Shawl

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• Step 1

  How to Knit the Shawl:

  • To begin, you will cast on stitches and work a few increase rows to establish the basic triangle shape. Use the smaller sized circular needle. At the end of each row, you will find stated the number of stitches you should have after completing the row. It’s a good idea to count your stitches and make sure your count is the same as the directions. See the note about working back and forth on a circular needle on page 48.
  
Cast on 3 sts.
  Row 1: Kf&b, k1, kf&b—5 sts.
  Row 2: Kf&b, k3, kf&b—7 sts.
  Row 3: Kf&b, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, kf&b—9 sts.

• Step 2

  • Make one increases (M1) are used on either side of the three center stitches to widen the leaves. It can be difficult on these beginningrows to find the bar used to work the increase. Firmly stretch the stitches between the right and left needle to find the bar. Also, beginning on row 4, you will start the eyelet edging that is made with the first and last 3 stitches of the row.

  Row 4: K1, yo, k2tog, M1R, k3, M1L, ssk, yo, k1—11 sts.
  Row 5: K3, p2, k1, p2, k3.
  Row 6: K1, yo, k2tog, k1, M1R, k3, M1L, k1, ssk, yo, k1—13 sts.
  Row 7: K3, p3, k1, p3, k3.
  Row 8: K1, yo, k2tog, k2, M1R, k3, M1L, k2, ssk, yo, k1—15 sts.
  Row 9: K3, p4, k1, p4, k3.

• Step 3

  • Mark the right side (RS) of the shawl with an open stitch marker or a safety pin now (sufficient rows have been worked to allow the space). The right-side rows are even numbered, and they are also the rows in which all the increases and decreases are made.
  
Row 10 (RS): K1, yo, k2tog, k3, M1R, k3, M1L, k3, ssk, yo, k1—17 sts.
  Row 11: K3, p5, k1, p5, k3.
  Row 12: K1, yo, k2tog, k4, M1R, k3, M1L, k4, ssk, yo, k1—19 sts.

• Step 4

  • Stitch markers are added (pm—place marker) to delineate the center triangular section from this point forward. As your shawl progresses, more and more stitches will be added between the markers. When you reach a marker, slip it from the left needle to the right needle (sm—slip marker) and continue with the directions.
  
Row 13: K3, p6, pm, kf&b, pm, p6, k3—20 sts.

• Step 5

  • The increases for the leaf shape are complete and now decreases will be worked to taper the leaf to a single stitch. On right side rows (even numbered), a kf&b increase is worked to offset the decrease made to the leaf shape but the total number of stitches will not change on the row. For this section, the stitch count will increase on wrong side (odd-numbered) rows. So, on both right-side and wrong-side rows, a stitch adjacent to each marker will be worked with a kf&b increase. After completing the first 23 rows, you can see that the shawl is beginning to form a triangular shape and the first set of leaf edging stitches are complete.
  
Row 14: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, k4, sm, kf&b, kf&b, sm, k4, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 15: K3, p5, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p5, k3—22 sts.
  Row 16: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, k3, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, k3, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 17: K3, p4, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p4, k3—24 sts.
  Row 18: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, k2, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, k2, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 19: K3, p3, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p3, k3—26 sts.
  Row 20: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, k1, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, k1, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 21: K3, p2, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p2, k3—28 sts.
  Row 22: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 23: K3, p1, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p1, k3—30 sts.

• Step 6

  • The next 20 rows will establish the basic directions that will be repeated over and over until the shawl reaches the desired width and is ready to be finished off on the top (or widest) edge. From this point forward, the stitch count will not be shown at the end of the row. Instead you will be given a reminder at the end of the rows in which the total stitch count increases. Just remember that the stitch count will increase by two on every right side (even-numbered) row as the leaf shape gets wider. As the leaf is being tapered down to 1 stitch, the stitch count will increase on every wrong-side (oddnumbered) row. This is where the pin that you used to mark the right side rows will come in handy. Every 20-row repeat of the basic directions will increase the total stitch count by 20 stitches. The picture below shows the shawl after completion of row 43.

  Row 24: K1, yo, k2tog, M1R, k1, sm, knit to next marker, sm, k1, M1L, ssk, yo, k1—2 sts increased.
  Row 25: K3, p2, sm, knit to next marker, sm, p2, k3.
  Row 26: K1, yo, k2tog, k1, M1R, k1, sm, knit to next marker, sm, k1, M1L, k1, ssk, yo, k1—2 sts increased.
  Row 27: K3, p3, sm, knit to next marker, sm, p3, k3.
  Row 28: K1, yo, k2tog, k2, M1R, k1, sm, knit to next marker, sm, k1, M1L, k2, ssk, yo, k1—2 sts increased.
  Row 29: K3, p4, sm, knit to next marker, sm, p4, k3.
  Row 30: K1, yo, k2tog, k3, M1R, k1, sm, knit to next marker, sm, k1, M1L, k3, ssk, yo, k1—2 sts increased.
  Row 31: K3, p5, sm, knit to next marker, sm, p5, k3.
  Row 32: K1, yo, k2tog, k4, M1R, k1, sm, knit to next marker, sm, k1, M1L, k4, ssk, yo, k1—2 sts increased.
  Row 33 : K3, p6, sm, knit to next marker, sm, p6, k3.
  Row 34: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, k4, sm, knit to next marker, sm, k4, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 35: K3, p5, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p5, k3—2 sts increased.
  Row 36: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, k3, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, k3, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 37: K3, p4, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p4, k3—2 sts increased.
  Row 38: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, k2, sm, kf&b, knit until1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, k2, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 39: K3, p3, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p3, k3—2 sts increased.
  Row 40: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, k1, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, k1, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 41: K3, p2, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p2, k3—2 sts increased.
  Row 42: K1, yo, k2tog, ssk, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1.
  Row 43: K3, p1, sm, kf&b, knit until 1 st remains before marker, kf&b, sm, p1, k3—2 sts increased.

• Step 7

  Repeat rows 24 to 43 (a total of 20 rows) over and over until 11 leaf shapes have been completed (223 rows in total). You can make the shawl smaller or bigger by changing the number of times rows 24 to 43 are repeated. For a smaller shawl, complete fewer repeats; for a larger shawl, add a few repeats more. If you follow the directions exactly, completing a total of 11 leaf shapes, then the total stitch count will be 230 stitches. Shown at right is the shawl after the completion of the beginning 23 rows plus three repeats of the 20-row leaf sequence.

• Step 8

  • Once the desired number of rows have been completed for the body of the shawl, three additional rows are worked to finish the top edge. The edging rows should only be worked after the completion of a row 41; the wrong-side (odd-numbered) row that is made after the leaf shape has been tapered to 1 stitch. The stitch count will increase by one on the first edge row but after that will remain the same. It is very important that the top edge be bound off loosely; if it’s too tight then the edge will curl. To bind off loosely, use a larger needle for just the right-hand needle when binding off. Since the right-hand needle will only have 2 stitches at any time in does not need to be a circular needle; a straight needle works just as well.

  Row 1 (RS): K1, *yo, k2tog*; repeat from * to * until 1 st remains, yo, k1—1 st increased.
  Row 2: Purl all sts.
  Row 3: Knit all sts.

  Bind off all stitches loosely and evenly using a needle two sizes bigger than the needle used to knit the shawl. Using the yarn needle, weave in all ends.

• Step 9

  How to Finish the Shawl:

  • After the knitting is finished, you will find that the leaf edging tends to curl under. This is remedied by steaming the edge using a steam iron. At no point should the steam iron actually touch the knitting. Hold the iron 1" (2.5cm) above. Lay the shawl on your ironing board and, working in sections, hold the iron above the shawl and allow the steam to penetrate the shawl.

  • Set the iron aside. Using your hands, gently stretch and smooth the leaf shape until it lies flat.

  • Once all the edges have been steamed, lay the shawl on a blocking board or carpeted floor and pin all three edges, placing a pin about every 5" (13 cm). The top edge should be pinned so that it is straight and even. The leaf edges are fluted so don’t try to straighten the edge; rather, make sure the leaves lie flat and the triangle shape is consistent from side to side.

  • Cover the entire shawl with a towel that is just barely wet (wet the towel in the washer and then spin it dry). If necessary, use more than one towel. Leave the towel in place for at least four hours; it can actually be left on the shawl until it’s completely dry. Once blocking is finished, your shawl is ready to wear.

  How to Care for the Shawl:

  The centre of the portion of the shawl is worked in garter stitch, which has a tendency to stretch. Your shawl should not be stored hanging. Instead, fold it and keep it on a shelf.

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