This shawl took its inspiration from the beautiful painted and variegated skeins that exist on the market today. To get the true effect of the design, select a variegated yarn and a complimentary solid or semi-solid. Remember to go for a variegated yarn as opposed to a self-striping yarn (though who knows, that could produce an interesting effect too).

The shawl is knit top down so start with the colour you want near your face. It is intended as an introduction to lace knitting by combining lace stitches and simple lace patterns with straight-forward garter and stocking stitch sections. For all of the lace knitting, the lace stitches are only worked on the right side of the shawl so that you just purl across the wrong side rows except for the garter ridge at the edges and in the centre (stitch markers will indicate where these places are) – a row to concentrate and a row to turn your brain off.

Materials
377 metres (413 yards) of main colour (MC) in a fingering weight
380 metres (416 yards) of contrast colour (CC) in a fingering weight
3.5mm (US 4) circular needles at least 80 cm (32 inches) long (to carry the quantity of stitches, pattern is knit flat)
4 stitch markers
Needle with a large enough eye for the yarn for finishing
Sample was knit using Malabrigo Mechita

Gauge
Malabrigo Mechita (gauge 23 sts x 40 rows on 3.5mm/US 4 needles = 10cm/4in square)
Finished measurements: wingspan of 137 cm (54 inches) and depth of 58 cm (23 inches)
For a shawl, gauge is not as important as it would be for other more fitted garments so don’t worry if you’re off by a few stitches or rows.