The Belclare Shawl is named for a strong woman whose memory is tied to the small village of Belclare, in County Galway, Ireland.

Maeve, the legendary Queen of Connacht from Irish folklore, is reputed to be buried in the Cairn on the summit of the Castle Hackett hill just west of Belclare, surrounded by panoramic views.

In poetry, Maeve is described as a ‘fair haired wolf queen, whose form was so beautiful that it robbed men of two-thirds of their valor upon seeing her’.

This striking imagery stuck in my mind as I designed this shawl. And it is my hope that as you knit and wear this all over lace shawl, you feel some of the power and beauty that Maeve carried with her.

This two-skein, crescent-shaped shawl—with both written and charted directions—is easy enough for an adventurous beginner knitter but interesting enough for an advanced one. Filled with stockinette, lace, garter and a pretty picot bind off it has a great rhythm that will have you saying just one more row.

Needle:
US 6 (4.0 mm), 40” (100 cm) circular needle or needles needed to get gauge

Suggested Yarn: Camellia Fiber Co., CFC Organic Merino, Fingering, 2 skeins, 100% Organic Merino Wool; 438 yds (400 m)/ 100 g or any fingering weight yarn of your choosing

Sample uses: Camellia Fiber Co., Lichen, approx. 825 yards (755 m)

Gauge: 21 stitches/29 rows = 4” (10 cm) square in Lace Section using US 6 (4.0 mm) needles or whatever size needle gives you the fabric you would like.

Other Notions: 2 stitch markers for edges, 32 stitch markers for lace (optional but suggested for ease), darning needle

Special Techniques:
Knit, purl, increasing (yo, kyok), decreasing (k2tog, ssk), working from charts (written directions available), cast on & bind off

Final Measurements:
80“ x 21” (200 x 53 cm)