by Jennifer Dassau

Eccentric and non-conforming, Lunatic Fringe is an off-kilter shawl that grows asymmetrically from the bottom up, and sprouts digit-like fringes on one side. The fringes are knit in as you go along by repeatedly binding off and casting on, while the body features alternating textural stripes. Cast on with a few stitches, Lunatic Fringe grows by increasing unequally along both sides to the long top edge, which is finished simply with a stretchy bind off.

I chose a slubby merino/ alpaca/ silk blend which is weirdly iridescent in duo-tonal colors, to accentuate the erratic nature of the shawl; handspun would create a similar effect. Any yarn and any amount may be used.

SIZE
One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length: 58 inches
Depth: 16 inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
The Fibre Company Terra [40% merino, 40% alpaca, 20% silk; 100 yd/91 m per 50g skein]; color: Butternut; 4 skeins.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 40-inch US #9/5.5mm circular needle

Notions
Yarn needle
2 stitch markers

GAUGE

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

M1L: Insert left needle, from front to back, under the horizontal strand which lies between the stitch just knit, and the following stitch; then knit into the back of this loop. 1 stitch increased.

M1P: Insert left needle, from back to front, under the horizontal strand which lies between the stitch just knit, and the following stitch; then purl into the front of this loop. 1 stitch increased.

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

This shawl is cast on at the bottom tip, and worked to the top edge in alternating garter stitch and stockinette stitch stripes, with a 2 stitch garter edging on each side.

Every RS row increases 1 stitch at each side, while every WS row increases 1 stitch on one side only, inside the 2 stitch garter edging. On Bind Off rows, after binding off 15, one stitch will remain on right needle as part of the garter edging.

When casting on stitches for the fringe, use medium tension; a death grip will make it difficult to knit those stitches on the next row. Knit the edge stitches and make the increases loosely, to prevent the shawl edges from pulling in.

DIRECTIONS

Garter Stripe:
Row 1 [RS]: K17, sm, m1R, knit to marker, m1L, sm, k2. 2 sts increased between markers.

Row 2 [WS]: K2, sm, m1R, knit to end. 1 st increased between markers.

Row 3 [RS], BO Row: BO 15, k1, sm, m1R, knit to marker, m1L, sm, k2. 2 sts increased between markers.

Row 4 [WS], CO Row: K2, sm, m1R, knit to end; CO 15 sts using backwards loop method. 1 st increased between markers.

Row 5 [RS]: Repeat Row 1. 2 sts increased between markers.

Row 6 [WS]: Repeat Row 2. 1 st increased between markers.

Row 7 [RS], BO Row: Repeat Row 3. 2 sts increased between markers.

Stockinette Stripe:
Row 8 [WS]: K2, sm, m1P, purl to marker, sm, k2. 1 st increased between markers.

Row 9 [RS]: K2, sm, m1R, knit to marker, m1L, sm, k2. 2 sts increased between markers.

Row 10 [WS]: Repeat Row 8. 1 st increased between markers.

Row 11 [RS]: Repeat Row 9. 2 sts increased between markers.

Row 12 [WS], CO Row: K2, sm, m1P, purl to marker, sm, k2; CO 15 sts using backwards loop method. 1 st increased between markers.

Alternate Garter Stripe and Stockinette Stripe sections 19 times total or until only enough yarn remains to bind off, ending with a Garter Stripe section. 175 sts between markers.

FINISHING
Bind off loosely on WS as follows:
K1, *k1, insert left needle through front of next 2 sts on right needle and k2tog tbl, rep from * to end.
Weave in ends and block.

Jennifer Dassau is a recovering attorney and emigree from 7th Avenue, who likes to combine the technical and creative to design knitwear.

Find her in The Knitting Vortex and on Ravelry.