Darwin Shawl by verybusymonkey

Darwin Shawl

Knitting
February 2015
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
5.5 stitches and 7 rows = 1 inch
in stockinette
US 6 - 4.0 mm
390 - 400 yards (357 - 366 m)
Smaller (see schematic) with instructions for enlarging
English
This pattern is available for $7.50 USD buy it now

Once in a while there’s a project that’s just special, and this one is definitely one of those. When I sat down to chart this one out, all of the math worked out just so easily (that never happens). And when I sat down to try it out with a lovely yarn that wasn’t quite right, Wendee (Hazel Knits) sent me the one I knew would work right away. From the moment I had that yarn in my hands, I was a knitting fiend, and finished this beauty in about two and a half days (and there was plenty of horse-time in between knitting). And when I blocked it, it was just such a beauty.

This shawl was inspired by the last line in Charles Darwin’s most famous work, “On the Origin of Species”, which is “…from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved.” The stitch patterns radiating outward are larger versions of the previous “layer” and culminate in a beautiful, intricate lacy edging. The shawl is written for one skein of sock yarn, but includes instructions for upsizing to an, approximately, 700-yard version.

Here is a link to a tutorial on how to do a picot bind-off.

Darwin Shawl is the first of the shawls in my second “scientist” inspired shawl collection. The collection will include FIVE patterns when it is complete (one will be a “bonus” pattern, available only as part of the collection), the patterns will be released between February and June 2015. You may purchase each pattern individually or as part of the collection. You may purchase the collection at any time, and you will automatically receive updates as the additional patterns are added. All patterns in the collection include both charted and written instructions as well as guidance for adjusting the size of the shawls as needed. Schematics noting the dimensions can be found in the pattern photos for each pattern.

Please keep in mind that if you buy the patterns individually, you will not get discounts or credits given towards the eBook purchase price after purchasing individual patterns.

ERRATA
Row 22 of Chart 3C should read: yo, p across
Row 14 of Chart 4A should read: p across, yo