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.