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Across the miles is an ode to friendship!
The pattern is a tribute to the support and friendship that we as crafters, are privileged to give and receive from people all over the globe, both in our own countries and in distant lands.

This delicate lace crescent shawl is worked top down, beginning with a garter tab and a stockinette section, followed by lace patterning. Shaping and patterning occur only on right side rows, so it’s a relaxing knit. Seed beads are added in the border, but they are optional!

The pattern is both written and charted and has been tech edited.

It is dedicated with affection to my dear friend Deb Breland Goldberryknits. Deb and I have been “virtual” friends ever since our designs were out together in the same issue of Knotions quite some years ago.

At the end of 2021, my husband was diagnosed with a serious medical condition and had to undergo a major surgery in January 2022; it was a time of much anxiety and worry for our family. On our return from hospital, I was touched to find a package from Deb which had travelled halfway across the world. It contained a simple, heartfelt note and a skein of silk laceweight yarn - the yarn I used to knit this shawl.

So, I put heart motifs into the shawl to symbolise true friendship - I stylized them so that they aren’t too obvious! Above the hearts, I added cluster stitches that look like small knots – these represent the difficulties and obstacles that we all face in life from time to time. Small flowers nestle between these motifs. For the border that ends it all, I used a simple, flowing lace; it represents the beauty of genuine friendship which perseveres through everything. Knitting it feels as natural as slipping into an old, favourite chair - it’s the same comfortable feeling you get when you meet an old friend.
Hope you get to feel the sentiment if you knit this shawl!

Skill level: Intermediate.

Yarn: Knit Picks Luminance; 100% silk; 439yds/401.4m/50g; in color Reflection: one skein.
Skein weighed 51.6g, of which 49.4g (434yds/396m) was used.
You may use fingering/light fingering yarn weight with a suitable needle size; shawl size and yardage will vary. Please see testers’ project pages for shawls knitted in fingering and light fingering weight yarn.

Needles & notions: 2.75mm (US 2) and 3mm circular needles (32” or longer); locking and ring-type stitch markers, tapestry needle, 0.7mm crochet hook (or needle and floss) for placing beads, 561 seed beads, 8/0 size (optional).

Gauge: 22 sts/34 rows = 4” in stockinette with smaller needles after blocking. Adjust needle size to obtain gauge; gauge is not critical but will affect yardage and finished size.

Finished size: 66” (168 cm) along top edge, 15” (38 cm) height at center, 130” (330 cm) along bottom edge, after blocking

Link to test thread & progress photos

Many thanks to my wonderful testers: mibyrd nervie1900 AmelijaLV Thiedchen kesalm frkstrik SpinaSheep

Tester quotes

• This is a lovely design to knit. It is beautifully written and easy to follow. I will be keeping this in my knitting repertoire.

• Your design works up so easily. I do not remember finishing a shawl so quickly before.

• I have to agree, this pattern does work up surprisingly quickly.

• I’m enjoying this pattern immensely!

• The pattern is lovely, the yarn is beautiful, the beads for the laceweight shawl give some needed weight.