In 2013, I was commissioned to make a scarf for a very special person. A friend desired to give a gift to a UK partner who had aided their Non-Profit’s work raising funds to build a hospital in Haiti. To my great surprise, the recipient was Laura Carmichael, Lady Edith from Downton Abbey. From that moment, I felt a special connection to Lady Edith. I treasure the photo that I have of her wearing this gift that I created.
This design has been swimming in my mind for years. When I watched the first Downton Abbey movie in the theater, I envisioned a beautiful shawl draped on Lady Edith’s shoulders at the Ball. The Japanese stitch pattern reflects cascading wisteria seen in beautiful English gardens. Edith often retreated to the formal gardens of Downton when she needed to reflect and gather strength.

Skill: Intermediate or Advanced

Notions: 163 glass seed beads, size 6/0 for border.
US 10 (1 mm) crochet hook or smaller to fit beads
Stitch markers

Special Techniques:
Knit & purl.
Placing a bead with a crochet hook before knitting the stitch.
Increases: make one (right and left).
Lace: yarn over - slip, slip, knit - knit 2 stitch together.
Working flat on circular needles.

Finished Measurements:
Wingspan (A): 60 in/152 cm
Depth (B): 28 in/71 cm

Notes:
This shawl is constructed with a combination of increase techniques. Initially the stitches are doubled at increments to add fullness and to maintain the half circle shape. You will then begin each lace section with increases between the lace elements to evenly distribute the increases. These increases add stitches for the addition lace repeats in the section.

Using beads in the border of this shawl is optional. If you do not desire to place a bead, simply knit the stitch instead of placing the bead. For the Picot Bind Off, skip the B and continue with the bind off instructions.