Malena

You've seen a few peeks of Malena, and now that I've debuted it at Fibrations, it's available for download!

I completely fell in love with this yarn during the knitting.  It's Indigo Moon Blue-faced Leicester wool, a machine washable, fingering weight yarn that's 100% BFL.  The colorway, Ravishing Red, is just semi-solid enough that it makes the chevron patterns pop with the slightest hint of striping.  

The yarn is dyed locally - on Gabriola Island, just off the coast of Vancouver Island.  This is my second project with a local yarnie since moving here, and I really appreciate getting to work within the fibre arts community here! 

(The other local yarn I've gotten to work with was some wonderful mohair from Eastwin Farms, which is basically in my neighborhood - see Glenora.)

I love how different the BFL is from Merino.  It's still soft, but has a woolier feel, and is really lofty, making a fabric that floats more than it drapes.    

Malena has a very dramatic and elegant feel to it, but the stitch pattern used is simple to do and to memorize, and it's easy to adapt for a larger or smaller shawl.

I'm a big fan of crescent-shaped shawls because I find them to be flattering and versatile.  I'd wear Malena as an evening wrap with an elegant gown, something to throw over my shoulders for a summer evening, or as a cozy winter scarf.

I love this attention-getting red for evening wear, but I can also see myself wearing it in a soft, neutral camel color.  

Malena is worked from the center top out with a simple but stunning lace edging, and the chevrons stitch pattern gives the fabric a three-dimensional look.  

Pattern Info:

Finished Measurements
Wingspan: 56 in/142 
Depth at Center: 23 in/58 cm

Yarn
850 yd/775 m fingering weight yarn

Shown in Indigo Moon Blue-faced Leicester Wool (100% Wool; 430 yd/393 m per 100g skein) Color: Ravishing Red; 2 skeins

Gauge 
24 sts/28 rows = 4 in/10 cm in Stockinette Stitch

Needles & Notions
* Needle Sizes are recommendations only. Always use needle size necessary to obtain gauge. 

US #5/3.75 mm needles
size F/3.75 mm crochet hook

tapestry needle 
place markers 
blocking wires

Skills
increasing (M1 left, M1 right, yo), decreasing (ssk, K2tog, centered double decrease), working stitch patterns from charted and/or written instructions

Buy the Pattern
See it on Ravelry