Around the World in Stitches: London Departure - Shawl Knitting Pattern with Clue I Inspired by Big Ben

PartOne:Londlon

Clue I: London is our point of departure.

Meet Mr. Phileas Fogg, the eccentric British gentleman who lives his life with clockwork precision. Cold and collected, Mr. Fogg lives a highly regular life dictated by the clock. He will be joined by Passepartout, a Jack-of-alltrades Frenchman who hopes to settle down and put an end to his vagabond life. No such luck! As soon as he comes into Mr. Fogg's employment, they will both set off in a great adventure around the world. Our first clue in inspired by Britain's most famous clock, the Big Ben. Take a good look at the lovely lattice work in its face, and see our lace interpretation of it.

Technical Notes

Notes on Construction

The Square Version of the shawl begins with a round cast-on. Any technique will work, though I particularly like the Disappearing Loop type techniques. See our Helpful Links section for some great tutorials and videos on several round cast on techniques. You will notice that the clue is shaped with pi increases (like a round shawl), but starting next clue, we will move to straightforward square construction: four sides of equal length separated by a rib with increases at each side of the rib (8 increases every other row, 2 per section). You may find it hard to control the ninja needles of death with so few stitches in the beginning. It is helpful to work over a surface such as a table or a cushion held on the lap until you have more stitches and the contraption is more stable. It will probably take one more clue to get to that point. For Triangular Version, a different cast on is needed. We use the Neck Tab technique, which will require you to know how to cast on with backwards loop (see helpful links), and pick up a couple of stitches. It is a great technique that affords an invisible, elastic start. Just for this one clue, there is a separate set of charts for each version. After this one clue, only one set of charts will be provided with instructions on how to use them for triangular shapes. Please note that in the row 9 of the Triangle Shawl we need to decrease one stitch. This is not noted on the chart, but on the written instructions. This is needed to later adapt the square shawl charts.

Stitch Glossary

Kiyok1 in one stitch

This klyok1 happens over a yarn over on the previous row, which makes it very easy. Knit as you would normally do, but do not drop the stitch off the left needle. Wrap the yarn around the right needle once to form a yarn over, and knit into the same stitch again, then drop it off the left needle. You have made three stitches into one.

Backward loop cast on.

The simplest of cast-ons. Make a loop with the yarn, twist it, and put it on the needle. See a picture link in the Helpful Links below. Page 2 of 5

Helpful Links

Circular CastOns: http://www.spellingtuesday.com/circular co.html (this is the one I use) http://fleeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/simple-ring-beginning-for-circular.html (this one is neattoo) http://www.moltingyeti.com/help/disappearingloop.html (this one is a bit less fiddly) Backward LoopCastOn: http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/howto/archive/2008/05/15/backward-loop-cast-on.aspx

instructions

Starting a Square Shawl

CO 8 st, using any circular cast on of your choice. Distribute the stitches evenly over 4 DPNs, two per DPN. Place a marker for beginning of round (a little loop of yarn, locking marker or safety pin on the last stitch just made, since ring type stitch markers will fall off the DPNs). Follow the chart for Square Shawl Version. This chart shows all rounds, and note that consecutive rows 4 and 5 are both patterned. Work 4 repeats of chart, (it works out to 1 repeat per DPN). Work rounds 1-8 once. You will have 8 st per DPN, or 32 st total.

Starting a Triangle Shawl

Using backward loop, CO 2 st. Knit 4 rows in garter stitch. Knit one more row, then pick up 2 stitches from the garter bumps at the side,and then pick up 2 stitches from the cast on side. You will have 6 stitches. You will be following the chart for Triangular Shawl. Please note that this chart starts on a Ws row, which shows by the row number being on the right instead of the left. All rows are shown. Symbols on the chart have the same meaning on the WS and RS. Rows 1, 3 and 5 are purl rows, but they are patterned. We then switch to pattern in RS rows on R6 (so rows 5 AND 6 are patterned), with WS purled back, and that is likely the way it is going to be for most of the shawl.

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Please, note that in R9 you will need to decrease a stitch as explained below. R1(Ws): K2, (this will be one garter edge), place marker, work 2 repeats of R1 of chart placing a marker between both repeats, pm, k2 (the other edge). Continue working in this manner (k2, 2 repeats of chart, k2) through R8. R9 (Ws): k1, k2tog (you will have to remove the edge marker and replace it after the decrease), p to last marker, k2 You will have 19 st (4 edge garter st, 15 stitches of shawl center). NOTE: there is one row more in this chart than in the square version.

Charts

Clue 1 For Square Shawl

Clue 1 For Triangle Shawl

Abbreviations

Abbreviations:

CN: cable needle DPN: double pointed needle Inc: increase K: knit (K1yok1) in 1: Knit one, yarn over and knit one again in the same stitch K2tog: knit 2 stitches together K3tog: knit 3 stitches together K4tog: knit 4 stitches together K-tbl: Knit stitch through the back loop Kwise: Knitwise LT: Left twist. Sl 1 st to CN, hold in front of the work, k1, k1 from CN M1: make one stitch by picking up the strand between two stitches M4 in K2tog: make 4 stitches through 2 stitches held together as if k2tog (see technical notes) M7 in 1: Make 7 stitches into one by k1 (yo, k1) x3 into one stitch M7 in K3tog: make 7 stitches through 3 stitches held as if to k3tog (see technical notes) P: purl P2tog: purl 2 stitchestogether P2tog-tbl: purl 2 stitchestogether through the back loop, inserting needle from the left, behind and into the backs of 2nd and 1st st in this order P3tog: purl 3 stitches together P3tog-tbl: Purl three stitches together through the back loop Pm: place marker Pwise: purlwise Pm: place marker RT: Right twist. Sl1 st to CN, hold it in back of the work, k1, k st in CN Sm: slip marker Sl: slip Sl1 k2tog psso: Slip one stitch kwise, knit the next 2 stitches together, and then pass the slipped stitch over Sl1 p2tog psso: Slip one stitch purlwise, purl the next 2 stitches together, then pass the slipped stitch over the p2tog S2kpsso (central double decrease): Slip 2 st together Knitwise, k1, pass slipped stitches over. SSK: slip, slip, knit slipped stitches St(s): stitch(es) St st: stockinette stitch RS: right side wS: wrong side W&t: wrap and turn Wyib: with yarn in back Wyif: with yarn in front YO: yarn over