The Community Garden Shawl was inspired by the community garden in my Manhattan neighborhood … with leaf and vinelike cable knitting in the center panel and eyelet on the side panels of this two-spines shawl, it is this urbanite’s ode to nature. - This shawl does not include any supertricky stitches, but the combination of cable knitting and eyelet in the main part of the shawl, followed by a border that includes slipped stitches and passing stitches over, means it is not a mindless knitting project (but I was able to watch TV while knitting mine and the test knitters seemed to enjoy it!).

Construction: This shawl uses a garter tab cast-on and is then worked down and out from the top center, with two spines of stitches that run down and divide the shawl into three panels. - The main eyelet stitches of the two side panels are created with yarn overs, and the center panel has a cable-knitting repeat that branches out on the fourth one. Two skeins of four-ply/fingering-weight yarn are used, and almost every bit of yarn got used when I knit this (but I did have enough for a swatch!). A ruffled edging finishes off the border.

Finished Size: One size of approximately 35 inches (89 cm) side panel length / 34 inches (86 cm) bottom center panel width / 21 inches (53 cm) depth of center panel, but depending on the yarn you use and its stretchiness, as well as how aggressively you block it (I spray-misted mine when blocking), it may be slightly smaller or larger.

Yarn Requirements (samples shown use the following):

• (gold version) Old Maiden Aunt (alpaca/silk/cashmere) in “Afraid of the Woods.” (Use this yarn for a squishy-soft, slightly fuzzy-cozy shawl.)

• (green version) Mothy and the Squid (merino/Donegal nap) in “Autumn Is Coming.” (This green variegated yarn doesn’t show the cables as well as a solid color, but it’s still a gorgeous yarn to use, and I’ve worn mine to bits!)

• (purple version) Molly Girl’s Bass Line (merino/nylon) in “Electric Love.” (The photos here do not do justice to the rich purple color and its bits of tiny color pops of green and wine.)

Needles: US size 5 / 3.75 mm (20” / 50 cm and 32” / 80 cm long) circular needles.

Gauge: Gauge is not crucial to this pattern, but it will affect yarn usage and how aggressively you may want to block your shawl, so I recommend knitting a gauge swatch: 22 sts / 30 rows = 4” (10 cm) square in stockinette.

This shawl has been test knitted.