Color Theory by Clare Cunningham

Color Theory

Knitting
November 2014
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
18 stitches and 44 rows = 4 inches
US 4 - 3.5 mm
US 5 - 3.75 mm
US 6 - 4.0 mm
900 - 1150 yards (823 - 1052 m)
Adaptable
English
This pattern is available for $5.50 USD buy it now
Errata available: /patterns/show /patterns/show

Light as a feather and warm as toast. A top-down shawl for any level knitter—beginner to advanced—who likes to play with color! It is as close as I’ve come to “painting” with wool and is a relaxing, interactive knit.

The shawl is a study in contrasts. There are two yarn weights used: a fingering or lace weight yarn and a lace weight silk/mohair which combine to create a light, airy, and wonderfully soft fabric. The contrast of sheer vs. opaque, especially when used with saturated, jewel-toned colors, creates a stained glass effect. A monochromatic or more subtle color scheme will produce a piece that is sophisticated and elegant.

The pattern consists of alternating stripes of the two yarns using simple stitches: garter, stockinette, kfb and yo increases. The shawl knits up quickly as the colors and the textures in the “bands” of stripes are ever-changing, keeping things interesting. There is a simple lace border and a picot bind-off. The pattern is written line-by-line in chart form with color indicating the striping pattern and stitch counts given for each row.

The shawl is designed to maximize a single skein (480 yards) of Wolles Color Changing Cotton, a striking gradient yarn. Yarns with less yardage can easily be used by eliminating a stripe or two! A good stash buster—mix and match remnants of your favorite yarns with the wide range of colors available in mohair/silk.

Let your imagination run wild to create a luminous, luxurious and highly wearable shawl that is uniquely your own!

Errata:
Row 39 is off by one stitch (short) and the pattern has been updated to fix this error.
It should now read:

k4, (yo, k3) x 18, YO, k1, kfb, k1