Flame of love shawl

Flame of Love Shawl by Maryna Radzko

What Is Being Made

The Flame of Love Shawl is a crescent-shaped knitted shawl designed by Maryna Radzko. This downloadable knitting pattern is worked from the top down and is available in two finished sizes: medium and large. The shawl features decorative beading throughout both the body and border, creating an elegant flame-inspired design.

Shawl Sizes and Yardage Requirements

This pattern accommodates different yarn quantities and final dimensions:

• Medium Size Shawl: 142 rows, requiring 800–1000 metres (875–1100 yards) of yarn and 911 Czech seed beads
• Large Size Shawl: 154 rows, requiring 1000–1200 metres (1100–1310 yards) of yarn and 993 Czech seed beads

The pattern recommends yarn in the 600–1000 metre range per 100 grams. Since gauge is not critical for this design, the final shawl size will vary based on the specific yarn weight and needle size chosen by the knitter.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The Flame of Love Shawl employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive appearance:

• Top-Down Construction: The shawl is knitted beginning at the top and expanding outward, a common method for crescent shawlettes that allows for flexible sizing
• Garter Tab Cast-On: The pattern begins with a garter tab cast-on worked with a crochet hook, providing a secure and decorative foundation
• Beading Integration: Czech seed beads №8 are incorporated into the shawl's body and border, requiring precise placement during knitting
• Circular Needle Work: The pattern uses circular needles to accommodate the expanding stitch count as rows progress

Materials and Tools Required

Creating the Flame of Love Shawl requires specific needles, hooks, and embellishments:

• Yarn: Lace-weight yarn totaling 600–1200 metres (660–1310 yards) depending on desired size, at approximately 100 grams
• Needles: Circular needles in US1½ to US6 (2.5–4 mm), at least 40 inches (100 cm) in length to accommodate increasing stitches
• Crochet Hooks: A fine hook (0.5–0.75 mm) for placing beads during knitting, and a larger hook (1.5–3 mm) for the cast-on and bind-off edges
• Beads: Approximately 20–25 grams of Czech seed beads №8 (911 beads for medium, 993 beads for large)
• Notions: Scrap yarn for the garter tab cast-on and optional stitch markers to track pattern repeats

Pattern Difficulty and Suitability

Rated as an intermediate-level knitting pattern, the Flame of Love Shawl is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle beaded knitting and top-down shawl construction. The flexible gauge requirement makes this pattern forgiving for knitters experimenting with different yarn weights, though understanding how to integrate beads and manage increasing stitch counts is essential for successful completion.