Goldenrod Shawl

Goldenrod is a crescent-shaped shawl knitted in pure wool which had been dyed by me using Goldenrod flower dye.

 

The wool is Bakewell, a 100% pure Blue Faced Leicester available undyed from www.worldofwool.co.uk . I used 100g of the 4ply (fingering) weight.

 

I am a novice plant dyer, but thanks to a starter kit from DTCrafts, I managed to produce this beautiful, fresh yellow.

 

The finished shawl has a wingspan of 144cm (57 inches) and a depth of 33cm (13 inches).

 

I used a 100cm long 3.5mm (US 4) circular needle to hold all the stitches.

 

The gauge is 20 stitches x 40 rows for a 10cm (4 inch) square.

 

Detailed instructions for the shawl are given below.

 

The only abbreviation is kfb. This means knit into the front and back of the same stitch.

 

The first stitch of every row is slipped with the yarn at the back of the work.

 

This pattern is of course for personal use only, but spreading the word about knitting with local wool and dyeing yarn at home without coal tar based chemical dyes is something that should be shared with anyone who will listen!

 
 
 

1. Garter Stitch tab and set up row

Cast on 3 stitches.

Knit 8 rows.

Turn your work by 90 degrees and pick up and knit 3 stitches along the side.

Turn your work another 90 degrees and pick up and knit 3 stitches from the cast on edge.

You now have 9 stitches.

 

Set up row:

Slip 1, knit 1, kfb, knit 1, kfb, knit 1, kfb, knit 2.

You now have 12 stitches.

2. Main body of the Shawl

Row 1: Slip 1, kfb, kfb, knit to 3 stitches , kfb, kfb, knit 1. (4 stitches increased)

Row 2: Slip 1, knit 1, kfb, knit to last 3 stitches, kfb, knit 2. (2 stitches increased).

Repeat these 2 rows another 4 times.

 

Crown stitch row 1: Slip 1, kfb, kfb, knit to last 3 stitches wrapping the yarn twice around the needle for each stitch, kfb, kfb, knit 1.

 

Crown stitch row 2: Slip 1, knit 1, kfb, knit 2; *pass next 3 stitches onto the right hand needle dropping the extra loops, pass these 3 stitches back onto the left hand needle, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, through these three stitches together; repeat from * to last 5 stitches, knit 2, kfb, knit 2.

 

Repeat rows 1 and 2 three times and then the 2 Crown stitch rows.

 

These 8 rows form the repeating bands of the pattern.

 

Repeat these 8 rows another 8 times.

3 Bottom Border and Cast Off

Work rows 1 and 2 another 5 times and row 1 again.

 

Cast off knitwise.

4. Finishing

Soak your shawl and block to size, or leave it unblocked if you like the natural curl of the tips.