The firebird shawlette was originally designed to fit handspun yarn. Because of this, there is no specific, recommended yarn, only the size and yardage for the yarn used. The handspun yarn used for this shawl weighed 100g (~4 oz), was approximately sport weight, and came out to around 350 yards (320 meters). It would work well in a sock weight yarn as well. Because I am a combination knitter, I tend to use less yarn than most other knitters, so I recommend using 370 yards or more for the shawl.

The shawl is flexible in sizing. I blocked mine wider at the top for a more scarf-like shape, but it can also be blocked longer along the center spine for a more traditional shawl shape.

I consider this shawl a good introduction to lace knitting for a someone new to lace knitting. The shawl comes with additional challenges for the more experienced knitter. The first section of the shawl is all stockinette knitting with easy to read charts for the lace sections. There is optional beading and a crochet edge for those that want to add a little extra to their shawls.

Things that may help with the knitting:

• All wrong side rows after Row 4 are knit the same way. Knit 2, purl until the last two stitches, knit 2.
• To keep better track of the stockinette stitches, try placing stitch markers every 20 or 30 stitches. This will help when the stitch count gets higher towards the end of the stockinette section. It’s easier to count how many sets of 20 stitches there are as opposed to counting every individual stitch.
• To help with the lace sections, try placing a stitch marker between each lace repeat.
• If you are unsure about the crochet edge, chain some stitches first to model the appearance of the lace edge. If the chain is too loose or too tight, try changing the crochet hook size.