The end of the 19th century, named “The Gilded Age” by Mark Twain, was visually typified by lavish surface ornamentation, both architecturally and in everyday objects and garments ‘fit for royalty’.

It was also a period of wide economic disparity, with legions of working class people whose struggles formed the base of the great social, labor and progressive movements of the 20th century.

In that spirit, this shawlette personifies the Gilded Age era’s strong working class in the simple stockinette body, contrasted with the ornamentation of its elegant Victorian lace and glass beading. Depending on your material choices, your shawlette is a hard-working every-day chill chaser or the perfect accessory for a night on the town.

The Gilded Age Shawlette is written for two colors of sport weight yarn. The body is knit in stockinette stitch with a 24-row band of beaded lace at the bottom and a beaded picot bind off (knit/crochet hybrid technique). This is a quick-to-work project. Sizing is adjustable.

Pattern instructions include both written out and charted versions of lace section. Six pages, including cover.

Size:
Written for one size, apx 20” x 40” (51cm x 102cm), with hints for making larger or smaller.

Yarn
• Heavy sport weight to light DK yarn with a suggested gauge of 6 sts per inch in 2 colors: apx 350 yds MC, 200 yds CC. The shawlette is worked at a somewhat looser gauge than these yarns are normally knit, of apx 4.25 to 4.5 sts per inch for drape.
• A few inches of smooth waste yarn for cast on

Needles/Notions
US 6 circular needles, at least 24” long.
Apx. 300 6/0 beads
Small steel crochet hook, size 10 or 11 to fit beads
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Extras
Includes a free Knitting With Beads Tutorial, with helpful information about choosing beads for knitting.

Skills level: Intermediate
Techniques used include basic knitting stitches, increasing, decreasing, lace, using beads, picot bindoff with crochet chain and slip stitches. Small steel crochet hook used for picot bind off and adding beads. Some familiarity with basic lace knitting is suggested.

This pattern has been test-knit in a variety of fingering, sport, DK and worsted weight yarns with finished sizes ranging from 19” x 38” to 26” x 58” (gauge and yarn weight variations).