Landform Observations by Mary-Anne Mace

Landform Observations

Knitting
July 2019
Light Fingering ?
US 6 - 4.0 mm
1006 - 1107 yards (920 - 1012 m)
One
English
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The shawl
This shawl begins at one tip with 3 stitches and expands along one edge to create a triangle. Increases are made on RS rows only at the top neck edge.
A half linen stitch pattern is used for the majority of the shawl, which creates a beautiful woven look to the fabric, while a cabled panel bounded by a trellis of lace stitches is worked at one edge. The cables meander organically across the fabric within the panel, flip over each other, discontinue, and re-emerge.

Modifications
The cables are merely twisted panels of stockinette fabric and a Japanese stitch pattern, and this cable panel can be easily modified so the knitter can put his or her own creative touch on the shawl. I have included a semi-blank chart so that if you wish to make up your own cables twists you may do so. However, I think that once you get the hang of what I have done with the cables it would not be too difficult to make the cable panel up as you go along. You may even prefer to ignore the central part of the chart altogether and simply look at your knitting and decide for yourself where the cables would like to move to, as you work.

Because of the construction of the shawl it is easy to make the shawl smaller or larger to suit the quantity of yarn you have, and instructions are included regarding how to do this.

Charts
You must be able to read charts to complete this shawl. The majority of this shawl is worked from charts only. Everything you need to work the charts is included on the chart pages. If you become confident working cables, once you have developed the initial cable panel you may choose to ignore the charts completely and move the cables around within the panel in a way that pleases you.

The yarn
I used a discontinued yarn from my stash (Boho Chic Fiber Co, Chic, 80% wool, 10% cashmere.) This yarn is the equivalent of 400 metres (437 yards) per 100 grams. To substitute yarn choose a light fingering to fingering weight yarn, or sock yarn that gives good cable definition. Try to avoid yarns that pool, as the pooling will change dramatically as the shawl gets wider.
You will require between 920-1012 metres of yarn depending on the yarn weight you select and gauge.

Gauge
Choose a needle size to give you a fabric density that appeals to you. The gauge of the half linen stitch and the cable panel differs (the linen stitch is more compressed vertically). On the illustrated shawl I achieved 7 3/4 knot stitches per 10 cm of vertical fabric after blocking.