Alcazar by Katya Wilsher

Alcazar

Knitting
October 2010
Lace ?
20 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches
in center panel stitch
US 5 - 3.75 mm
800 yards (732 m)
one size
English
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This delicate lace shawl is inspired by Alcazar of Seville. It is a 13th century palace in Seville, Spain, build in Mudejar style, and I had a chance to visit last year. Many walls of this palace are decorated with the most beautiful and ornate friezes with flower, leaf, swirl and diamond patterns.

I tried to reproduce some of these intricate patterns in this shawl. Lace stitches are based on Estonian lace or improvised.

The shawl is worked in one piece. First, center section is worked, followed by top border and lace edging. Then, the stitches are picked up from the edging strip and lower border and lace is worked.

Both charts and written instructions for lace stitches are included.

Level: Intermediate.

Finished measurements
Approximately 19.5”/49.5 cm wide and 63”/160 cm long after blocking, relaxed.

Yarn
800 yds/730 m of laceweight yarn.
Yarn shown is Rowan Kidsilk Haze (70% super kid mohair, 30% silk, 229 yds/209 m in 25 g): #634 Cream.

Needles
Size 5 (3.75 mm): straight.

Notions
Tapestry needle, spare length of waste yarn.

Gauge
• 20 sts and 30 rows in 4”/10 cm in Alcazar Center Lace;
• Gauge is not critical for the shawl. Keep in mind that if gauge is different, amount of yarn required and finished measurements of the shawl will be different.

You can read more about the inspiration behind the pattern on my blog .