The Local is a crescent shawl in fingering weight yarn. I used Blackwattle Waratah 4ply yarn from One Tree Hill Alpacas in Murrumbateman, New South Wales, Australia. This yarn was processed in Orange at Adagio Mill and I bought it from Skein Sisters in Sydney. So, in a world where more and more knitting is international and online, this shawl has not (yet) left the state, hence it’s name.

The shawl is worked from the centre top down and uses a Spanish lace motif on a garter stitch background. The border is worked sideways and joined to the live stitches of the shawl as it is made. I used two toning lightly speckled yarns, but it is equally suited to more contrasting or highly speckled yarns. It also looks fabulous in faded or gradient colours and the test knitters did some fabulous examples of what can be done. Approximate yarn quantities (based on the yarn I used) are given for each element in the shawl to assist you in your yarn choices.

Both charted and written instructions are included in this pattern. The blocked and relaxed piece as knitted measured approximately 40cm deep with a span of 180cm; however the final size will vary according to your own choice of yarn and needle, as well as your knitting tension.

Requirements:

3.75mm needles
Stitch markers (if you use them)
Wool needle to darn in ends

4ply fingering yarn
2 x Blackwattle Watatah Alpaca 100g 320m/350yd

Six layer shawl = 160g 512m/560yd
Layer 1: 3g
Layer 2: 10g
Layer 3: 16g
Layer 4: 24g
Layer 5: 28g
Layer 6: 34g
Border: 44g

Seven layer shawl = 210g 672m/735yd
Layer 7: 42g
Border: 52g