Monday, November 20, 2017

Deflection Shawl

My latest obsession: Brioche stitch. Ask my knitting group - it's all I've been doing lately. It's such a simple technique to achieve striking results! You can make you stripes bright and bold, or more subtle and understated, just by choosing higher or lower contrasting yarns. I especially love mixing brioche with basic garter stitch, as in my latest pattern, the Deflection shawl.

Deflection Shawl
Deflection Shawl

Beginning at one point, the shawl is divided in two halves along a center spine, with each stitch pattern section slowly expanding. As you near the midway point, the brioche begins to encroach on the garter section while a second garter section appears on the opposite edge. After the brioche stripes reach the other side, you begin to decrease again, slowly tapering to a point once more.

Deflection Shawl

This shawl is very easily adjusted for different sizes. If you weigh your yarn before you start, you can simply work the increasing rows until you have used up roughly a third of your yarns, or until the center spine measures roughly a third of your desired final length. Then follow the rest of the pattern as written (though your stitch counts may vary), and you’ve got yourself a custom-sized shawl. I've even experimented with making it much smaller for a neckerchief/headwrap and or even a tiny little wrist cuff!

Deflection ShawlDeflection Shawl

SIZE
One size, easily adjusted

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Span: 78 inches
Height at center: 17 inches

MATERIALS
Fingering weight yarn, approximately 400yds/366m each of two colors
LC: Meadowcroft Dyeworks Yarn Rehab Rockshelter Sock [100% merino; 400yds/366m per 100g skein]; color: Apothecary; 1 skein
DC: Meadowcroft Dyeworks Yarn Rehab Rockshelter Sock [100% merino; 400yds/366m per 100g skein]; color: Belgische Chocolate; 1 skein
US #3/3.25mm circular needle
Tapestry needle
2 stitch markers

GAUGE (after blocking)
23 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch
18 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in brioche rib

Buy the pattern on Ravelry now!

Deflection ShawlDeflection Shawl