K915-Mitra (friend) Stole

K915 – Mitra (Friend) Stole by Nazanin Fard

What Is Being Made

The Mitra stole is an elegant knitted accessory featuring a sophisticated combination of cable and lace motifs. This intermediate-level design creates a lovely drape suitable for layering over shoulders, combining textural interest with delicate openwork sections for a refined finished piece.

Knitting Techniques Used

This stole employs several intermediate knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive appearance. Cable stitches form the structural foundation, created using cable needle techniques to cross stitches and build dimensional texture. Lace sections are incorporated through yarn-over and knit-together decreases, which create openwork patterns that add lightness and visual interest to the design. The stole begins with a garter stitch border, a foundational technique that provides a stable, finished edge.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The pattern utilizes the following key stitches and abbreviations:

• Garter Stitch: Knit every row, creating the initial 8-row border and edge stitches throughout
• Stockinette Stitch: The primary base stitch for gauge measurement
• Cable Crosses: 4/4 Left Purl Cross (4/4 LPC) and 4/4 Right Purl Cross (4/4 RPC), where four stitches are placed on a cable needle, held to the front or back, then crossed over four knit stitches
• Yarn-Over (yo): Used in lace sections to create decorative holes and increase stitches
• Knit Two Together (k2tog): A decrease stitch paired with yarn-overs to form the lace pattern
• Slip Stitch (sl1): Used at row edges for a finished appearance

Pattern Construction

The stole is cast on with 115 stitches and begins with eight rows of garter stitch to establish a stable foundation. The main pattern is worked from a chart that excludes the first and last two stitches, which remain in garter stitch throughout for edge definition. The pattern repeats across the width, with alternating rows of cable crosses and lace sections creating visual rhythm. Cable crosses appear in rows 3 and 13, while lace sections with repeated yarn-over and knit-together sequences appear in rows 5, 7, 9, and 11.

Yarn and Needle Requirements

This project uses 4-ply yarn weight, a medium-weight yarn that provides good stitch definition for both the cables and lace elements. The pattern is worked on US size 4 needles or the appropriate needle size needed to achieve the specified gauge of 32 stitches and 38 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished dimensions and drape of the stole. A cable needle is required for executing the cable cross stitches.

Skill Level

Rated as an intermediate difficulty project, this stole is suitable for knitters with experience in basic techniques who are ready to tackle cable work and lace patterns. The combination of cables and lace requires attention to stitch placement and the ability to read and follow a chart, making it an excellent project for developing these intermediate skills.