Foggy Dew is an asymmetrical triangular shawl that features a beautiful, textured panel of fern lace and rope cables flanked by cute clover eyelets. The overall design of the shawl is formed by combinations of simple stitches such as knits, purls, yarn overs, decreases and small cables, but the variety of these stitches as you work across the rows will be sure to keep your interest. The DK-weight yarn used to make this lace shawl really pops out the texture of the various design elements, providing visual interest however the shawl is draped.

The pattern includes lots of excellent tips to help you achieve a beautifully knitted and blocked Foggy Dew. For example, if you’ve ever noticed that your stitches differ in size when transitioning between knit and purl stitches when working cable or knit/purl stitch patterns, I’ve included some fantastic solutions that will improve your knitting tension dramatically. Video links are included that show why this happens and how to fix it. There are tips about how to achieve neat and tidy slipped stitch edges, as well as how to work small cables without using a cable needle.

While dimensions and yardage are provided for DK weight, Foggy Dew could effectively be worked in worsted, sport or even fingering weight as well. A solid or tonal yarn is highly recommended to showcase the intricacy of the panel design.

The Foggy Dew pattern includes both charts and full written out instructions for those of you who prefer not to use charts.

CONSTRUCTION: Foggy Dew starts at the narrow end of the lace panel with four stitches cast on. On the panel edge, there is a 3-stitch border composed of a slipped stitch followed by two garter stitches. The same border is also used along the wingspan edge, which has a make-one-right increase on each right-side row and is the longest side of the triangle. The panel edge is the second-longest side of the triangle; the bind-off edge is the shortest side.

SIZE AND YARDAGE: The shawl is offered in one size but is easily customizable to any size you desire by working additional/fewer repeats of the 20-row main chart; full instructions about how to do that are provided, including yardage estimates. The pattern size of 57 x 25” (145 x 64 cm) sample shawl was knitted with 475 yards (434 m) of Hazel Knits Lively DK in the Cornflower colorway. The yardage range at the top of this page is determined by averaging test knitter yardage data. For those who have a limited amount of yarn, be sure to check your gauge first on a blocked and relaxed stockinette swatch and adjust your needle size accordingly.

I named the shawl after the haunting Irish song “The Foggy Dew.” It’s been recorded many times in both vocal and instrumental versions. I find myself most drawn to those played on stringed and wind instruments at a slower tempo. Here are some video links to three of my favorite instrumental versions: Guitar Ensemble Harp