Lilyanna is a crescent-shaped shawl with a gorgeous 3-dimensional lace and cable border featuring botanical motifs that resemble calla lilies intertwined with ferns. A wide lace edging that looks like little rosebuds adorns the bottom curve of the shawl. The simplicity of the classic stockinette body, which is shaped by German short rows, allows the border pattern to take center stage. And the best part is that although the border lace pattern appears complex, it is easy to work and knits up very quickly.

Full instructions about working the German short rows, including both video and photo-tutorial links, are included, so even if you’ve never tried this fabulous type of short row, you’ll be an expert by the time you are done!

The Lilyanna pattern includes both charts and full written out instructions for those of you who prefer not to use charts.

While dimensions and yardage are provided for DK weight, Lilyanna could effectively be worked in other yarn weights, though I recommend using fingering weight or heavier. To achieve the desired texture and definition along the border, use needles one size smaller than you would usually select for the yarn weight chosen.

Solid or tonal yarn will show off the design to its best advantage.

The size is very easy to customize by changing the number of the main border chart repeats worked, by using a different yarn weight, or both.

Construction Notes: The border is worked first—beginning with a provisional cast on—separately from the stockinette body. Slipped stitches along the inner edge of the border are then picked up and knitted to begin the body, which is worked bottom up using short rows to create the crescent shape. When the short-row section is completed, the provisional stitches are placed back on the needles and incorporated into the final rows, which are worked across the entire width of the top.

Yardage: When worked in DK weight, the shawl used between 460-510 yards (421-466 m) when worked at the pattern size of 16 repeats of the main border chart. Several sport weight versions were test knitted at the 18x size; they measured an average of 56 x 15” (142 x 38 cm) and used between 470-520 yards (430-476 m) when worked on US Size 5 (3.75 mm) needles. More details for custom sizing and yardage is provided in the pattern itself.