PIP is a straightforward top-down triangular shawl with a little stockinette, a couple of bands of eyelets, and a whole lot of mosaic. The banded structure means you can really show off your contrasting yarn(s): pair speckles, leftovers, or a long gradient with a solid main color for a unique version…or go with a striking two-tone approach. It’s up to you!

PIP stands for “perfectly imperfect.” Here’s the backstory: I designed the shawl to use up leftovers of one of my favorite yarns. Toward the end, I ran short of my CC1, then my MC. There are times in my life when I would have ripped the shawl out and started again with modifications in order to make it come out just right. Instead, I pulled the closest colors I had to the ones that lost yarn chicken and kept knitting.

The pattern includes written instructions as well as charts in two sizes for the mosaic. There are also tips for altering the size or swapping a mosaic band (or several) for something simpler and a link to a free planning worksheet plus tracker.

Even if your version works out perfectly, just as you’d planned, I hope PIP can serve as a reminder to you as well as to me that on the journeys that are our lives, done is often better than perfect—and that if we want something, sometimes we just have to keep going until we get it.

SIZE
Wingspan: 69” / 175.5 cm
Center Depth: 34” / 86.5 cm

Measurements taken after firm blocking. Shawl will shrink some with wear.

YARN
Shown in Blue Skin Yarns Oliver (75% Wool, 15% Cashmere, 10% Silk; 497 yd / 454 m per 115 g / 4.06 oz skein):

• MC: 2 skeins, shown in Forgiveness
• CC1: 1 skein, shown in Evensong
• CC2: 1 skein, shown in Arizona CC3: 1 skein, shown in Katsa

To substitute another fingering-weight yarn:

• MC: approximately 557 yd / 510 m of fingering weight yarn
• CC1: approximately 195 yd / 179 m of fingering weight yarn (or, to work the two CC1 bands in different colors, 54 yd / 50 m of one and 141 yd / 129 m of another)
• CC2: approximately 173 yd / 159 m of fingering weight yarn (or, to work the two CC2 bands in different colors, 68 yd / 63 m of one and 106 yd / 97 m of the other)
• CC3: approximately 99 yd / 91 m of fingering weight yarn

Totals include a 15% buffer. Using solid or tonal colorways for either your MC or your CCs will show the mosaic best.

NEEDLES
US 5 / 3.75 mm circular needles, or size needed to obtain gauge; 40” / 100 cm or longer is recommended to accommodate large number of stitches

NOTIONS
2 stitch markers, tapestry needle

GAUGE
20 stitches and 27 rows = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette stitch after firm blocking. Gauge is not crucial but will affect yardage used and final dimensions.

TECHNIQUES
Single increases and decreases, yarn overs, mosaic knitting, garter tab cast-on. Pattern includes links to more information about required stitches and techniques.

Here’s how testers described PIP: Beautiful, fun, addictive, colorful, classic, relaxing, meditative, therapeutic, changeable, engaging, “a fun way to play with colours,” interesting, gratifying, mathemagical, wearable, striking, “a clever and appealing pattern that makes a very attractive and wearable product,” a great stash buster, highly recommended, and “a warming work of art.”

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