I am ready to release another pattern from my Norwegian knitting book “To rett, en vrang. Designstrikk“, in English on Ravelry. The shawl was initially named “Sjal med variasjoner”/Shawl with variations, but I have changed the English version to “Variations”. My book was brilliantly photographed by Kim Müller, stunningly styled by Line Sekkingstad and beautifully worn by Anna Pfeifer. Knitting with silk feels divine on your hands, and so does wearing your finished garment. I chose a tussah silk from Borg, now unfortunately discontinued but can be replaced by Valley Yarns 20/2 Silk (100% silk, 249 g cone, 2240 m/2450 yds) – see Yarn.com, in a light yellow shade so I could accessorize with gold shoes, and a statement necklace. The shawl is knitted using two strands of the lace weight silk held together, in a reversible lace pattern. It can be buttoned up as a shrug, or as a vest, and has an accompanying snood you can use as a collar. The snood is knitted using a single strand in the round to create a contrast to the shawl.
Sizes:
Shawl: S (M, L) Snood: One size
Finished measurements:
Shawl: Width: 37 (42, 53.5) cm/14.5 (16.5, 21)” Length: 150 cm/59″
Snood: Width: 34 cm/13.5″
Length: 120 cm/47.25″
Yarn: Borg Tussah-silke 20/2 (100% tussah silk, 100 g cone, 850 m/930 yds). Sample is knitted in sh 2587 light yellow. The yarn has been discontinued but can be replaced by Valley Yarns, 20/2 Silk (100% silk, 249 g cone, 2240 m/2450 yds). Yarn.com Shawl: 1 cone; 1050 (1215, 1555) m/1148 (1329, 1700) yds Snood: 1 cone; 570 m/623 yds Set: 1 (1, 1) cone: 1620 (1785, 2125) m/1771 (1952, 2324) yds
Alternative yarns: Shleep Yarns, Tussah Silk Lace (100% tussah silk, 100 g, 900 m/984 yds). Etsy.com Dye For Yarn, Silk Fine Lace Yarn (100% mulberry silk, 50 g, 500 m/547 yds). Etsy.com Claudia Handpainted Yarn, Serenity (Silk Lace), (100% silk, 100 g, 1005 m/1100 yds). Eat Sleep Knit.com Madeline Tosh, Pure Silk Lace (100% tussah silk, 100g, 914 m/1000 yds). Madeline Tosh.com Or another 2 ply/lace weight yarn.
Needles: 4mm/US 6 straight needles for shawl. 3 mm/US 2.5 circular needle (40 cm/16″) for snood.
Notions: 10 circular Mother of Pearl 20 mm/0.78″ buttons from Perlehuset, waste yarn, 3 stitch markers and yarn needle.
Gauge: 19 sts and 28 rows in Twisted Openwork Pattern using yarn held double and 4 mm/US 6 measures 10 cm/4″ square blocked.
34 sts and 36 rnds in st st using 3 mm/US 2.5 measures 10 cm/4″ square blocked. Adjust needle size to match gauge.
Notes: The shawl is knitted with two strands held together in a reversible twisted openwork pattern, while the snood is knitted with a single strand in stockinette stitch in the round. The snood has a temporary cast-on so that the ends can be easily grafted together. The holes in the lace pattern are used as buttonholes. You can easily adjust the width of the shawl by adding pattern repeats.
