Garden Gate Shawl

IMG_9244The Garden Gate Shawl is a circular shawl, knit from the center out, utilizing Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Pi Shawl formula, with garden motifs; vines, lattice, and beaded flowers. The shawl is then edged with more beaded flowers and beaded leaves. The beads are placed with a crochet hook for the body of the shawl and then for the edging the beads are both pre-strung and placed with a crochet hook.

The finishing touch for the shawl is an applied beaded crochet edging. This edging is crocheted on after the shawl is blocked and utilises only slip stitches, chain stitch and single crochet stitches. The beads are pre-strung for this edging.

Shawl could be made in either lace weight or light fingering weight yarn

Approx 4600 size 8/0 beads were used ( could be different if a different size bead is chosen for the applied crochet bead edging)IMG_8946

Dimensions:

Lace weight version – 57 inches, relaxed after light blocking.

Fingering weight version – 72 inches, relaxed after blocking.

Materials:

Lace Weight – 3.0mm crochet hook for the center start of the shawl; 3.5mm dpn’s, 16, 24 and 32 in circs, 2.75mm crochet hook for beaded crochet edging; 1600m lace weight yarn:  Sample was knit with Malabrigo Baby Lace; 4800 size 8/0 beads; 0.6mm crochet hook for bead placement; dental floss threader or bead spinner; markers and the usual notions.

Light Fingering – 3.5mm crochet hook for the centre start of the shawl; 4.0mm dpn’s, 16, 24, and 32 in circs, 3.0 or 3.25mm crochet hook for the beaded crochet edging; 1600m light fingering:  Sample was knit with undyed Einband and then painted; 3600 size 8/0 beads and 1200 size 6/0 beads (crochet beaded edge); 0.6mm crochet hook for bead placement; dental floss threader or bead spinner; markers and the usual notions.

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Love Is… Pi

IMG_8310 (683x1024)A Pi shawl is one of the easiest of the circular shawl shapes to knit. The increases are at specific points which make it easy to track the pattern as there are no increases to interrupt the flow.

A split Pi shawl is suddenly a cape, a swirl, movement that hugs your shoulders.  Love is… Pi is a split Pi with shaping added to the front opening.  This shawl can be wrapped around the neck or pinned to be double breasted; the lace edged inserts add interest to the movement and punctuation to the lace patterning itself.

The inspiration for the garment came from the Cavaliers’ of King Charles Era, many of whom wore cloaks trimmed with lace embellished with colourful inserts.

Materials:  800yds laceweight in main colour and 400yds in secondary colour – sample was knit with Sexy by the Buffalo Wool Co., 50% bison / 50% silk, 400yds/50grs, Love is a Battlefield as the main colour and Heartthrob as the secondary colour; 3.75mm US#5, 32 inch circs and dpn’s; 2.75mm US#2, 40 inch circs; 3.0mm crochet hook (for finishing): 0.6mm crochet hook (for beading); 40gr size 8/0 beads – sample used Matsuno Dynamites, Iris Gold – 4915SB; markers and the regular notions.

Gauge:  24 sts to 4 inches, measured over snowflake eyelet – unblocked.

16 sts to 4 inches, measured over snowflake eyelet – blocked.

Finished Dimensions: relaxed, after blocking – 24 inches from neck to hem; approx 54 inches around shoulder line (contrast colour accent); approx 144 inches around the hem.