The Forgiveness Shawl is designed to evoke the process of letting go. Worked from the top center out, the shawl moves through rows of repetitive, “stuck” stockinette before, after a little contrast row, it at last melts gradually into light and lovely lace—just the way our lives do when we let forgiveness in.

The generous crescent shape, with its characteristic increases on every row, gives you plenty of shawl to wrap around yourself, like a long-awaited hug. On a practical note, the pattern incorporates Mary Annarella’s crescent shawl technique, so there’s no bump in the top edge around the cast-on—no break in the eyelet edging, either! Lace is both written and charted, and Forgiveness has been tech edited and test knit, so you can cast on with confidence.

The inspiration for Forgiveness came from J. Ruth Gendler’s The Book of Qualtities, a delightful and surprisingly profound collection that personifies qualities like Excitement, Change, and Pleasure. When Debi of Blue Skin Yarns and I connected over it, a collaboration was inevitably born! We chose to translate three qualities that spoke to us into colorways and patterns: Courage, Forgiveness, and Joy. This pattern, of course, is Forgiveness.

May your version nudge you toward Forgiveness, wherever your life needs it most.

SIZE
Wingspan: 92” / 233.5 cm
Center Depth: 23” / 58.5 cm (including the point)
Measurements taken after firm blocking.

Note: There is no official smaller version of Forgiveness. However, I did have one tester make a smaller version based on numbers I calculated (and my tech editor checked). I’ve just added them to the help page for Forgiveness on my website, which you’ll find here. I haven’t actually knit a smaller version myself, so size and yardage requirements are approximate.

YARN
MC: approximately 946 yd / 865 m of fingering weight yarn
CC: approximately 22 yd / 21 m of fingering weight yarn

Pattern includes a note about altering the size to accommodate different put-ups.

Shown in Blue Skin Yarns Oliver (75% Wool, 15% Cashmere, 10% Silk; 497 yd / 454 m per 115 g / 4.06 oz skein)
MC: 2 skeins, shown in Forgiveness
CC: 1 skein, shown in Courage

NEEDLES
US 5 / 3.75 mm circular needles, or size needed to obtain gauge; 40” / 100 cm or longer circular needles are recommended to accommodate large number of stitches

NOTIONS
4 stitch markers, 24 additional stitch markers (optional; if using charted instructions, only 22 additional markers are used), tapestry needle

GAUGE
20 stitches and 27 rows = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette stitch after firm blocking. Gauge is not crucial but will affect yardage used and final dimensions.

TECHNIQUES
Single and double increases, single and double decreases, yarn overs, double-sided lace (lace with no rest rows). Pattern includes links to more information about required stitches and techniques.

Here’s how testers described Forgiveness: relaxing, meditative but not boring, straightforward, soothing, eye-catching, simple yet intricate, elegant yet practical, educational, satisfying, fun, sophisticated, versatile, charming, classic, graceful, lovely, calming, pleasant, easier than it looks, and one of those pieces people will think you spent way more time on than you actually did.

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