I enjoy playing with subtly shifting the balance of the expected. Taking a visually familiar design element and placing it in a way that it is not quite what one might expect but somehow still comforting. What would be a very simple mesh lace trim shows up in an unexpected place, changing the dynamic of the piece.

The wide swath of texture that would normally reside above the “trim” now serves as a frame above and below, providing an expanse to showcase beautiful yarn. It isn’t quite garter, there’s one return row that has a wee bit of variation to keep things interesting. But in all the simple elements of this shawl conspire to be more than the sum of its parts.

I chose one stunning skein of malabrigo Mechita in the color Lava to see what size a one skein, fingering weight, shawl would yield, but you could definitely use more yardage and yield a larger shawl. You could also substitute in another weight, just make sure to use a needle size that gives you nice drape in your fabric. Knit until you almost run out of yarn and then bind off.

No Charts. Requires two stitch markers.

Stitches used; k, p, kfb, k2tog, ssk, slip-wyif, YO

If you’d like to hear more about this pattern and see it in motion check out the Pattern Tour video on my YouTube channel Watch Barbara Knit.