Glenallen is a contemporary, top-down triangular lace shawl. I will admit that I’ve always been a bit obsessed with the 1920s—the silent movies, bobbed hairstyles, amazing fashion and Art Deco design that began to flourish in the decade. When I first discovered the lace pattern that I used for the body of this shawl, I knew I had to incorporate it into a design. It reminded me of the interlocking mosaic marble floor tiles that one might find in the lobby of an elegant hotel in Hollywood, California, circa 1925. I could just see Gloria Swanson, the silent movie queen, making a grand entrance, sashaying across this tile floor while dramatically flinging a beautiful shawl across her shoulder.

After revising the body lace pattern to make the diamonds different sizes to add visual interest, I added an intricate chevron border that incorporates various Art Deco motifs. I ended Glenallen with little scallops that represent the graceful archways indicative of the style.

Glenallen is the dressy, big sister design to my Wilshire Shawl, which also uses Art Deco motifs and has a revised version of the more open mesh Glenallen border.

Glenallen is offered as a chart-only pattern with large, easy-to-read charts and very detailed instructions on how to use them. Also included are detailed blocking instructions. The pattern has been test knitted and tech edited.

The size of the shawl may be easily customized by working more or less chart repeats of the main body pattern. Shown in lace weight yarn, Glenallen would look lovely in fingering weight as well. A solid or tonal yarn is highly recommended to showcase the intricacy of the design.

Glenallen is also available as part of the Lace Triangle Collection: Ethereal Lace Shawls e-book.

Construction Notes: Glenallen starts at the center back of the neck and is knit down to the bottom edge. There is a two-stitch garter border on each side, four yarn-over increases on each right-side row and a center stitch separating each half. Patterning is done on the right side rows only, with all wrong side rows being purled between the garter borders.

Size: Medium 76 x 38” (193 x 97 cm); Large 86 x 43” (218 x 109 cm); Small 66 x 33” (168 x 84 cm); Shawlette 56 x 28” (142 x 71 cm)

Yardage: The red shawl pictured (medium size) used 800 yards (732 m) of lace weight on US 3 (3.25mm) needles. The blue shawl pictured (large size) used 1,050 yards (960 m) of lace weight on the same needle size. Test knitters used about 650 yards (594 m) of lace weight when knitting the small size. Yardage ranges listed on the pattern are based on the amount used by test knitters.