Satie is a big, warm hug of a shawl featuring a uniquely textured lace pattern filled with graceful, undulating lines that may be interpreted to resemble little leaves, hearts, tendrils or even the crests of waves. To bring in additional texture, I surrounded the lace with squishy, cozy garter stitch. The result is an organic yet modern looking shawl that is suitable for both newer lace knitters as well as experienced knitters looking for a relaxing and meditative knit. Pretty tassels are a fun option should you choose to add them.

Since there is plenty of inherent textural interest in the design, it’s a great pattern to use for a basic, moderately priced solid or heathered yarn. So you can knit up a huge, warm shawl for yourself without breaking the bank, and then make one for a knit-worthy friend too! Hand-dyed yarns would be appropriate for the design as well, just be careful to choose colorways without too much tonal variation between the lightest and darkest tones so as not to obscure the lace pattern.

There is a new cowl version of Satie that I just published called Sonatine if you love the lace pattern but would rather knit a smaller project.

The Satie pattern includes one chart and full written out instructions for those of you who prefer not to use charts.

While dimensions and yardage are provided for worsted weight, Satie could effectively be worked in other yarn weights, although fingering weight or heavier is recommended.

The shawl is offered in two sizes—medium (pictured in wisteria and green) and large (pictured in oat and verbena). Note that the medium size begins with 30 rows of garter stitch whereas the large begins with 54 rows of garter; the design of rest of the shawl is the same for both sizes. Satie’s size may be customized even further by working more/fewer rows of garter at the beginning, more details on the pattern. Also included are detailed blocking instructions as well as helpful video links that show the stitches and techniques required to make your own beautiful Satie.

Yardage: The range quoted at the top of this page is based upon averaging yardage data from both test knitted and my own sample shawls, not including the tassel option. For those of you who are looser knitters and/or have a limited amount of yarn for your size, be sure to check your gauge ahead of time on a blocked and relaxed garter swatch and adjust your needle size accordingly.

Construction: Satie starts at the center back of the neck and is knit down to the bottom edge. There is a two-stitch garter border at the beginning and end of every row. A single center stitch separates each half of the shawl. Four make-one increases—adjacent to the garter borders and center stitch—shape the triangle on the right-side rows. The lace pattern is worked on the right-side rows only (all wrong-side rows are purled between the garter borders).

Sample Shawl Yarn Info: All samples except for the green were knitted with the Berocco Ultra Wool (worsted weight), in the following colorways: wisteria, oat and verbena. The green sample was knitted with Plymouth Galway Worsted, colorway #754. Both large samples used about 720 yards (658 m) each; the medium samples used about 555 yards (508 m) each. Sizes of the sample shawls are quoted at top of this page.

The organic quality of the lace pattern I used for this shawl is reminiscent of Art Nouveau ironwork and textile design, so I decided to name the shawl after the French composer and pianist Erik Satie, who wrote many of his most sublime piano works during the same era. On the pattern, I included a link to Satie’s complete piano works; I’d like to share this beautiful music here with you as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe6fC3rNyJ4