RAMBLING LEAVES SHAWL IN BABY SILK by Dee Smith January Design Contest Silver Winner SIZE: Approximately 68" wide, by 27" long, after blocking. MATERIALS: elann.com Peruvian Baby Silk - 10 balls 29 inch circular needle size 6.0 mm (US 10) Crochet hook size 6.0 mm (US 10/J) – for optional crochet bind off NOTIONS: Stitch markers Yarn needle GAUGE: 16 sts x 24 rows = 4", measured over garter stitch. Knit to this gauge, on 6.0 mm (US 10), Baby Silk produces a very lightweight, fine, open, fabric. CHART: Click here to download a large, printable PDF version of the: Rambling Leaves Shawl Chart. Updated July 14, 2008. DESCRIPTION: This shawl is knit from the top down, in garter st, and is totally reversible. It uses increases and decreases to move the "stem sts" in a gentle curve, then comes to the end with a lace leaf. The chart shows one section of the 4 section shawl. The chart is to be worked 4 times across on each row, with an additional 6 sts at the end of left side. The chart shows only odd (RS) rows. All even (WS) rows are knitted. METHOD: Start by casting on 12 sts (2 selvedge sts, 1 st for each of 4 sections, plus 6 extra sts on left side ). The first st of every row is slipped purlwise and the last edge st is knitted (selvedge stitches are not charted and not included in the stitch count). To begin on first 12 sts, sl the first selvedge st purlwise, work the 4 sts of chart row 1, knit 6, knit the left selvedge st. After knitting row 109, exclusive of 2 selvedge sts, you should have 482 sts: 119 sts in each of 4 chart sections, plus 6 stitches at left side. Continue even to end of chart. Notes: - the extra 6 uncharted sts at the left of the shawl are to accommodate the leaf motif on left side of shawl. - place markers between each of the 4 sections of the chart - place markers in the twisted "stem" sts. This makes life a lot easier. BIND OFF Picot Bind Off: With right side of shawl facing, *cast on 4 stitches using "knit on" method, the first stitch of the shawl being the base stitch. Knit 2 stitches, pass the first stitch over the second stitch. Bind off 3 more stitches by "knit 1, pass stitch over". (The last bound off stitch should be your base stitch.) Bind off 2 stitches of the shawl body in the same manner*. Put the remaining stitch on the left needle and repeat the instructions from * to * until you come to the end of the shawl. Pull the end of the yarn through and weave in. Alternate Crochet Bind Off (shown in photo): The bottom of shawl can be crocheted off as follows: gather 4 st from body of shawl on crochet hook and pull yarn through, chain 8, gather 4 sts from body of shawl, sc, chain 8, *work sc in yarn over in the row below, chain 8 work sc in same st, chain 8, gather 4 sts from body of shawl, sc, chain 8, (work 4 times)*. Repeat between* to last 8 sts of shawl body, gather 4 sts from body of shawl, sc, chain 8, gather 4 sts from body of shawl, cut yarn and draw yarn through. Weave in ends. Enjoy your shawl! ABBREVIATIONS: beg - beginning, cm - centimeters, cont – continue, dec - decrease/s/ing, foll(s) - follow(s)(ing), g - grams, inc - increase/s/ing, K – knit, m - meters, mm - millimeters, P – purl, pat – pattern, pm - place or slip markers, psso - pass slipped st over, p2sso - pass 2 slipped sts over, rem - remain/der/ing, RS - right side, sep – separately, sl - slip, st(s) - stitch(es), tbl - through back of loop(s), tog – together, WS - wrong side, yo - yarn-over. Please note this pattern is copyrighted material and the entire contents of this pattern are copyrighted as a collective work under the copyright laws of Canada and the United States. You may print a copy of this pattern for your own personal use and enjoyment, but editing, publishing, transmitting, e-mailing, posting it to a list service or database, or otherwise commercially exploiting this pattern is strictly forbidden. Copyright Elann.com Inc.