Annapurna I is one of the 8,000-meter (26,200 ft) peaks of the Himalayas. In 1978, the American Women’s Himalayan Expedition became the first United States team to climb Annapurna I. The first summit team successfully reached the top at 3:30 p.m. on October 15, 1978. The second summit team followed shortly after, and two women in that team lost their lives. To this day, it is one of the most dangerous mountains to climb. There is a wonderful book called Annapura: A Woman’s Place, by Arlene Blum. I read it 20 years ago and it left quite an impression on me. I would recommend it to everyone.

Annapurna, or Goddess of the Harvest, is one of a series of shawls I designed, based on mountains. She was the first in the series, and another seven are included in my upcoming book, New Heights in Lace Knitting (Interweave 2016.) If you enjoy this project please check out the book, which is scheduled to hit book stores in June, 2016!

This pattern was originally published as a printed pattern in 2014 by Jade Sapphire yarn company. The 2016 download includes the original pattern plus two alternate versions of the chart. The alternate charts take up more space but are larger. The knitter should look through the additional charts (beyond pattern page 4) and decide which they prefer to work from, and then just print those.

January 2016: We will be starting a little KAL in my Yahoo group and my Ravelry forum. Please feel free to join us on either platform.

Annapurna KAL idea
Cast-on:
For this project I like to use the provisional cast-on from EZ’s Knitter’s Almanac:
http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Zimmermanns-Knitters-Almanac-Knitting/dp/0486241785

I use a length of about 12 inches of #10 crochet cotton, doubled. I tie a loose overhand knit about 9 inches from the end of my yarn and 3 inches from the end of the doubled cotton waste yarn. I then work the cast-on and immediately begin by turning my work and knitting 3 stitches (as the pattern directs.) I do not put it down until at least that first row is work, and usually not until I work the required number of rows knit. Then we turn and pick-up and purl along one long edge of the garter strip we knit. I like to pick-up in the “bar” along the edge, using one strand of yarn for this project. You might think that we should knit 10 rows (for 5 ridges of garter) if we want to pick-up 5 stitches. But it actually works better if we work one extra row (11 rows.) The pick-up will be cleaner and the end to weave in will be on the “inside” edge and easier to hide without a trace! After we pick-up and purl 5 stitches along the edge we then pick-up and knit the 3 stitches from your provisional cast-on. At this point you can either leave the cotton waste yarn in until the end, or remove it. I tend to leave it alone, and will remove it before I weave in ends.

After the cast-on we double the 5 stitches we picked up, so we have a 3 stitch edge, 10 stitches to work the charts, and a 3 stitch edge. Now if the plan is to work the chart 10 times (as the pattern directs) you are good to go! But if you decide to do either fewer OR more pattern repeats (see modification ideas below) you need to change-up your cast-on right at the start. I suggest modifying the pattern repeats in 2 block increments. So if you want fewer, do 8. And if you want more, do 12.

For 8 chart repeats: work 9 rows in knit, over 3 stitches, before turning and picking up 4 stitches along the long edge. Then when you make 2 stitches by knitting and purling into 1 stitch, just do that 4 times. You will now have 8 stitches (not 10) and be set to work 8 chart repeats.

For 12 chart repeats: work 13 rows in knit, over 3 stitches, before turning and picking up 6 stitches along the long edge. Then when you make 2 stitches by knitting and purling into 1 stitch, do that 6 times. You will now have 12 stitches (not 10) and be set to work 12 chart repeats. 12 chart repeats is a full circle, so will really wrap around you. 8 chart repeats is just a little more than a half-circle. All options will work well.

Pattern Modification Ideas:
Are you in a rush? Need to make 5 of these for a wedding next month? Or are you traveling and fear you will not have much focus? Here are some ideas:
1) Omit the twisted stitches. They do add a nice touch to the pattern but they take time, especially on the return row, because you have to pay attention.
2) Change the edge to a simple 3 stitches in garter, and omit the tiny beaded leaves. It is easier if you do not have to keep track of those leaves and beads! Will you miss them? Yes. Will someone who doesn’t know about them miss them? No.
3) Omit all the beads. Even if you have all your beads on a beading wire, they still take time to place. Would I skip them? No way, unless I had to knit 5 by the end of the month…

Do you have the perfect yarn, but worry you will run short? Or do you have more yarn in some wonderful gradient and you want to use more of it?? Here you go! (and see cast-on notes above.)
1) If you do not have quite enough yarn work 8 chart repeats instead of 10. This will use a bit more than 8/10 (or 4/5) of your yarn (assuming gauge and all that.) 8/10=X/700=560 yards.
2) If you have more yarn and you want to use as much as possible, work 12 chart repeats instead of 10. This will use a bit more than 12/10 (or 6/5) of your yarn (assuming gauge and all that.) 12/10=X/700=840 yards. Both options use a bit more because this doesn’t take the edge into account. I do not feel like doing the math for that, but be warned.

Do you want to go for a full circle in the round? Feel free. Work the chart 12 times per round and exclude the edge stitches totally. You will need to cast-on in the round with 6 stitches and then double them to 12 (same way we did in the directions.) You will also need to modify the return (uncharted) row directions in the key, because you will be working in the round so all rounds are right side! On the rows with decreases that include the twisted stitches, you will work them all as double decreases and begin those rounds one stitch early (to borrow a stitch for the double decrease!) If this all makes perfect sense to you then you have the skill set to go for it. If this leaves you scratching your head please work the pattern as written
Meow,
Andrea