This is the 9th square in the Threads of Colour - a Year in Blanket Squares.

Old Shale is a classic Shetland Lace pattern that never gets old. It is easy to adust the wave, make it wider or narrower. I have seen it done in a few different ways. Here I shortened the wave and made it narrower to make it fit the stitch count I needed.

This arching wave style pattern seems like the perfect kind of shape for a hot Summer month like July. Summer in the northern hemisphere, apologies to those in the grip of a southern Winter

Waves is the ninth square in the Threads of Colour: A Year in Blanket Squares knit-along, a worsted weight blanket square worked flat in a classic Old Shale lace pattern, adapted to fit the series stitch count.

Old Shale, also known as feather and fan, is one of the enduring stitch patterns of the Shetland lace tradition. Here the wave is tightened and narrowed to suit the square’s stitch count, giving the arching ripple a crisp, rhythmic presence on a fabric that works up quickly at worsted weight. The regular four-row repeat makes it a comfortable introduction to lace for knitters who are not yet deep in the yarn-overs.

Construction and technique

• Worked flat in one piece
• Old Shale lace (feather and fan): classic four-row repeat combining yarn overs and decreases to build an arching wave
• Wave width is adjustable: pattern notes explain how to make the wave wider or narrower
• Techniques required: yarn over (yo), k2tog, ssk, knitting flat
• Easy level: the regular lace repeat is forgiving and rhythmic once established

Materials

• Yarn weight: Worsted (sample uses Cascade 220)
• Yardage: 85-95 yards (78-87 m)
• Needles: US 7 / 4.5 mm
• Gauge: 20 sts = 4” in stockinette

Sizing

• One size
• Square format, stitch count designed to match the Threads of Colour blanket series

What’s included

• Written row-by-row instructions
• Chart for the Old Shale lace repeat
• Notes on adjusting the wave width
• Instant PDF download

Whether you are knitting the full year of squares or simply looking for an approachable lace square with a satisfying rhythm, Waves brings a little summer light to the needles. A worsted weight gauge means the wave takes shape quickly, and the stitch pattern is easy to memorise after the first repeat.