A shawl with plaititude! Three leafy panels radiate from the nape to create a semicircle or so, unified by a wide crescent border. The size may be adapted by working a greater depth of leaves in the shawl body, or by extending the edging; the shape may be altered by adding extra panels.

The plaited spines may be worked unadorned or with a central contrasting stitch in each strand. There are various possibilities for the edging, ranging from the complex double form shown in the first photograph to the simple points of the third.

Intended for yarns from cobweb-weight to heavy laceweight that are suitable for cabling. The four samples demonstrate possibilities with a single skein of yarn:

- pink to green gradient - body-length of four leaves - just over 95g = 760m/830yds of standard lace-weight
- turquoise to grey gradient - body-length of four leaves - approx. 94g = 562m/615yds of heavy lace-weight
- gold to aubergine gradient - body-length of three leaves - approx. 91g = 545m/596yds of heavy lace-weight
- dark green with contrasting plaits - body length of five leaves - approx. 80g = 960m/1050yds of heavy cobweb-weight

The sixth photograph is of the various options for the edging.

If you prefer to knit with fingering-weight yarn, the design will work but you will need to allow extra yarn. Fingering yarns vary so much in the knitting that an exact calculation of lengths is not really feasible, but if you start with a minimum of about 750m/820yds (more would be better) and work to a body-length of three leaves, you could then check your progress against the table of yarn usage given in the pattern.

Please note that the design is presented in charts only, with little written explanation. It should present no difficulties to knitters experienced in working lace and cables, and with the ability to read their stitches, but it is probably not suitable for beginners.

If you have any problems with the pattern, please pm me and I shall try to help.

Errata:

Yarnovers missing in chart 2B, rows 15 & 17. Update published 25 Sept 19

Chart 3 row 1: in section charting the main panels of the shawl body, the final two green stitches ( / 3 \ ) flank a group of stitches charted as (k2 yo k1 yo k2). The group should be (k2 yo s2kp yo k2), matching the equivalent stitches earlier in the row.

Text of pages 5 & 6 refers to ‘charts 2A/B and C.’ This should read ‘charts 2A/B and 3.’

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