Arcana

Arcana Rectangular Shawl by Lesley Robinson

What is Being Made

Arcana is a rectangular shawl designed by independent knitwear designer Lesley Robinson. This wrap measures 97 inches (246 cm) in length and 16 inches (40.5 cm) in width after blocking, making it a generous rectangular accessory suitable for layering or draping. The shawl draws inspiration from celestial themes, featuring mosaic moons, celestial pearl brioche elements, and brioche lace half-moons throughout its design. Each stripe within the shawl differs from the last, showcasing how varying color combinations can create entirely new visual effects and transformations.

Construction and Design Approach

Arcana is knit on the bias, a construction method that creates diagonal lines and allows the fabric to develop its unique character as stitches progress diagonally across the needles. This bias knitting technique contributes to the shawl's elegant drape and the way each stripe appears distinct. The design was created specifically for the Rose City Yarn Crawl in Portland, Oregon in 2019, commissioned by Starlight Knitting Society. Designer Lesley Robinson was inspired by the custom yarn colors dyed by Kemper Wray of Junkyarn for the event, which led to the creation of a magical shawl celebrating lunar phases and celestial-themed striping that mimics the night sky.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Mosaic knitting: Creates the moon motifs and patterned elements throughout the shawl
• Brioche knitting: Used for the celestial pearl brioche sections, adding texture and dimension
• Brioche lace: Incorporated in half-moon formations, combining openwork with brioche techniques
• Bias knitting: The foundational construction method that allows the rectangular shape to develop diagonally
• Striping: Multiple color combinations create distinct horizontal stripes, each unique in appearance

Materials and Yarn Requirements

Arcana requires 1330 yards (1215 meters) total of fingering or sock weight yarn, distributed across multiple colors. The pattern specifies Color A at 450 yards (411 meters) and Color B at 420 yards (384 meters), with additional yardage for supplementary colors used in the striped design. The 4-ply yarn weight provides the delicate fabric necessary for the intricate mosaic and brioche lace details while maintaining the shawl's elegant drape. Knitters should prepare approximately 3 skeins of fingering weight yarn in coordinating colors to complete this project.

Skill Level

Arcana is rated as an intermediate difficulty pattern, making it suitable for knitters with some experience who are comfortable working with specialized techniques such as brioche knitting, mosaic colorwork, and bias construction. Familiarity with reading stitch patterns and managing multiple colors simultaneously is recommended.