Cartographer

Cartographer Knit Shawl by Heidi Kirrmaier

What is Being Made

Cartographer is a triangular knit shawl designed by Heidi Kirrmaier and published in cooperation with Malabrigo Yarns. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a generous shawl measuring approximately 150 cm (60 inches) from tip to tip, with a widest point of 30 cm (12 inches). The finished piece is suitable for wearing as a versatile wrap or decorative accessory.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques to achieve its finished structure. Garter stitch forms the foundation of the design, creating a textured, reversible fabric that works equally well on both sides. The pattern incorporates decreases strategically placed to shape the triangular silhouette, with sizing adjustments possible by beginning decreases at different points in the pattern sequence. Stitch markers—twelve in total—are essential for tracking pattern repeats and maintaining accurate stitch counts throughout the project. The pattern includes both written instructions and charts, allowing knitters to follow either format based on personal preference and learning style.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The Cartographer shawl features a garter stitch base, which is created by knitting every row on both right-side and wrong-side rows. This fundamental stitch produces the characteristic horizontal ridges and provides excellent drape suitable for lace-weight yarn. The pattern incorporates a finished right edge worked over 3 stitches using a slip-stitch selvage technique: on right-side rows, the edge is worked as knit one, slip one with yarn in front, knit one; on wrong-side rows, the corresponding edge stitches are slipped with yarn in front and knitted to create a neat, finished border.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

Cartographer requires approximately 535 meters or 585 yards of yarn, which equals roughly 1.25 skeins of Malabrigo Lace. The pattern is shown worked in the colorway 'polar morn.' Malabrigo Lace is a lace-weight yarn, making it ideal for creating an airy, elegant shawl with excellent drape and delicate fabric. Knitters should use 3 mm needles or adjust needle size as needed to obtain the specified gauge of 32 stitches and 52 rows per 10 cm (4 inches) measured in garter stitch. The pattern allows flexibility in finished size: knitters can work at a looser gauge for a larger shawl or a tighter gauge for a smaller version, or they may retain the specified size while adjusting gauge by starting decreases at alternative points in the pattern after completing eight rows of garter stitch following a row of squares.

Pattern Flexibility and Customization

The Cartographer design accommodates various customization options for knitters seeking to personalize their finished shawl. The midpoint of the pattern occurs after the first four of eight garter stitch rows completed following a row of squares, providing a logical reference point for adjustments. This flexibility makes the pattern accessible to knitters working with different yarn weights or seeking to create a shawl in a specific finished size.