Missed Kingfisher by Joanne Scrace

Missed Kingfisher

Crochet
September 2015
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
13 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches
in double crochet (US single crochet)
6.0 mm (J)
860 yards (786 m)
One Size
English

I am a very bad birdspotter and my bad luck with kingfishers is legendary in my family. The most I ever see is the flash of teal feathers as they dart away or dive into the water. A teal flash and the ripples moving through still water is what inspired this short row striped shawl.

Simple increasing combined with colour pockets that are shaped using short rows which are explained in the pattern making a stunning and very wearable large shawl with a shallow crescent shape. The simple pattern creates a gloriously squishy but warm fabric with perfect drape.

Size
Finished depth: 45cm/18in
Finished wingspan: 185cm/73in

Materials
1 100g hanks of Ripples Crafts Na Dannsairean 4ply (4ply weight, 85% wool, 15% Nylon Donegal Nep, 400m) in Charcoal (Col A)
1 100g hanks of Ripples Crafts Na Dannsairean 4ply (4ply weight, 85% wool, 15% Nylon Donegal Nep, 400m) in Winter Sea (Col B)
6 mm hook
1 removable stitch marker or safety pin

Tension
13 sts and 20 rows in double crochet with alternate rows in BLO to 10 cm/4 in using 6mm hook (or size needed to achieve tension)
Row gauge is the more important measure for this pattern.

Difficulty Rating - Easy

Skills Needed
Basic crochet stitches, working multiple stitches into a loop (fully explained in pattern), working into back loops, working in rows, increasing, working into previous rows, short rows (fully explained in pattern), careful counting!

Construction
Starting from a semi-circle at the top, worked in rows with simple increasing on both right and wrong side create a shallow crescent shape. Short row sections create pockets of colour.
While it seems like a very large hook for the yarn, it ensures the double crochet stitches drape well.

Pattern is written and charted using standard UK terms (US conversions given in abbreviations)