This pattern includes 2 versions - the fully patterned shawl, in fingering weight yarn, and a simple variation with twisted stitches only around the edges and garter stitch stripes filling the body, which is for any weight yarn and custom sizable.

Lerro uses the same construction concepts as Betiko, and is part of the Betiko collection, which includes 4 patterns total, all with complex versions and simple variations included, like this one.

The pattern includes how-tos for twisted stitches, the provisional cast-on, short rows, process photos and diagrams, and detailed notes on sizing, the construction, the charts, etc. All this makes for a lengthy pdf, but the written patterns are each 2 photo-less pages; the charts are 7 pages (including the legend page).

The charted slipped/twisted stitch patterns are designed to make knitting as intuitive and easy as possible - you’ll mostly only need to watch the charts for main color right side rows. There are row guidelines explained so that you can read your knitting as you go and mostly ignore the charts on main color wrong side rows and on all contrasting color rows.

All the stitch patterns are charted, and the edge patterns are also written, so you can choose whether or not to use charts if you make the simple variation.

The fully patterned version is an advanced level pattern; the simple variation is more intermediate. For either project, reading your knitting is important and watching what you’re doing, to understand what’s happening as you go, will help the project go by smoothly.

from the pattern…

This intricately patterned shawl, in two colors of sock yarn, features lines and diamond shapes running throughout the body and around all the edges. But if you’re not into such complex, attention-requiring knitting, you can make the simple variation, in any weight yarn - just some diamond shapes running around the edges, with a garter stitch striped body.

The parts of either version are connected modularly, using short rows, no picked up stitches or seaming. The wedges, which help it flare out into a big U shape, are filled with a simple slip stitch pattern.

All versions and sizes of Lerro are rounded - the fully patterned shawl is long across, with a short height, while the simple variation can be made any length with a taller height if you like, as it’s somewhat customizable. No matter how huge your shawl is, you’ll only ever cast on 27 stitches total, and bind off 9 stitches. All other stitches will be added and subtracted with increases, decreases, and short rows.

This design uses the same construction as the Betiko shawl; Betiko is a Basque name meaning eternal, as that shawl is forever customizable, and Lerro is a Basque word for line.

You need

‣ for fully patterned shawl: 875-965 yards / 800-880 meters total fingering weight yarn
-- 475-515 yards / 435-470 meters in main color yarn
-- 400-450 yards / 365-410 meters contrasting color
-- the sample used Anzula Squishy, 2 skeins each 1 Red Shoe and Clay
‣ for fully patterned shawl: size US 2 / 2.75mm long circular needle (60” is ideal, but 32” or longer will work), or size to get gauge
‣ for simple variation: enough yarn in any weight, either 2 or 3 colors, close to the same yardage in main and contrasting - if using 3 colors, a bit more than half the yardage in the main color, and approx a quarter each in the 2 contrasting; very approx estimates here are for total yardage
-- bulky: 400-600 yards / 370-550 meters -- worsted: 500-800 yards / 450-730 meters -- sport: 600-1000 yards / 550-900 meters -- fingering: 700-1200 yards / 650-1100 meters
-- the sample used Anzula Cricket DK, 2 skeins Key Lime (MC - 365 yards / 335 meters used), 1 skein each Elephant (CC1 - 165 yards / 150 meters used) and Seaside (CC2 - 155 yards / 140 meters used)
‣ for simple variation: needles sized to match yarn - a long circular (60” is ideal, 32” or longer will work)
‣ crochet hook for provisional cast-on
‣ 12 stitch markers (10 the same color/type, 2 different from those and each other)

Gauge

For fingering weight fully patterned version: approx 6.5 sts per inch / 2.5 cm, in garter stitch.

For simple variation, use any weight for any gauge (sample shown is DK weight on size US 6 / 4mm needles, gauge of approx 5.25 sts per inch). There is no need to measure your gauge at all for this version. Use needles 1 or 2 sizes bigger than normal if you want a loose, drapey fabric for your shawl.

Yardage notes

Through the first 3 sections (everything before outer edging), the fully patterned version uses approx 400-425 yards / 365-390 meters main color, 350-390 yards / 320-360 meters contrasting; the outer edging uses approx 75-95 yards / 70-85 meters main color, 50-65 yards / 45-60 meters contrasting.

To avoid needing to buy 4 full skeins of yarn, if you have partial skeins in your stash amounting to the edging yardage, you could use 2 full skeins for the body, up to the edging, then use different, coordinating colors from your stash for the outer edging.

For the simple variation, if you use different yarns for the outer edging, you can work the body section 3 until your yarns are about to run out, as big as possible to use up your yardage. Outer edging yardage varies depending on size but will usually be approx 140-180 yards / 130-160 meters total (around 75-100 yards/ meters MC, around 50-75 yards/meters CC).

Colors/yarns

The fully patterned version is designed for 2 colors throughout - the same 2 colors should be used for sections 1-3, but different colors could be used for the section 4 outer edging if you’d like, for a different kind of look from the sample piece. Solid colors are recommended, in highly contrasting shades.

For fully patterned, using the lighter of two shades as the main color tends to look better in this pattern; the lighter color will pop more than the darker will.

The simple variation is written for one main color throughout, and two different contrasting colors (as you see in the green and grey sample), but you can use the same single contrasting yarn throughout if you prefer. Using the same main color for sections 1-3 is recommended, but you could use a different main color for the outer edging (section 4) if you want to.