Through good times and bad, friends just make everything better, don’t they? You Gotta Have Friends celebrates the friends who stood by me during a challenging time, and helped me come out the other side stronger and more resilient. I had to take a knitting hiatus, and when I went back to knitting, I was out of practice. My friends encouraged me to create an easy knitting pattern that would help me get my knitting mojo back. Friend, let’s get yours back too. 

This pattern is good for beginning knitters, or for experienced ones who want a relaxing knit - and anyone who is getting back to it after some time away.  It’s got the basics - lots of plain ol’ knitting and purling — and throw in some M1L and M1R, some Yarn Overs, and a simple bind off at the end and … Stripes! Everybody loves stripes, right? Knit in a small (6 stripes) or large (8 stripes) size. This works with either Worsted or Fingering weight yarn (there are instructions for both). As your fellow knitting friend, I’ve scattered in a few helpful hints along the way. 

You Gotta Have Friends is a very wearable, elongated triangle-shaped shawl, with a gently curving upper edge that hugs your neck beautifully. It can be worn as a cozy wrap or draped lightly over your shoulders. Like a warm hug from a friend, I’m grateful everyday for those friends that got me knitting again.

MATERIALS:

Note: This shawl can be knitted using either fingering weight (f) or worsted weight (w) yarns. Also, instructions are included for knitting a Small (6 stripe) version and a Large (8 stripe) version in each weight.
APPROXIMATE FINISHED MEASUREMENTS - fingering and worsted:
Small: between 54-56” along neck edge, and between 16-18.5” deep at center point.
Large: between 70-74” along neck edge, and between 22-24” deep at center point.

FINGERING WEIGHT INFO:

2-3 total skeins fingering weight yarn in different colors for either the Small or Large shawl. Each skein should be approximately 100 grams per skein and approx. 400 yards each. Choose 1 skein for the stockinette stripes (color A) and 1-2 contrasting color skeins (color B) for the garter stitch stripes. (if you are knitting the large fingering weight, most likely you will need 2 skeins of color B, while the small size only needs 1)

The fingering weight examples are the small size and knitted with:
LITLG (Life in the Long Grass) Silk Merino (50% Superwash Merino, 50% Silk Blend) - one skein in color A - Rouge (soft, light pinkish lavender) and one skein in color B - Plum (a darker rich plum-y color)

Another option: a combo of Emma’s Yarn SUPER SILKY (80% Superwash Merino, 20% silk, 400 yards) - one skein in color A - Glamping (soft pink), and LITLG (Life in the Long Grass) Twist Sock (80% Superwash Merino, 20% Nylon) - one skein in color B - Autumn Leaf (soft pinkish browns)

24” to 40” circular needles between a size 2 and 5 for fingering weight - whatever will produce a nice, not too stiff, not too loose, kind of drape-y shawl like fabric. You know what I mean.

WORSTED WEIGHT INFO:

3-4 total skeins worsted weight yarn in different colors for either the Small or Large shawl Each skein should be approximately 100 grams per skein and approx. 200 yards each. The stockinette stripes require 1 skein of color A for the Small size, OR 2 for the Large size. The garter stitch stripes requires 2 skeins of color B for both sizes. (The Large worsted sample was knitted with two different green yarns for the stockinette stripes since I loved them both - if you want 2 contrasting stockinette stitch stripes for color A/C, you will use approximately 1 skein (100 grams) for color A, and one for color C. You will also use 2 skeins (200 grams) of additional color for the color B garter stitch stripes.

The worsted weight examples are the large size and knitted with:
Sea Change Fibers by the Dye Project, Ecola Worsted (85%Merino, 15% Silk - 215 yards per 100 gram skein) - one skein in color A - Verdant (rich dark green), two skeins in color B - Midnight Stroll ( bright navy), and one skein in color C - Kelp Forest (lighter sunnier green)

Malabrigo Rios or Wachted (100% Superwash Merino) - 210 yards per 100 gram skein) - 2 skeins in color A - Pearl (light gray), and 2 skeins in color B - Piedras (multicolored - including gold, rust, fuchsia, greens, brown, etc.)

24” to 40” circular needles between 6 and 8 for worsted weight - whatever will produce a nice, not too stiff, not too loose, kind of drape-y shawl like fabric.

APPROXIMATE STITCH GAUGE: Exact gauge isn’t that important - it’s a shawl, after all. That said, in general:
the fingering gauge is around 24 stitches and 32 rows to 4”/10 cm. in stockinette stitch after light blocking
the worsted gauge is around 20 stitches and 28 rows to 4”/10 cm. in stockinette stitch after light blocking.