips' on the right side of the shawl, follow these instructions:

If the color changes while working a Stockinette stitch section on a RS row, continue following the instructions for that row and work a WS row in Stockinette stitch before beginning the next stitch pattern.
If the color changes while working a Stockinette stitch section on a WS row, continue following the instructions for that row and begin the new stitch pattern on the next RS row.
If the color changes while working a Garter stitch, Eyelet Mesh, or Textured section on a RS row, continue following the instructions for that row. On the next (WS) row, begin working Stockinette stitch following the WS row instructions.
If the color changes while working a Garter stitch, Eyelet Mesh, or Textured section on a WS row – immediately switch to working the WS row instructions for Stockinette stitch.

This shawl could also be worked with stash yarn. You'll need approximately 70 grams of fingering-weight yarn in various colors for the striped section and a 100-gram skein of fingering weight yarn for the larger, final section. If you're using stash yarn, work 10 rows for each of the first 12 sections.

DIRECTIONS

Shawl Set-Up

Garter tab start: CO 3 sts and knit 6 rows. On the 7th row, knit 3 sts, pick up and knit 3 sts from the edge of the Garter strip, pick up and knit 3 sts from CO edge. 9 sts.

Set-up Row 1 [WS]: K4, pm, p1, pm, k to end.
Markers are placed around the center “spine” stitch.

Set-up Row 2 [RS]: K3, M1L, k1, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, k1, M1R, k3. 13 sts.
Set-up Row 3: K6, p1, k6.

Section One: Garter Stitch
Row 1 [RS]: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: Knit to spine m, p1, knit to end.
Repeat Rows 1-2 until color changes.

Section Two: Stockinette Stitch
Row 1 [RS]: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: K3, purl to spine m, p1, purl to last 3 sts, k3.
Repeat Rows 1-2 until color changes.

Section Three: Textured Stitch
Row 1 [RS]: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: K4, (p1, k1) to last 3 sts, k3.
Repeat Rows 1-2 until color changes.

Section Four: Stockinette Stitch
Work as for Section Two.

Section Five: Eyelet Mesh
Row 1 [RS]: K3, M1L, k1, (yo, k2tog) to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, (SSK, yo) to last 4 sts, k1, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.
Repeat Rows 1-2 until color changes.

Section Six: Stockinette Stitch
Work as for Section Two.

Section Seven: Garter Stitch
Work as for Section One.

Section Eight: Stockinette Stitch
Work as for Section Two.

Section Nine: Textured Stitch
Work as for Section Three.

Section Ten: Stockinette Stitch
Work as for Section Two.

Section Eleven: Eyelet Mesh
Work as for Section Five.

Section Twelve: Stockinette Stitch
Work as for Section Two.

FINAL SECTION

First Eyelet Ridge:
Row 1 [RS]: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to last 3 sts , M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: Knit to spine m, p1, knit to end.
Row 3: K3, M1L, (k2tog, yo) to 1 st before spine m, k1, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, k1, (yo, SSK), to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 4: Knit to spine m, p1, knit to end.
Row 5: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to m, M1R, sm, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 6: Knit to spine m, p1, knit to end.

Roman Stitch Border:
Row 1 [RS]: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: K3, purl to spine m, p1, purl to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 3: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 4: K3, purl to spine m, p1, purl to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 5: K3, M1L, k1, (p1, k1) to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, k1, (p1, k1) to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 6: K3, p1, (k1, p1) to spine m, p1, p1, (k1, p1) to last 3 sts, k3.
Repeat Rows 1-6 four more times.
Repeat Rows 1-4 one more.

Second Eyelet Ridge:
Row 1 [RS]: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 2 [WS]: Knit to spine m, p1, knit to end.
Row 3: K3, M1L, knit to spine m, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, knit to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 4: Knit to spine m, p1, knit to end.
Row 5: K3, M1L, (k2tog, yo) to 1 st from spine m, k1, M1R, sm, k1, sm, M1L, k1, (yo, SSK) to last 3 sts, M1R, k3. 4 sts increased.
Row 6: Knit to spine m, p1, knit to end.

Garter Stitch Edging
Knit 6 rows, removing markers as you go, on the first row.

Picot Bind Off
*CO 2 sts using Cable CO. BO 4 sts. Sl rem st from right to left needle; rep from * until 1 st rem on right needle after final BO. Cut yarn and pull tail through rem st.

FINISHING

To block: soak shawl in lukewarm water and an appropriate wool wash. Roll in towel to squeeze most of the moisture out.
Stretch it out and pin the top edge and picots; use pins, wires or combs to keep the edges straight. Weave in ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Tonia is a knitting teacher, writing, and designer living in Quebec, Canada. When she's not knitting, you can usually find her with a cup of coffee and a good novel.

Find more of her knitting designs and articles at toniaknits.com and knitting tutorials on her YouTube channel, Nerdy Knitting.