Lesi Shawl

Lesi Shawl by Bérangère Cailliau

What is Being Made

The Lesi Shawl is a versatile triangular lace shawl designed for year-round wear. This knitted accessory measures 77.6 inches by 28.3 inches (197 cm by 72 cm) when blocked, making it large enough to wrap around the neck during autumn and winter months or drape elegantly across the shoulders during warmer seasons. The shawl combines delicate lace patterning with a practical garter stitch border, creating a balanced design that is both decorative and functional.

Techniques and Stitches Used

The Lesi Shawl employs several fundamental knitting techniques to achieve its elegant appearance. The primary construction method uses lace knitting, which creates openwork patterns through strategic yarn overs and decreases. The shawl features a garter stitch border, which provides a sturdy, textured frame that prevents the edges from rolling and adds structural integrity to the finished piece.

Key stitches and techniques incorporated in this pattern include:

• Stockinette stitch as the base fabric for gauge measurement and primary construction
• Garter stitch forming the border to frame the lace sections
• Yarn overs (yo) creating the openwork characteristic of lace knitting
• Knit two stitches together (k2tog) for right-leaning decreases
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) for left-leaning decreases that balance yarn overs
• Slip, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over (skp) as an alternative decrease method
• Slip marker (sm) for tracking pattern repeats and shaping sections

These techniques work together to create the characteristic lacy texture while maintaining the shawl's structural shape and wearability.

Materials and Tools Required

The Lesi Shawl is worked in fingering weight yarn, specifically 4-ply yarn. The pattern calls for approximately 800 meters of yarn, which can be achieved with 2 skeins of Yarn By Simone MSW John Snow (400 meters per 100 grams). Knitters have the flexibility to substitute other fingering weight yarns of similar yardage and weight characteristics.

Essential tools for this project include:

• 3.5mm (US4) circular needles or the appropriate needle size to achieve the correct gauge of 24 stitches by 32 rows equaling 4 inches by 4 inches (10 cm by 10 cm) in stockinette stitch when blocked
• Stitch marker for tracking pattern sections and repeats

The pattern recommends using circular needles rather than straight needles, as circular needles accommodate the large number of stitches more comfortably and allow for easier manipulation of the growing shawl during construction.

Difficulty Level

The Lesi Shawl is rated as an intermediate knitting project. This classification reflects the combination of lace knitting techniques, which require attention to yarn overs and decreases, with the straightforward construction of a triangular shawl. Knitters should be comfortable reading knitting abbreviations and following a written pattern with multiple stitches and techniques, making this an excellent project for those with foundational knitting skills who are ready to explore lace work.