Pattern Release: Margalit Shawl

Several months ago, I started swatching a lace edging that used some simple cables for a bit of texture. Those swatches very quickly turned into a shawl design, a design that I can finally share with you today. Meet the Margalit shawl:

Margalit is worked side to side, gently increasing as you approach the center and then decreasing as you near the far end. The shaping occurs in the top portion of the shawl, which is worked in garter stitch, while the stitch count changes in the edging create a bit of a zig zag along the bottom edge. Because of the way the shawl is constructed, it can accommodate just about any amount of yarn, making it a great pattern for handspun or a precious skein of luxury yarn.

The yarn I used in the sample, SpaceCadet Aurora, is a luscious blend of superwash merino, cashmere, and nylon. It was, in a word, amazing to knit with. It is soft and has a wonderful hand, and as you can see, it blocks beautifully. The number of plies in the yarn make the cables really pop from the background. And can we talk about this color? This colorway is Tickled, and yes, it really is that bright.

As far as skill level goes, I'd say this shawl is an adventurous beginner to intermediate project. The stitches used are fairly basic and easy -- yo, ssk, k2tog, m1, and 2-over-2 cable crosses. The edging is both written and charted.

There's one other feature that I want to highlight, though I certainly can't take credit for it. The top edge is formed by a faux i-cord, which is achieved through the simplicity of slipped stitches. While it creates an edge that looks really nice, the real benefit of this edging comes when it's time to block. You can run a blocking wire (or sturdy thread) through this edge and get a nice, crisp finish when you block.

I'm really very pleased how this shawl turned out, and I'm itching to knit myself another one, probably in handspun. I hope you enjoy it!