Self Draping Shawl

I added some length and a ruffle to the one pictured above.  It looks much nicer than it did before in the picture below.

After I get the cast on and increases finished I will be adding the Feza Premier Alp. I am using Caron Simply Soft Paints for the first part of this shawl.  I am using size 9 needles now, the picture was with size 7 and it is just too tight a knit. 

I did start with the Feza and it just didn’t look right at the beginning. I had the Caron in my stash.

I’m working up a pattern that I plan to publish. I have made several of these, but this is the only one I currently have a picture of.

Since I’m ambidextrous, I need to make changes where one handed and ambidextrous knitting differ.

sl (ambidextrous) = put yarn behind needles, sl as if to knit, bring yarn back in front of needles

sl (one handed) = put yarn in front of needles, sl as if to purl, bring yarn back in back of needles

k = knit
p = purl
pm = place marker
m 1 = however you want, if I want a mitered look I will use kfb (knit front and back). If I want it invisible I will do a make one by using my needle to grab the post from the previous row and knitting that instead of grabbing the line between the stitches. Greengirl has an excellent video on how to do this stitch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zdl76RbncM&feature=yo...

SET UP (This is a garter tab with a 5 stitch border. For a video on how to do these see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p300ODqDWjA )
cast on 5 stitches (provisional).

Left and Right Handed instructions

Knit one row, Purl one row- 8 to 10 

Knit 8 to 10 rows. one handed (garter st.)
row 1 Knit 5, pick up 4 st. on side and 5 on other end.
row 2 . - P4, sl 1, pm, p1, pm, p1, pm, p1, pm, p1, pm, sl 1, p4

(you should have a marker on each side of the 4 stitches you picked up on the side) you should have 14 st. on the needles

PATTERN

R 1 Knit
R 2 p4, sl 1, k to last 5 st, sl 1, p 4
R 3 (Increase Row)
R 4 p 4, sl 1, p to last 5 st, sl 1, p 4

For this shawl it will be a 4 row repeat with the increases on R 3.

Increase 1 each section 1 st, 4 per row (repeat this increase row 2x in the 4 row pattern) after inc 1 = 18 st on needles (k1, m1), 2 = 22 (k1, m1, k1), 3 = 26 (k1, m1, k2) there will be 4 sts in each of 4 sections.

Increase 2 each section 2 st. 1 after first st, and 1 before last st. of each section until 20 st. in each section. you will have 80 st. after last increase (4 sections)

next row make sure there is a marker every 10 st.

now you have 8 sections

Increase 3: each section 2 st. 1 after first st, and 1 before last st. of each section until 20 st. in each section. you will have 160 st. after last increase

next row make sure there is a marker every 10 st.

now you have 16 sections

Increase 4: each section 2 st. 1 after first st, and 1 before last st. of each section until 20 st. in each section. you will have 320 st. after last increase

One Handed (Either Right or Left handed knitting.

Knit 8 to 10 rows. one handed (garter st.)
row 1 Knit 5, pick up 4 st. on side and 5 on other end.
row 2 - k4, sl 1, pm, k1, pm, k1, pm, k1, pm, k1, pm, sl1, k4 

(you should have a marker on each side of the 4 stitches you picked up on the side) you should have 14 st. on the needles

PATTERN

R 1 Knit
R 2 k4, s 1, p to last 5 st, sl 1, k 4 one handed
R 3 (Increase Row)
R 4 k 4, sl 1, k to last 4 st, sl 1, p 4 one handed

For this shawl it will be a 4 row repeat with the increases on R 3.

Increase 1 each section 1 st, 4 per row (repeat this increase row 2x in the 4 row pattern) after inc 1 = 18 st on needles (k1, m1), 2 = 22 (k1, m1, k1), 3 = 26 (k1, m1, k2) there will be 4 sts in each of 4 sections.

Increase 2 each section 2 st. 1 after first st, and 1 before last st. of each section until 20 st. in each section. you will have 80 st. after last increase (4 sections)

next row make sure there is a marker every 10 st.

now you have 8 sections

Increase 3: each section 2 st. 1 after first st, and 1 before last st. of each section until 20 st. in each section. you will have 160 st. after last increase

next row make sure there is a marker every 10 st.

now you have 16 sections

Increase 4: each section 2 st. 1 after first st, and 1 before last st. of each section until 20 st. in each section. you will have 320 st. after last increase

At this point you have enough sts. for a scarf. Unless you are using fingering weight or smaller yarn, you don’t need any other increases. Just keep adding rows until you have the length of shawl you want.

I have never stopped at this point.  This next one I am making will be a feather and fan pattern after I have finished the increases.  I will add the chart as soon as I know that it works.

@ Cathleen Bang Anderson 2012