Nathalie du Pasquier is a painter and founding member of the Memphis Group, a cohort of artists, designers and architects based out of Italy during the 1980s. The palette and construction of this shawl is inspired by her paintings, in combination with classic Memphis-style intercepting stripes and colour blocks. Whether in punchy or subdued colours, it can’t fail to have graphic impact.

This triangular shawl is worked flat, in four sections. Provisional cast-ons allow the construction to be seamless. Garter stitch, with eyelets between yarn colours, makes the shawl reversible, when otherwise the colour transitions between stripes would create a distinct front and back. It’s a signature Anna Maltz design move that I just can’t resist! Also, stripes have the benefit of being an addictive incentive to knit-just-a-little-more. To add even more stripes, there’s a striped i-cord edging: do it in a subtle combo for low-key added interest, or in high-contrast colours for real visual oomph. The whole thing has been engineered to leave only 16 ends to sew in. That’s either six more than expected for five colours, or a hell of a lot less, given all those stripes and changes in direction!

SIZING
one size

MEASUREMENTS (shown on schematic)
Wingspan: 175cm/69”
Point to centre of wingspan: 52cm/20½”

YARN
Kokon, Fingering Weight Merino (4ply/fingering; 100% Merino; 320m/350yds per 100g skein or 32m/35yds per 10g mini-skein)

DARK SHAWL
Yarn A: Sea x 1 skein
Yarn B: Cacti x 1 skein
Yarn C: Leaf x 1 mini-skein
Yarn D: Morning x 1 mini-skein
Yarn E: Clay x 2 mini-skeins

PALE SHAWL
Yarn A: Daybreak x 1 skein
Yarn B: Steppe x 1 skein
Yarn C: Space x 1 mini-skein
Yarn D: Star x 1 mini-skein
Yarn E: Fog x 2 mini-skeins

Yarn quantity note: You can expect to use approximately 65g of Yarns A and B at given gauge. The samples were both completed with 2g remaining for each of Yarns C, D and E. This means that the quantities specified for Yarns C, D and E have a slightly lower proportional safety margin than standard, especially Yarn E. If you plan not to swatch, or like to work to a looser gauge, you may wish to have extra yarn at your disposal.

GAUGE
20 sts x 40 rows = 10cm x 10cm / 4” x 4” knitted flat over garter stitch after blocking.

SUGGESTED NEEDLES
4mm (US6) circular needles, at least 80cm/32” in length. In addition, you may wish to use 2 short DPNs for working the i-cord cast-off.

Needle size note: For perfect symmetry in the decreases around the mitres, the Right Side of this shawl is worked in garter stitch using knit stitches. The Left Side is worked in garter stitch using purl stitches. If you know your knit and purl gauge varies significantly, you may wish to adjust your needle size between Right and Left Side. If this is the case, add an extra needle to achieve the correct gauge when you purl.

Always use a needle size that will result in the correct gauge after blocking.

NOTIONS
2 long lengths of smooth waste yarn for provisional cast-ons in a contrasting colour to Yarn A
locking stitch marker (a safety pin, sandwich tie, scrap yarn or paperclip will do the trick)
tapestry needle