Garter Welt Shawl
This is an easy formula for a lightweight shawl featuring garter welt stripes. The resulting shawl is light, warm, and drapey. The shallow triangle shape makes it an ideal shawl to wear crossed over the chest and tied at the back of the waist. It would also work well as a lightweightscarf. If you have knitted triangular shawls before, the construction should be familiar. The long rows of garter and stockinette make this project good for knitting in dark theatres or at social gatherings. It's a nice break from complex lace or colorwork. Keep in mind that I am not a professional pattern designer! This is intended as a simple tutorial, not a full-service charted pattern. If anything is unclear, please contact me through Ravelry.
Materials:
2 skeins KnitPicks Shadow, 440 yards per skein, or substitute lace yarn of your choice. (660-700 yards used in sample.) 4 stitch markers. Size 8 needles, or needles that produce your desired fabric. Abbreviations: CO: cast on k: knit p: purl yo:yarn over pm: place marker slm: slip marker BO: bind off Gauge is not critical for this project. Copyright 2011 Eileen Conner. This pattern is not intended for sale. Requisite legal warnings about not selling this pattern or items made from this pattern apply. For questions, PM chancel at Ravelry.
Setup rows:
Garter tab: CO 2. K 5 rows. Pick up and knit 5 st: 3 along long edge and 2 along cast on edge. 7 st total. Row 1 (RS): k2, pm, yo, k1, yo, pm, k1, pm, yo, k1, yo, pm, k2. Row 2 (ws): k2, slm, yo, p across to last marker, yo, slm, k2. (Slip additional markers as you reach them.) This begins a stockinette section. From here, you'll continue to increase at both the edges and the center of the shawl on right side rows, and to increase only at the edges on wrong side rows.
Main body:
For the body of the shawl, you'll alternate stockinette and garter welt portions. For stockinette portions: All right side rows: k2, slm, yo, k across to next marker, yo, slm, k1, slm, yo, k across to next marker, yo, slm, k2. All wrong side rows: k2, slm, yo, p across to last marker, yo, slm, k2. (Slip additional markers as you reach them.) For garter welt portions: All right side rows: work as in stockinette portion. All wrong side rows: k2, slm, yo, k across to last marker, yo, slm, k2. (Slip additional markers as you reach them.)
Pattern development interlude:
In my initial shawl, I began with a long stockinette section and ended with a long garter section, like so: 40 rows stockinette 10 rows garter 16 rows stockinette 6 rows garter 6 rows stockinette 6 rows garter 6 rows stockinette 6 rows garter 16 rows stockinette 10 rows garter 16 rows stockinette 10 rows garter Since the initial long stockinette section caused rolling along the neckline, I'd recommend using a smaller initial stockinette section. I had planned to do another section of 6- row welts at the very end of the shawl, instead of ending with 10 rows of garter. However, I ran out of yarn, so I substituted the single 10-row garter section. Instead of following my first model, I recommend you follow the pattern below.
Main body pattern:
Section A [16 rows stockinette 10 rows garter 16 rows stockinette] Section B [6 rows garter 6 rows stockinette 6 rows garter 6 rows stockinette 6 rows garter] Section A [16 rows stockinette 10 rows garter 16 rows stockinette] Section B [6 rows garter 6 rows stockinette 6 rows garter 6 rows stockinette 6 rows garter] If you want a larger shawl, simply add additional repeats of section A or B.
Finishing:
BO (using stretchy BO of your choice). Block as desired & wear with confidence. Copyright 2011 Eileen Conner. This pattern is not intended for sale. Requisite legal warnings about not selling this pattern or items made from this pattern apply. For questions, PM chancel at Ravelry.
