Southern Spring Lace

Southern Spring Lace Shawl by MaryG Knits

Project Overview

Southern Spring Lace is an advanced-level knitted shawl pattern designed by Mary C. Gildersleeve and published by MaryG Knits. Inspired by the flowering trees of Virginia, this shawl combines decorative lace work with a practical leaf-motif border, making it an ideal accessory for cool spring evenings. The pattern is provided in both charted and written-out formats for knitter preference.

What Is Being Made

This is a triangular or crescent-shaped shawl that showcases lace stitch work as its primary design element. The shawl features a distinctive construction method that begins with a garter-tab start—a traditional technique for creating a neat, finished edge at the cast-on point. The main body incorporates a "budding flowers" lace stitch pattern that evokes the aesthetic of spring blossoms, while the outer edge is finished with a bind-off-as-you-go leaf border that adds both visual interest and structural definition.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Garter-tab start: A foundational technique that creates a small rectangular tab worked in garter stitch before stitches are picked up to begin the main shawl body, resulting in a polished, professional-looking starting edge
• Lace knitting: The core technique used throughout the shawl body, requiring careful attention to yarn-overs and decreases to create openwork patterns
• Bind-off-as-you-go: An advanced finishing method applied to the leaf border, where stitches are bound off while simultaneously shaping the border, eliminating the need for a separate bind-off row
• Blocking: Essential finishing step using lace blocking wires and a blocking board to open up the lace stitches and achieve the intended finished dimensions

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Garter stitch: Used for the initial tab start, created by knitting every row
• Stockinette stitch: The base fabric gauge is measured in stockinette stitch (20 stitches × 28 rows = 4 inches after blocking)
• Budding flowers lace stitch: The signature pattern stitch of the shawl body, combining yarn-overs and strategic decreases to create a floral motif reminiscent of spring blooms
• Leaf lace border: A specialized lace pattern integrated into the bind-off-as-you-go edge treatment, adding a botanical element to the shawl's perimeter

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The pattern calls for approximately 850 yards of fingering-weight superwash wool yarn. The sample shown in the pattern was created using two skeins of Blue Mountain Handcrafts Sock Yarn in the "Welcome Home" colorway. Superwash wool is an excellent choice for shawls as it combines the warmth and elasticity of wool with easy-care properties, making the finished shawl practical for regular wear and washing.

Hand-dyed fingering-weight yarn, as used in the sample, creates beautiful color variation and depth throughout the lace work. The fingering weight (also called sock weight) is a 4-ply yarn that provides excellent stitch definition for lace patterns while remaining lightweight enough for a shawl.

Tools and Equipment

• US #5 circular needles: Both 16-inch and 32-inch lengths are required, allowing for the transition from working a smaller circumference at the shawl's point to a larger circumference as the shawl expands
• Stitch markers: Eight or more markers are needed to track pattern repeats and shaping increases throughout the lace sections
• Tapestry needle: Used for weaving in yarn ends after binding off
• Lace blocking wires and blocking board: Essential for properly opening up the lace stitches and achieving the intended finished dimensions

Gauge and Finished Dimensions

The pattern gauge is 20 stitches × 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch after blocking. Achieving proper gauge is particularly important in lace shawls, as blocking dramatically affects the final appearance and drape. The finished dimensions are provided in the pattern documentation.

Difficulty Level and Knitter Experience

This pattern is rated as advanced, making