Leaves and Scrolls shawl is a soft and delicate rectangular lace shawl or wrap with optional beads. It is dressy enough for a special event, and big enough to keep your arms and shoulders warm in case of a cool evening or overly-airconditioned venue. Beads add weight and drape and sparkle to the ends, for a standout lace accessory.

It is started with a provisional cast-on and the body is worked straight in Scroll Lace pattern. Then additional stitches are cast on, the work is turned 90 degrees, and the Leaf Lace Edging is worked (with beads if desired) to give a lovely flourish at the short end, while simultaneously binding off the body stitches. The other short end is worked by picking up stitches from the provisional cast-on, then continuing as for the first end. All increases and decreases are worked on right side rows, and all beads are added on wrong side rows.

Size of the lilac shawl in the photos is approximately 152 cm x 46 cm / 60” x 18” after blocking.

Test knitters using lace-weight yarns all got approximately the same width, but increased the length to their preferences by working more (55 - 60) repeats of Scroll Lace. The test knitter using fingering-weight yarn got a final size of approximately 203 x 53 cm / 80” x 21”, working only 36 repeats of Scroll Lace.

The length is easily changed by working more or less repeats of scroll lace, but changing the width would require a bit of math.

Gauge is not very important because a lace shawl can be any size you want - it is more important to get a lace fabric you like, so choose whatever needles will work with your yarn. As a guideline, though, you will want to go up a size or two when working the leaf lace edges because they are worked perpendicular to the body and knit stitches are wider than they are tall.

Two versions of the pattern are provided: the full pattern and a short version. The short version is for people who prefer to print their patterns without using a lot of toner and paper, but most of the background information and technical details have been removed. The full pattern has lots of helpful photos and information, so even if you plan to print your pattern, it’s a good idea to look at the full version on your computer just so you have all of the information before you begin. Both versions include a checklist for keeping track of where you are in the pattern.

The provisional CO described in the pattern is a method I “unvented”, to borrow a term from Elizabeth Zimmerman. I haven’t seen it anywhere else so the pattern includes a thorough description with many photos showing how it’s done. I think it offers some nice advantages but if you have a favorite provisional CO method of your own you can certainly use yours instead.

Materials needed:

Lace weight yarn 900 - 1100 meters / 984 - 1202 yards (I used Colrain Lace and my shawl took 186 g = 1051 m = 1150 yards, for reference.) The fingering weight shawl used approximately 550 m / 600 yds.

Beads (optional) - 700

Waste yarn and sewing thread for the provisional CO method described in the pattern - a few meters / yards

Knitting needles in sizes that work for the lace patterns, plus a thinner needle for picking up stitches from provisional CO

Small crochet hook or other tool for placing beads, if used

Crochet hook for provisional CO method described in the patterns (size is not important but it should work comfortably with your waste yarn)

Removable stitch markers - highly recommended

One or two spools of sewing thread in contrasting colors for lifelines - highly recommended

Scissors

Tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends

Techniques and stitches used:

Note: tutorials can be found online for any techniques not explained in the pattern

Provisional CO - the method is fully described in the pattern. It is quite secure and you don’t remove it until you work the first row of picked-up stitches, but you can use your own favorite method if you prefer

Knitted CO

Alternating BO - described in pattern (alternates between Standard BO and Yarn-Over BO)

Knit

Purl

K2tog

K3tog

P2tog

SSK

Centered Double Decrease

Yarn-over

Purl right or left lifted increase (also known as purl right or left raised increase)

Place a bead on a stitch then purl it

Acknowledgements

Last but not least, I’d like to give credit to the wonderful test knitters who helped bring this pattern to Ravelry: BreezyHDK, carolfitz2, CynD, and jasbirknanra. Thank you very much!