Hello friends! I've been knitting for a very, very long time, and I've worked with so many weights of yarn skeins; as small as 1.76 oz (50 g) and as large as 5.30 oz (150 g). Last September, I went into a shop in Erbil's bazaar, and came upon a huge skein that weighs 12.32 oz (350 g), with a rather nice gradient of red to black and back. I ended up buying it, even though I had no Idea what I would do with it at the time. I went back home and took a closer look at the skein's materials: wool and alpaca (there is acrylic and polyester too) and I thought to myself it would be great to make it into a shawl, suitable for a really cold winter evening event.
It was hard for me to knit this particular yarn at first; the stitches often got tangled, even worse was when I made a mistake and had to undo a row or two. Nevertheless, I powered through, and the skein finally turned into an elegant shawl. I'm happy to present to you the (somehow) simple instructions for this piece. I think it's marvelous how such a beautiful large shawl came out of just a single skein.
Skill level: Intermediate
Materials:
- Yarn: Alize Fancy Alpaca, 60% acrylic, 15% alpaca, 15% wool, 10% polyester. 12.32 oz (350 g), 957 yards (875 m), in the color rainbow 1008 (1 skeins).
- Knitting circular needles:
- US 8, 5 mm, 30" (80 cm) long.
- US 10, 6 mm, 40" (100 cm) long.
- US 11, 8 mm, 40" (100 cm) long.
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
Measurements: width= 84" (214 cm), length= 42" (107 cm) (diagonally), approx.
Yardage: 940- 955 yards (860- 870 m).
Gauge: 13 sts and 16 rows in 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm) in stockinette stitch.
- st: stitch.
- sts: stitches.
- k: knit
- p: purl
- yo: yarn over
- m1k: single knit increase.
- yot: yarn over twice.
- s2s1ktog: slip two sts as if to knit them together, slip the third one knit-wise, knit the three sts together through back loops (centered double decrease). You can watch my tutorial video below to learn how to knit this stitch:
Instructions:
With 8 US (5 mm) circular needles, cast on 3 sts.
Row 1: k 1, m1k, yo, k 1 (center st, place marker if you need), yo, m1k, k 1. (7 sts)
Row 2: p all sts.
Row 3: k 1, yo, k to center st, yo, k center st, yo, k to last st, yo, k 1. (11 sts)
Row 4: p all sts.
Repeat rows 3-4 till the work measures 14" (36 cm) from center.
Change the circular needle to 10 US (6 mm) and continue working in rows 3- 4 until work measures 28" (72 cm) from center.
Change the circular needle to 11 US (8 mm) and continue working in rows 3- 4 until work measures 38" (97 cm) from center and 319 sts.
Edging Lace pattern:
Row 1: k 1, yot, *k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, k 1, yo, repeat from * ten times, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, k 5, yo, k 1 (center st), yo, k 5, **yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, k 1, repeat from ** ten times, yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yot , k 1.
Row 2: p 1, p 2 into yot, p to last yot of previous row, p 2 in yot, p 1.
Row 3: k 1, yo, k 1, *yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, k 1, repeat from * eleven times, k 5, yo, k 1 (center st), yo, k 5, **k 1, yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, repeat from ** eleven times, k 1, yo, k 1.
Rows 4, 6, 8 and 10: p all sts.
Row 5: k 1, yo, k 2, *yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, k 1, repeat from * eleven times, k 6, yo, k 1 (center st), yo, k 6, **k 1, yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, repeat from ** eleven times, k 2, yo, k 1.
Row 9: k 1, yo, k 4, *yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, k 1, repeat from * eleven times, k 8, yo, k 1 (center st), yo, k 8, **k 1, yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, repeat from ** eleven times, k 4, yo, k 1.
Row 11: k 1, yo, k 5, *yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, k 1, repeat from * eleven times, k 9, yo, k 1 (center st), yo, k 9, **k 1, yo, k 5, s2s1ktog, k 5, yo, repeat from ** eleven times, k 5, yo, k 1.
Row 12: p all sts.
Bind off all stitches in the stretchy method.
Bind off row: k 2, *slip the two knitted stitches back to left needle, knit them again together, k 1, repeat from * to end of stitches. You can watch my tutorial video for the stretchy bind off method here:
Weave in loose yarn ends, block, and it's ready to wear!
Lastly, feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or find something confusing in the pattern.
Happy crocheting/knitting! follow me on Instagram @wiams_crafts and Twitter @wiamscrafts to see my upcoming projects.
I can only find one thing wrong with this beautiful piece - - It is Knitted! Although I have tried knitting - - I found that I do more damage to myself than I do actually getting something made. Is there any way to convert this to crochet so I can make it with the less lethal HOOK? Thank you for sharing this beauty with us.
ReplyDeletethank you for the comment, or the critique, I can't figure exactly, just kidding. I don't know really what to say, but you inspired me to make a replica crochet shawl. the only problem for me now is that I've found this only skein in a shop of my home city that I visited last September. I'll try to get this yarn on line and see what I can design using it, in crochet of course.
DeleteWOW! It is amazing that you were able to make that beautiful Shawl with 1 skein. I can't wait to try this myself.
ReplyDeleteThank you Angela, but believe me It was a HUGE SKEIN.
DeleteI'm really confused; does this knit from the top down or the bottom up? And I'm not sure how the lace part fits in; do you add it later, or is it just another section of the pattern? Please help!
ReplyDeleteHi Berenice
DeleteNo need to be confused, just start following the instructions: it is top down shawl that starts by casting on 3 sts.
Also it is one piece knit, and the lace edge is worked when you reach certain number of sts.
I prefere that you start knitting, and when you find unclear line, just tell me so that we can solve the problem.
Have a nice day
Wiam
I'm having a problem with Row 1: k 1, yot, *k 5, s2kp2, k 5, yot, k 1, yot, repeat from * 10 times, k 5, s2kp2, k 5, yot, k 4, yo, k 1 (center st), yo, k 4, **yot, k 5, s2kp2, k 5, yot, k 1, repeat from ** 10 times, yot, k 5, s2kp2, k 5, yot , k 1. I keep coming up with an extra stitch before the center stitch. I counted the stitches and there's 158 stitches on each side with a center stitch. That's a total of 317. The pattens states there should be 159 on each side with a center stitch for a total of 319. What am I doing wrong?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment and you are right, there is a mistake in the stitches number.
DeleteI hope it is corrected now.
Please inform me if you find any other error.
Have a nice day
Wiam
Thank you for the answer. I've only been knitting about five years, and always question myself. I'm making this for a friend who likes bats and is going through chemotherapy. Your photo is beautiful and gave me idea. The pattern is challenging, but I'm enjoying it.
DeleteIs row 2 just purl all stitches? I seem to get lost counting the repeats. I tried looking at the chart, but there's no row 2. Only odd rows are shown. I'm not good with charts. Thanks.
DeleteHi M J Yocum
DeleteRow 2 is all purl, BUT, pay attention to the double yarn overs (yot) only. some purled as one stitch, others purled twice.
Wiam
I'll give it a shot. I'm a little confused about the some purled as one stitch, others purled twice. Do any get purled together? Sorry to bother you. It's a beautiful shawl, and my friend will love it, if I can get right.
DeleteGive it A shot M J, just read row 2 carefully. It is the hardest back row, the rest are simpler.
DeleteP. S. : there is no purl together.
Have a nice day
Wiam
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI purled the row and started row 3. I have 21 extra stitches. When I did row row 1 of the lace, 20 stitches were added because of the yot. I end up with 182 stitches, a center stitch and 182 on the other side. What should my count have been at the end of row 1? Maybe that's where my problem is. Sorry to be a bother. Thanks for all of your help.
ReplyDeleteHi M J
DeleteRow 2 has ONLY 2 times you p 2 in yot, and that is at the beginning and end of row. All the rest of yot is purled ONCE. Read the row carefully once more and you will figure it out.
the only reason for the yarn over twice (yot) is to get the needed elasticity for the edging of the shawl.
All other wrong side rows has (p 2 in yot) only when you start and finish the row. See the drawn pattern.
thank you for the question, and don't hesitate to ask more.
Wiam
Is 182 stitches, a center stitch and 182 on the other side correct for the end of row 1?
DeleteDo I work the next stitch in the pattern into the first yarn over, then drop the second yarn over from the left needle? Sorry to bother you i want to make sure I get this right.
ReplyDeleteHi M J
DeleteI am sorry for the delay in response. Apparently, there is a problem in the instructions or the diagram, or both.
I need one day to go over and answer all your questions.
Thank you for being a tester of this project.
Wait a day or two.
Wiam
Hi M J
DeleteI've found few mistakes in the lace pattern after testing it. Now they are corrected, and you can continue working without problems.
Thanks again for informing me of all your struggle with the pattern, which helped me to make it better and easier to follow.
again, ask me anything.
Have a nice day
Wiam
What other types of yarn could this shawl be knitted with, if any?
DeleteHi Brenda
DeleteEven there are not so many substitute yarn brands, you can use the Caron Tea Cakes, Bernat Home Bundle, or even the Caron Simply Soft, after checking the yardage of course. Red Heart Super Saver ombre could do too.
I just finished this shawl and it is gorgeous AND warm!!! I live in the US, so I went searching online for the yarn and found it on etsy from MadeShopUA. The pattern was easy to follow and the striping is just gorgeous. I definitely need to get out my blocking mats to get those awesome lace points, but they're already pretty well shaped even without blocking. The only modification I made was adding 4 kfb to my last row to shorten the shawl by two rows (basically adding 8 in the last row to get to 319) because I was nervous about how much yarn I had left. Thank you Wiam!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi Katie
DeleteSuch an encouraging and life filling message I've read first in my early working Friday, so thank you. I love this shawl, because I've bought its yarn when I was visiting my sisters in Erbil, Kurdistan; back in 2018 fall. There I found very nice and new yarns, so I borrowed a large bag from them and stuffed it with the yarn.
Love to see your Blood Bat Shawl if you have an Instagram account.
Stay safe and healthy.
Wiam
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