Azuay

Azuay Shawl by Taiga Hilliard Designs

What Is Being Made

Azuay is a knitted shawl featuring an elegant leaf lace pattern. This end-to-end construction design offers flexibility in sizing, making it an adaptable project suitable for crafters with varying amounts of yarn on hand. The shawl combines decorative lace elements with a practical garment suitable for fall and winter wear.

Craft and Construction Method

This is a knitting project worked from end to end, allowing knitters to customize the finished dimensions based on available yardage. The end-to-end construction method means you begin knitting, work through an increase section, and transition into a decrease section to complete the shawl. This technique provides flexibility—you can weigh your yarn and work the increase section until you nearly exhaust your supply, then proceed directly to the decreases. This approach makes Azuay an excellent choice for using up yarn stash or adapting the pattern to different yarn quantities.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern incorporates fundamental lace-knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit (K) – Basic knit stitch forming the foundation
• Purl (P) – Purl stitches that line up vertically when worked, creating texture and structure
• Yarn Over (YO) – Creates the openwork characteristic of lace patterns
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) – A right-leaning decrease
• Slip, Slip, Knit (SSK) – A left-leaning decrease worked by slipping two stitches individually, then knitting them together through the back loops
• Double Decrease (DD) – Slip one stitch, knit two stitches together, then pass the slipped stitch over for a centered decrease
• Make One (M1) – An increase worked by picking up the horizontal strand between needles from front to back and knitting through the back loop

The lace pattern is provided in both written and charted formats, allowing knitters to follow their preferred instruction style. The visual charts help clarify the leaf pattern structure throughout the project.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: Malabrigo Rasta in the Azules colorway is the recommended yarn. The pattern accommodates super bulky weight yarn, or alternatively bulky weight yarn doubled, or 4 strands of worsted weight yarn, providing options for yarn substitution.

Yardage Required: 180 yards

Needles: US size 19 (15.00 mm)

Gauge: 6.0 stitches over 4 inches

Difficulty Level and Suitability

Rated as an intermediate project, Azuay serves as an excellent starter shawl for knitters new to lace patterns. The combination of straightforward stitches, charted guidance, and the fast-knitting nature of super bulky yarn makes this an approachable introduction to shawl construction and lace knitting. The project works up quickly, providing satisfying progress and a finished garment suitable for immediate wear during cooler seasons.