If there is a pattern that comes from the bottom of my heart, this is it. Sarakatsana, the woman of the Sarakatsani tribe was one of the rare Greek women to knit her legwarmers and handwarmers, using double pointed needles and 3 basic colors: black, white or rather off-white and deep, crimson red.
If you bother to click on the link you will read about the origins of Sarakatsanaioi , their customs and nomadic life, the symbols of the motifs on the knit parts of their costumes. I am not of Sarkatsani origin, no. But I have been longing for some pattern that would take some Greek motif and give it a new life , making it wearable in the 21st century. Well, here it is! I hope I was up to it.

I must say that I did not copy the motifs I’m using here, I created them myself, inspired by several traditional colorwork motifs. I also opted for the Mosaic/slipped stitches technique, since it is the favourite traditional colorwork technique used in the Balkan area. The colors I used are not “traditional” nor is the construction of the shawl: they bring the “modern” element to the pattern and I hope you’ll enjoy knitting and wearing it!