This pattern is for any weight yarn! A uniquely constructed shawl (or shawlette) designed to work in any gauge, and to be made any size you like; not just that, but the construction makes it somewhat easy to plug different stitch patterns (like cables or simple lace) into the piece, if you’re adventurous enough! Betiko is a Basque name meaning eternal, as you can knit this shawl forever, different every time.

The Betiko collection includes three other patterns using the same construction as this - a cable design, a colorwork design, and a lace design (all with simple variations). The 4 individual patterns are $7 each, the full collection is $18.

A couple fun things about this pattern: regardless of how big you make your shawl, you’ll never cast on or bind off more than a couple inches worth of stitches. There is also no seaming, no picking up stitches, and only as many ends to weave in as the 2 ends of each yarn you use.

Included are two versions of the pattern; the first is for the most basic, garter stitch edged Betiko, written as a normal pattern. The second is a customizable version, which explains how you’d go about plugging in your choices of stitch patterns, and also tells you how to make the wavy version, with a waving ribbed top section and a simple lace wavy outer edge.

Any version of the pattern can be made with stripes if you choose, and any version can be made in the standard three sizes pictured, or any other size, by simply working the sections until they are the size you want. Diagrams and notes explain how to work out the sizing and more, which is all included for ultimate customization, but don’t be afraid of the length of this pattern, as the actual piece is not hard to knit!

You need

• enough yarn in any weight, 1 color or multiple for striping; very approximate estimates for sizes small{medium, large}
• -- bulky: 250{325, 400} yards / 230{300, 370} meters
• -- worsted: 300{425, 550} yards / 275{390-500} meters
• -- sport: 400{550, 700} yards / 370{500, 640} meters
• -- fingering: 500{750, 1000} yards / 450{690-920} meters
• needles sized to match yarn - a long circular (60” is recommended, but 32” or longer will work)
• crochet hook for provisional cast-on
• 12 stitch markers (10 the same color/type, 2 different from those and each other)

The samples

• Purple solid, size small: Garter stitch edged version, Malabrigo Twist aran (Velvet Grapes), approx 240 yards / 220 meters.
• Orange/teal/grey stripes, size medium: Wavy version with random striping, Austermann Natura bulky, approx 320 yards / 290 meters total.
• Brown with stripes, size large: Wavy version, Imperial Yarn Columbia worsted (Osprey with Rich Soil outer edge), approx 420 yards / 385 meters, and Noro Kureyon worsted, approx 100 yards / 90 meters.

The pattern has instructions for techniques used, including photo tutorials for provisional cast-on and short rows, multiple diagrams to show construction and help with customizable pattern planning, detailed notes for custom sizing, striping, and other options. If you stick with the garter stitch edge pattern version with no striping, it’s actually a pretty simple pattern, as long as you’re comfortable with short rows.

First released as a mystery knit-a-long in November-December 2010, the wavy version was the mystery version of the pattern. The whole pattern was heavily revised and reformatted in April 2013.