This pattern is named Hedwig after Harry Potters snowy owl.

The Hedwig pattern was created as a result of my mothers request to knit her a shawl with shoulder shaping in a light colour. I immediately knew I already owned the perfect yarn, Stahlsche Wolle Dakota, fairly bulky but lightweight and warm, very warm. It is almost white with tiny black fibres worked into the core of the yarn. Perfect!

Since I coudn’t find a pattern for a Faroe type shawl that I liked and that fit that particular yarn, I set out to design my own pattern. It had to have lace edging and lace over the shoulders, with the shaping incorporated into the lace pattern. And after some days of fiddling with charts and knitting swatches, Hedwig emerged.

The yarn I used for moms ‘sample Hedwig’ is unfortunately discontinued, but maybe there are some lucky stash busters out there that still have the required 10 balls of it. If not, don’t fret: any bulky, lofty yarn knit up at 13 stitches and 18 rows to 10 cm will make a ladies size M shawl. A slighty looser gauge will increase the size. Please note: due to the shoulder shaping sizing is not completely indifferent as it is for a flat shawl!

In spite of the elaborate result this is not a complicated knit. Basic knowledge of lace (yarn over, knit 2 together, slip 2 and knit) will suffice. The pattern is both charted and written out in lines. The whole shawl only takes a rather modest 120 rows of knitting.