Vorpal Blade Shawl Pattern: An Art Nouveau Inspired Steampunk Design by Chroma Yarns with Detailed Knitting Instructions

Vorpal Blade

by Chroma Yarns

A wrap inspired by the Art Nouveau movement and steampunk. Drop stitch ribbing defines this semi-circular shawl with a simple pattern repeat made in less than 20 rows, says Alice. The Hatter loves it and I will have to steal mine back before she gets attached to it.. Please read the whole pattern before starting - advises the Mad Hatter. Size: Wide 37.5inches, deep 20.5inches. Gauge: 22rows per 4 inches and 18 stitches per 4 inches approx. over drop stitch area.

Yarn: Chroma Bluefaced Leicester Double Knit. Needles: 4mm circulars Notions: Some stitch markers if you prefer and 1m metre of ribbon in a similar or contrasting colour depending on if you are feeling girlie and contrary. Or girlie and not contrary. Or not even girlie. Or...or....I give up...said the Dodo.

Instructions

The first two and last two stitches on the needles are always knit - on the right side and wrong side rows - to create flat-lying garter stitch edges. These are notated in the pattern for the set-up sectionbut not the main body instructions. Set-up - right side and wrong side rows given. For this section you should be able to make one using the backward loop method (BLMl) as well as MIL and MiR. The red notated instructions highlight the centre stitch or'spine' of each unit repeat either side of which you will MiR and MiL. You can use stitch markers either side of the K1's and these will travel out from the central stitch with each pair of increase. Also, it is useful to mark the boundaries of each whole unit with markers to remind you whether you are on the right hand side or left hand side of a spine stitch and keep in patternaccordingly. Cast on 7 stitches using long tail or cabled cast on. Row 1: K2, BLM1, K1, BLM1 twice, K1, BLM1 twice, K1 BLM1, k2 Row 2: K2, pl, Kl, pl, pl, Kl, pl, pl, Kl, pl, k2 Row 3: K2, K1, M1R, K1, M1L, K2, M1R, K1, MIL, K2, M1R, K1, MIL, K1, K2 Row 4: K2, p2, K1, p4, K1, p4, K1, p2, K2 Row 5: K2,K2, M1R, K1, K1L, K4, M1R, K1, M1L, K4, M1R, K1, M1L, K2, K2 Row 6: K2, p3, K1, p6, K1, p6, K1, p3, K2 Row 7: K2,K3, M1R, K1, M1L, K6, M1R, K1, M1L, K6, M1R, K1, M1L, K3, K2 Row 8: K2, p4, K1, p8, K1, p8, K1, p4, K2 Row 9: K2, K4, M1R, K1, M1L, K8, M1R, K1, M1L, K8, M1R, K1, M1L, K4, K2 Row 10: K2, p5, K1, p10, K1, p10, K1, p5, K2 Row 11: K2, K5, M1R, K1, M1L, K10, M1R, K1, M1L, K10, M1R, K1, M1L, K5, K2 Row 12: K2, p6, K1, p12, K1, p12, K1, p6, K2 Row 13: K2, K6, M1R, K1, M1L, K12, M1R, K1, M1L, K12, M1R, K1, M1L, K6, K2 Row 14: K2, p7, K1, p14, K1, p14, K1, p7, K2 Row 15: K2, K7, M1R, K1, M1L, K14, M1R, K1, M1L, K14, M1R, K1, MIL, K7, K2 Row 16 K2, p8, K1, p16, K1, p16, K1, p8, K2

Main body

Knit the first two and last two stitches on right side and wrong side rows. These are no longer notated in themainbody instructions. For wrong side rows knit the knits, purl the purls, knit the yarn overs e.g. if you're looking at a knit stitch thenknititetc! You increase either side of the central stitch of each unit using MiR and MIL on every right side row (golden colour) . When you have 8 new stitches either side of the central stitch you have enough for a new pattern repeat and will start at Row 1 again. Except that you don't drop a stitch on row one of a new repeat on the new set of 8 stitches because you don't have a corresponding yarn over (yo) for it to run down to - you just purl 2 stitches (p2) instead to keep the numbers right. 'Oooooooo! My tusks nearly fell out when I saw this. But it might seem complicated but just knit it and you'll understand,' said the Walrus. ' Once you understand the patterning you'll be able to knit without instructions, remembering that when you have 4 stitches and 8 stitches either side of a central K1 in each unit then it's time to do some yarn over and drop stitch patterning! Learning to read your knitting is fun....'

Continue until you have 337 stitches in total ending with row 2.

Abbreviations

kknit ppurl yoyarnover ds drop stitch - yes drop it off the needle and let it run down to the yarn over mlRmakeoneright mlLmakeoneleft Cast off and Finishing You will no longer complete any increase either side of the K1's. \* K2 (p3, yo, K1, slip1 knitwise pl psso, K2tog, kl, yo) repeat 4 times p3, k2, p2, K1, K1, p2, k2, p3, yo, k2, pl, k2tog, K1 (p3, yo, slip1 knitwise p1 psso, k2tog, K1, yo) repeat 4 times p3,k2 \* repeat from \* to \* twice more.

Picot edging:

\*Cast on 2 stitches using cable cast on. Knit 2, pass second stitch over first, kl, pass second stitch over first, k1, pass second stitch over first., k1 pass second stitch over first, slip stitch on right needle purlwise back to left needle\* repeat from \* to \* to end of work.

Finishing

This shawl benefits from blocking with blocking wires. If you use pins you'll need a sackful from the Carpenter.... If you want a ruffled edge then block some distance from the picots away from the edge of the shawl. If you want the pointiest of picots then thread your wire through the picots themselves for the proudest pointsinWonderland. Ribbon detailing - thread the ribbon through some of the holes that open up in the centre edge of the shawl, gently tie in a bow and decide on whether you want long or short tails. Don't pull too tight and pucker the fabric and be careful not to wear your yarn thin. Once the ribbon's in leave it there until you need to wash the shawl in the future. If you don't want the ribbon, cinch with the yarn and sew in the free ends.

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