Castaway Shawlette by Kathleen Dames

Castaway Shawlette

Knitting
November 2012
Lace ?
26 stitches and 44 rows = 4 inches
in Stockinette
US 4 - 3.5 mm
450 - 470 yards (411 - 430 m)
One Size (57"/145cm wide x 17"/43cm high)
English
This pattern is available for $7.00 USD
buy it now or visit pattern website

You’ve been cast up on a desert island. Luckily, you kept hold of your skein of Malabrigo Lace and a circular needle, so why not cast on a Castaway?

This is a straightforward “wide triangle” shawlette (four increases on the “right” side, two on the “wrong”), mostly knitting one way and purling the other, with an occasional row that will cause your stitches to run. The final section creates a pretty ruffle along the edge.

Malabrigo Lace knits up into a divinely soft and cozy shawlette (an LYS owner friend of mine thought it was cashmere!). The pattern takes advantage of the yarn’s tendency to be a little sticky, which will keep the dropped-stitch ladders open and lacy.

Desert island? Not too bad!

What you’ll love about knitting Castaway:

  • 1 needle + 1 skein of yarn (choose one you love!) + 1 pattern = yards and meters of pleasurable knitting
  • Worked top-down from a center tab makes for an easy beginning with a pleasant stretch of Stockinette knitting before you reach the drop-stitch excitement
  • Dropping stitches! Remember when you first learned to knit and dropping stitches was so scary? Maybe that was just me, but dropping them here is FUN (and a little subversive).

What you’ll love about wearing Castaway:

  • Dropped stitches create a wonderful texture
  • So. Soft. So soft. Especially when you wear it wrapped around your neck, bandit-style
  • Also makes a lovely shoulder shawl, so everyone can see the drop-stitch lines

Size/Finished Measurements
Width: 57 inches Depth: 17 inches

Materials
Malabrigo Yarn Lace 100% Merino; 470 yards/430 meters per 50 gram skein; color: Blue Surf; 1 skein
One US4/3.75mm 29-inch circular needle
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle

Gauge
26 stitches x 44 rows = 4 inches square in Stockinette St.

Skills Needed
casting on
binding off
knitting
purling
increasing
decreasing

Thanks!
Technical Editing: Ruth Garcia-Alcantud
Test Knitting: Elizabeth Hutchinson, Annie Rota
Photography: Nicholas Dames

Everything you need to create your own beautiful Castaway is provided in the professionally designed (by me!) pattern.