Maenad

Maenad Shawlette by Carol Feller

What is Being Made

The Maenad is a long and shallow shawlette designed for versatile styling. With a generous length of 82 inches (208.5 cm) from end to end after blocking and a center depth of 16 inches (40.5 cm), this shawlette can be easily tied in front or thrown over the shoulder for flexible wear. The design creates a practical accessory that works well for both casual and dressed-up occasions.

Construction and Techniques

This shawlette employs a top-down construction method, beginning at the top and working downward to create the body. The primary technique used throughout the body is simplified short rows, which allow the shawl to develop its characteristic shallow, elongated shape while maintaining even tension and stitch integrity. Once the main body is complete, a lace edging is knitted on at the end to finish the piece with a delicate border that measures 5 inches (12.5 cm) at its widest point.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Maenad utilizes garter stitch as the primary stitch pattern for the body, which creates a reversible, textured fabric with horizontal ridges. Garter stitch is worked by knitting every row, making it an excellent choice for shawlettes as it lies flat and provides good drape. The lace edging introduces decorative lace stitching to contrast with the garter stitch body, adding visual interest and a refined finish to the accessory.

Yarn and Materials

The Maenad pattern provides options for both a two-color and single-color version. For the two-color version, the main color (MC) is Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn in color S267, requiring 1 skein. This yarn is composed of 40% lamb's wool, 25% silk, 25% nylon, and 10% kid mohair, with 328 yards (300 meters) per 100-gram skein. The contrasting color (CC) is Quince & Co. Tern in Barnacle (139), requiring 2 skeins. Tern is made of 75% wool and 25% silk, with 221 yards (202 meters) per 50-gram skein. For a single-color version, approximately 640 yards (585 meters) of yarn is needed in total.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern calls for US 6/4mm circular needles in two sizes: a smaller needle for the main body and a larger needle for the lace edging. The circular needle should be 40 inches (100 cm) long to accommodate the width of the shawlette comfortably. Gauge is measured at 20 stitches and 42 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch with the smaller needle before blocking, and 17 stitches and 38 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch with the smaller needle after blocking. Achieving proper gauge is important for obtaining the intended finished dimensions.

Difficulty Level

The Maenad is rated as an intermediate difficulty project. While the garter stitch body is accessible to knitters of various skill levels, the combination of short-row shaping and the addition of a lace edging requires intermediate knitting knowledge and experience with these techniques.