The Carna Shawl is inspired by and named after the small Irish town of Carna that borders my Mom’s hometown of Gowla. What used to be a fishing village has now become a place for tourists to visit. An occasional vessel can still be spotted, bobbing on the water, with an angler or two trying to catch their dinner. Children can be seen running along the shore, laughing and skipping rocks as families are making lasting memories. The landscape itself is dotted with pretty little cottages topped with thatched roofs. Bright colored potted flowers welcome guests in the warmer months while smoke can be seen swirling above from stone chimneys on chillier days of the year.

This asymmetrical triangular shawl is filled with relaxing stockinette and rows of eyelet reminiscent of cottage filled lanes, finished with a wide moss stitch border inspired by the lovely thatched roofs that protect the inhabitants beneath from all of nature’s elements. Although this pattern was written to be knit with Aran weight yarn, most worsted and bulky weight yarns can easily be substituted. It is a timeless design, easy enough for a confident beginner but with enough interest to keep a more advanced knitter engaged. I’ve designed this shawl to be very wearable, with a shape that is as simple to style as it is to knit. However you wear it and wherever you may be, I hope it keeps you warm and toasty.

Needle:
US 10 (6.0 mm), 40” (100 cm) circular needle or needles needed to get gauge

Suggested Yarn: Langyarns, Wool Addict AirAran weight,
5 balls84% extrafine Merino wool/16% Nylon; 
137 yards (125 m)/50 grams
or any Aran weight yarn of your choosing

Note: This shawl can easily be knit in Worsted weight or Bulky weight yarn, but it will need less yardage for the bulky—approx. 500 yards (460 m)—and more for the worsted—approx. 800 yards (730 m).

Sample uses color number 20709, approx. 660 yards (604 m)

Gauge: 14 sts/24 rows = 4” (10 cm) square in stockinette using US 10 (6.0 mm) needles or whatever size needle gives you the fabric you would like.

Note: Gauge is not overly important in this shawl; it’s more important to get the fabric you like. I went for a drapey fabric.
Other Notions: Darning needle, removable stitch marker

Special Techniques:
• Knit & purl, cast on & bind off
• Increasing, decreasing (k2tog, m1l, m1r, yo)

Final Measurements:
69“ x 22” (175 x 56 cm)