Smilga is Latvian for bentgrass (also known as creeping bentgrass or creeping bent) - a thin grass with a long stalk and generous top of delicate, blooming panicles full of tiny seeds. It inspired me
to create a texture of long cables culminating in colourful bobble formations along the edge of shawl.

Smilga is a symmetrical shawl knit top down. Starting with a Garter Tab Cast On it proceeds with an even increase ratio along the side edges and central spine to obtain its final triangle shape. Simple cables of main body bloom into a diamond shaped sections of contrast colour bobbles worked in intarsia technique before smoothly transitioning into an end ribbing.

The pattern includes full written instructions, and is also fully charted with an added chart sequence guide (you do not have to consult written instructions if you wish to work from charts only).

The pattern has been thoroughly tech edited and test knitted.

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate - continuous cables, crochet bobbles, intarsia.

SIZE: Wingspan (length along the longest edge): 81” (205 cm)
Depth: 33.5” (85 cm)
Side Edge: 59” (130 cm)

YARN & YARDAGE: There are several colour pairing possibilities. You can work Smilga in 3 colours, just as shown in the sample with MC for the body and 2 CCs for the 2 bobble sections.
You can also choose to have MC for the body and work both bobble sections in same CC.
Or, if you prefer an understated look of a single colour, you can work all the shawl, including the bobbles in MC. This option does not require any intarsia, as you will be working with the same yarn throughout the pattern.
You can also substitute two strands of lace weight yarn for one strand of fingering weight yarn. Please refer to the chart in photos section for yardage/meterage estimates.

Lace Weight Yarn:
3 colour option: MC: 1850 yds/ 1750 m; CC1: 110 yds/ 100 m; CC2: 132 yds/120m.
2 colour option: MC: 1850 yds/ 1750 m; CC: 242 yds/ 220 m.
1 colour option: MC: 2092 yds/ 1970 m.

Fingering Weight Yarn:
3 colour option: MC: 925 yds/ 875 m; CC1: 55 yds/ 50 m; CC2: 66 yds/60 m.
2 colour option: MC: 925 yds/ 825 m; CC: 121 yds/ 110 m.
1 colour option: MC: 1046 yds/ 985 m.

Sample shown in 3 colour option with lace weight yarn held double: MYak Baby Yak Lace held double 100% Baby Yak; 380 yds (350 m) per 50 g skein. Total of 7 skeins.
MC: Desert, 1850 yds (1750 m) – 5 skeins.
CC1: Tibetan Sky, 110 yds (100 m) – 1 skein.
CC2: Mustard, 132 yds (120 m) – 1 skein.

NEEDLES: US 3 (3.25 mm) circulars with 32” (80 cm) cable. (or size to obtain a close gauge)
US B-1 (2.25 mm) crochet hook.

GAUGE: 18 sts x 32 rows = 4” (10 cm) in stockinette st or
20 sts x 32 rows in Main Body pattern after wet blocking.

NOTIONS: Cable needle (optional, if you prefer using it for 2 st and 3 st cable twists), stitch markers, tapestry needle, sewing needle, blocking tools.