Holy Sheep is out now as part of Preparation, the Gathering Season chapter Farmer’s Daughter Fibers is releasing at Sacred Sheep. You’ll need one skein of Pishkun and two of Dream State.

During launch week, November 6 through 12, 15% of all sales of this pattern go to Sisters United.

Through November 12, get Holy Sheep, Lucky Penny, and the Sunday Times Hat for $23. Already own Lucky Penny? Use code SACREDSHEEP for 35% off Holy Sheep and the Sunday Times Hat.

Preparation
This shawl was designed for that dark, atmospheric time between the glowing October days and the bright white days in January. Late fall is a time of final preparation for the cold, often threatening weather ahead. Holy Sheep is a shoulder season garment in every way. It’s meant to be worked simply in your favorite colors then layered over your shoulders and tucked into your coat.

This shawl is built from mitered squares, one at a time and joined as you go. It’s portable, and each square is a small commitment with a fast finish. Then you knit two striped garter wings and edge the whole shawl in applied I-cord.

I used Pishkun as the main color to ground the construction. It’s a bouncy, non-superwash Rambouillet, raised in Montana and Wyoming. The yarn is warm, without the bulk, so it layers easily under your coat. And its quiet, matte color gives the contrast squares, worked in Dream State, room to glow.

From the testers
“A great pattern for a unique and beautiful shawl. Beginner-friendly and easy to follow.”

“This was a fun, quick knit! Lots of new techniques learned but the instructions/videos were helpful. A fabulous looking shawl!”

Size
One size: 52” / 132 cm wingspan and 16” / 40.5 cm deep at the center, after blocking.

Yarn
MC: Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Pishkun (DK, 100% Rambouillet wool; 255 yds / 233 m per 100 g), 1 skein. Sample colorway: Juniper.
CC: Spincycle Yarns Dream State 2.0 (worsted, 100% superwash wool; 150 yds / 137 m per 100 g), 2 skeins. Sample colorway: Ghost Ranch.

The shawl and a gauge swatch used nearly the whole skein of MC. If you knit loosely or want peace of mind, buy a second skein.

To substitute, you’ll need about 255 yds / 233 m of MC and 225 yds / 206 m of CC. That MC amount is exactly what the sample used. If you knit loosely or want peace of mind, buy extra MC.

Gauge
18 sts and 36 rows = 4” / 10 cm in garter stitch with MC, after blocking.

Needles
US 8 / 5 mm 24” / 61 cm circular needle for the shawl
US 9 / 5.5 mm double-pointed needles for the I-cord

Notions
Stitch marker, locking stitch marker (optional), tapestry needle, blocking pins or wires.

Skills
Long-tail and backwards loop cast-ons, k2tog, ssk, picking up stitches along a garter edge, carrying yarn up the edge, applied I-cord, and grafting. Every technique links to a tutorial.

What’s included
Written instructions, a guide to mitered squares, a map of the square order, a blocking schematic, and technique tutorial links.

Tech edited by Bronwyn Hahn and test knit by 10 knitters.

Questions? Email me at brienne.moody@gmail.com.