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Pembroke is a great chunky lace triangle that takes less than 300 yards to knit up. It’s been one of my most popular patterns, and I’m sure part of the reason is that it’s such a quick knit - my original sample took me about 3 hours to make! With a wingspan of 46 inches, it’s really in the shawlette category, and while lots of knitters have wanted to make it larger, it isn’t a straightforward process of repeating one of the charts an extra time.
However, teaching a class on Pembroke at Tolt Yarn and Wool was the perfect excuse for me to re-knit the shawl in a larger version and create charts that could seamlessly take the knitter through the process of making a big one themselves. Though my students were the first to get access to the new charts, I’m happy to now be offering them to all buyers of the Pembroke pattern through my Ravelry store and my website.
I’ve uploaded the charts as a companion pdf file to the main pattern. Customers who have already bought the pattern through my Ravelry store or website now have access to the supplementary charts through their Ravelry libraries. (You should have recently received an update notice to let you know about the addition.) Unfortunately, the charts are not available if you purchased the pattern through other sources such as Interweave, Craftsy, or Patternfish.
Because of the addition of the new charts, I’ll be raising the price of the pattern from $6 to $7. But, for one week, you can get the pattern and the new supplementary charts for $6. So if you’ve wanted to make a larger Pembroke, now is the time to snag the pattern and get the supplementary charts free before the price goes up on February 4.
I knit my Pembroke XL using Brown Sheep Burly Spun in a rich green called Oregano. It ended up with a wingspan of 56 in and took about 340 yards of yarn.
I’m so looking forward to going to Tolt Yarn and Wool this weekend. Not only will I get to teach classes on a couple of favorite subjects (color work and lace!), but I’ll get to party with knitters too!
We’ll kick it off with a class on my Pembroke Wrap on Saturday afternoon from 1 to 4. In preparation for the class, I made myself and extra large Pembroke and I’ll be sharing the charts with students in the class. This one has a 56 inch wingspan and a 32 inch depth at the center point. Whether you knit the classic version or the large one, Pembroke is a great pattern for learning how to work lace from charts and the traditional triangle construction for a shawl.
From 5-7, come by the shop to celebrate with knitters! If you completed a Tolt Hat or set of Mitts, bring them along to show us, but whether you’ve got show-and-tell or not, we’d love to see you there. I’ve heard a rumor that some amazing yarnies are going to be there too, so don’t miss this party!
On Sunday, I’ll be teaching a class on color work using my Ablaze cowl pattern. I made an alternate version of the pattern especially for this class out of Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Silver Fox and Graphite.
To register for classes, call or stop by the shop. For the party, please just show up!
4509 Tolt Ave, Carnation, WA
(425) 333-4066
Over the past few years, I've been exploring shawl construction. I think I've had this strong urge to try every possible way to make a shawl, though I'm sure I'll never quite accomplish that. I'm so fascinated by knitting and how many ways there are to do things that I want to experience as many as I can. (Here are a few of my other shawls.)
Sunlight on the Forest Floor is a crescent shawl that starts by working a long panel of lace edging. Then stitches are picked up for the body of the shawl and the crescent shape is created using short row shaping. I chose to finish it with an I-cord bind off because I love the clean finish this gives. Because it’s worked in Stockinette stitch, the I-cord bind off also allows the edge to roll gently, revealing the fetching wrong side of the work. The effect is elegant and sweet, but if you prefer a flatter edge, you could always work an inch or so of garter stitch and a regular bind off instead.
While knitters could work this shawl up in any kind of sport or heavy fingering weight yarn, Spincycle Yarns Dyed in the Wool is special. I designed this shawl to work perfectly with it, so that each time the color changes, it works out to be just about a single lace pattern repeat. The subtle shift in color creates the impression of light and shadows on a leafy background. This impression struck me while I was blocking the shawl and I decided I had to call it Sunlight on the Forest Floor even though it’s an unusually long name.
Since the body of the shawl is worked perpendicular to the lace edging, the stripes go the other way, giving a contrast that makes both the body of the shawl and the edging pop. And the BFL fiber content of the yarn is soft, but woolly and crunchy, with beautiful stitch definition and a light, airy drape. (Check out the other colors of Dyed in the Wool too - there's the perfect gray/gold, Pussy Willow that I used for my Pussywillow Mitts, along with some stunning jewel tones and gorgeously subtle earth tones.)
This piece was bound to relate to something woodsy. Just after I received it in the mail, I went for a long bike ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail and saw all the colors of July July in one snapshot.
As much as I adore the Spincycle Dyed in the Wool for this shawl, most of my testers chose to work their shawls up in solid colors, and I’d love to see one with contrasting lace edging and body. I’m thinking a deep charcoal gray edging and a soft sweatshirt gray body, or maybe a shocking neon edging! I used about a skein of the Spincycle Dyed in the Wool for the edging, so you’d need about 200 yd/183 m for the edging, and about 330 yd/302 m for the body.
This is a shawl that’s wide open to modification. For a different wingspan, just work more or fewer lace repeats and pick up a coordinating number of stitches. For a deeper, more triangular shape, work fewer stitches in between the short rows. For a super-squishy shawl body, try working it up in garter stitch instead of Stockinette.
PATTERN INFO
Lace pattern given in charted and written instructions.
Finished Measurements
Wingspan: 63.75 in/162 cm
Yarn
530 yd/485 m sport weight yarn
Shown in Spincycle Yarns Dyed in the Wool (100% Wool; 200 yd/183 m per 75g skein)
Color: July July; 3 skeins
Blocked Gauge
Gauge measurement should be taken after blocking.
16 sts/28 rows = 4 in/10 cm in Stockinette stitch
16 sts/24 rows = 4 in/10 cm in Lace Edging Pattern
Needles & Notions
Needle Sizes are recommendations only. Always use needle size necessary to obtain gauge.
US #5/3.75 mm needle
place markers
tapestry needle
blocking pins
blocking wires (optional)
Skills
lace using charted or written instructions, picking up stitches, short row shaping, I-cord bind off
To buy the pattern:
See it on my website
See it on Ravelry
I'm really excited to be returning to Tolt Yarn and Wool next weekend! I'll have a trunk show with lots of samples (including Sunlight on the Forest Floor), I'll be teaching two classes, and there will be a party to celebrate the completion of the Tolt Hat and Mitts Knit Along. Please join me! Check out more details on the Tolt website, and call or stop by the shop to register for classes.
First, I want to thank all of you who shopped during my birthday sale this year. You made it a fantastic day and I really appreciate your support! I look forward to seeing your works in progress and finished objects!
Now for a new pattern:
Azurite is a new hat pattern featuring slip-stitch mock cables, a ribbed brim, and a fetching crown.
I used a lovely Merino/bamboo blend, Crabapple Yarns Posh. It's a light fingering and creates a very lightweight fabric that's unusual in hand knits.
The light fabric makes a particularly versatile hat, especially because the brim is long enough to be folded up if you need extra warmth around your ears.
The elegant and delicate mock cables are fun to work and the pattern is intuitive and easy to memorize. The pattern features both charted and written instructions, so you'll enjoy knitting it whichever method you prefer.
The pattern is also written for four different sizes, so you'll be sure to get a perfect fit.
I'm headed off to TNNA San Diego this week, so if you plan to attend, please come by the Stitch Sprouts booth to see this and lots of other samples.
PATTERN INFO
Sizes & Finished Measurements
Sizes: S (M, L, XL); shown in size M
Brim Circumference: 18 (19, 20, 21) in/45.5 (48, 51, 53.5) cm
Intended to be worn with 1-2 in/2.5-5 cm of negative ease
Shown in size 19 in/48 cm with 1.5 in/4 cm of negative ease on model.
Yarn
240 (250, 265, 280) yd/220 (230, 240, 255) m light fingering weight yarn
Shown in Crabapple Yarns Posh Fingering (65% SW Merino, 35% Rayon of Bamboo; 448 yd/410 m per 100g skein)
Color: Pacifica; 1 skein
Gauge
Gauge measurement should be taken after blocking.
34 sts/50 rows = 4 in/10 cm in Mirror Cable stitch pattern
34 sts/48 rows = 4 in/10 cm in 2x2 Rib pattern
Needles & Notions
* Needle Sizes are recommendations only. Always use needle size necessary to obtain gauge.
US #2/2.75 mm 16 in/40 cm needle
US #2/2.75 mm needles for small-circumference knitting; use preferred method
place markers
tapestry needle
Skills
working in the round, ribbing, twisted slip stitch pattern using charted or written instructions, decreasing
See it on my website
See it on Ravelry
To celebrate my 31st birthday, all of my independently-published patterns will be on sale for 31% off all day tomorrow, January 3.
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| Photos © Kathy Cadigan and Andrea Rangel 2013 |
Browse over 50 patterns and get the discount on as many as you'd like - there's no limit! Just enter the code, "birthday" at checkout.You'll need to shop on Ravelry to get the discount, but you don't need to have a Ravelry account. The promotion is only one day - 12am - 11:59pm, Friday, January 3, 2014, Pacific Time.
Happy shopping and happy knitting!
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