Fallston by Dee O'Keefe

Fallston

Knitting
December 2016
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
4.5 stitches = 1 inch
in stockinette
US 5 - 3.75 mm
630 - 670 yards (576 - 613 m)
One size - 72 x 20" (183 x 51 cm)
English
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Fallston is a top-down, crescent-shaped shawl worked in two colors. The garter bands of the shawl body alternate with pretty mesh lace bands and delicate accent stripes. The centered double decreases in the lace sections of the border pull the knitting into graceful, undulating waves and provide textural interest. Dramatic scallops adorn the bottom edge.

I love to combine garter stitch with lace when designing. Although a solid or tonal yarn works well for both colors, the garter sections (Color A, shown in dark gray) could also be worked in a yarn with more tonal variation, even one with subtle variegation. However, I recommend choosing a solid or tonal yarn for the lace sections (Color B, shown in marigold) so that the yarn accentuates—rather than competes with—the lacework. The pattern includes detailed information about how to work the edges when switching the yarn colors, including recommendations about how and when to carry the yarn in between color changes in order to maintain neat edges. Please note that each color uses about half of the total yardage.

Fallston is offered in one generous size. While dimensions and yardage are provided for fingering weight, Fallston can be worked in any weight you choose. For a larger shawl, you may work the pattern in a heavier weight yarn with larger needles.

The Fallston pattern includes both charts and full written out instructions for those of you who prefer not to use charts.

Size and Yardage: My sample shawl pictured used 670 yards (613 m), 335 yards (306 m) exactly of each color, of Knitting Notions Classic Merino Superwash Sock. It measures 72 x 20” (183 x 51 cm)relaxed after blocking. Test knitted shawls used between 630-670 yards (576-613 m) on a US Size 5 / 3.75 mm circular needles. The pattern was not tested in heavier weights, so if you choose to make a larger shawl, be sure to have sufficient quantities of yarn in each color on hand just in case! Also, whichever size you choose to knit, keep in mind that each color will always take about half of the total yardage.

Construction: Fallston starts at the center back of the neck and is worked down to the bottom edge. There is a 2-stitch garter border worked at the beginning and end of each row. The crescent shape is made by using kfb (knit front and back) or pfb (purl front and back) increases adjacent to the garter borders.