Light and airy, bouncy and fluffy, Latitude uses both fingering wool and mohair/silk lace bases for its textured and interesting fabric. Alternating sections of each throughout the shawl gives it a subtle ribbed surface and a linear appearance. The Old Shale stitch pattern makes curves down the spine and along the bottom edge.

Approximate yardages used: 600 yds Sock and 250 yds Loft

errata: pattern updated on 5/1/19 to change words “knit to 1 stitch before next marker” wherever found, to “knit to next marker”

Latitude is built on a basic triangle shawl construction, with increases at both outer edges. The center panel is established early, and increases are made on either side and also periodically in this Old Shale pattern to help grow the shawl. Both bases of yarn are keep attached and worked throughout the piece, with the Loft just being carried up the edge when not in use. The bottom ends with a fun flourish when more Old Shale pattern is introduced and increased for a dramatic border.

This pattern is fully written row by row with clear instructions and many tips along the way. Increasing stitch counts are given often so that you can check that everything is staying on track. Basic yo, kfb, M1R, M1L, ssk & k2tog are the increase and decrease stitches used.

Inspiration for this shawl:
I first experienced the beauty of whales in the wild while watching them migrate north and south on their familiar ocean lines, along the coast of Washington state where I lived. They wove through the straights among islands and past shorelines, giving me a glimpse of their lives as travelers in the watery parts of the world.

This shawl gets its name from one of my favorite chapters in Moby-Dick, “The Chart”, in which captain Ahab ponders his sea maps and logs, hoping to set a course in the vast ocean that will intersect with a singular great white whale. All the while he considers how much more exacting is the creature he hunts, who swims along his own chosen ocean line with marvelous precision. In this shawl you can see representations of both the parallel lines of latitude drawn on a map, and the land forms and water currents that roll over them - and maybe even the gliding path of a whale.