Twelve Birds is a semi-circle shawl inspired by the iconic prints and tapestries of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Those lavish, exuberant depictions of the natural world are a feast for the eyes and the imagination. Lush flowers and forests, twining vines and ripe fruit, mythical creatures and exotic birds: all things bright and beautiful, woven together in glorious abundance. Twelve Birds is a tribute to Arts and Crafts legends William Morris and his daughter May, Edward Burne-Jones, and their fellow designers and artists, who left us such a legacy of beauty and craftsmanship.

This generous semi-circular shawl is full of rich detail and texture, with stylised botanical lace motifs which shift into a crescent of twelve “birds” towards the border. But don’t let that intimidate you! The pattern is suitable for brave beginners through experienced shawl knitters: while the lace looks intricate and impressive, the stitches are straightforward and simple.

The pattern includes detailed instructions, charts and row-by-row stitch counts with the Curious Handmade Percentage Checklist™ pattern format.

The sample uses four skeins of fingering-weight yarn: three gentle speckled colourways arranged in a gentle fade, with a semisolid feature panel as a pop, but the design also looks stunning in a gradient or even a single colour.

This pattern was originally published as the Curious Handmade 2024 Mystery Knitalong, in six “clues”. The full pattern is now available as a single PDF.

If you’d like to knit a grand, full-circle version of this design, check out its big sister, the Twenty Four Birds Shawl!