Herringbone Lace Scarf & Shawl

I have a mild obsession with self-striping yarns with long stretches of color, like Noro. Both of these designs use a single ball of a gradient or self-striping sock yarn.

A successful design for these yarns keeps the stitchwork simple and lets the colors show off. The pattern used here causes the rows to scallop, making lovely wavy stripes.

There are two versions of this design: a rectangular scarf and a semi-circular shawl. Each uses a

The scarf is a terrific first lace project - there is only one pattern row, with a simple 12-stitch repeat. The shawl is a great next step.

Don't be afraid of the fineness of the yarn and needles - this is really no more work than a pair of socks, and much easier to show off. (And you can always use thicker yarn if you want a bigger finished project!)

In both cases, the patterning is very straightforward and easily memorized for a good travel project. The pattern notes provide instructions on proper finishing and blocking