Carradal

Carradal Shawl by Lucy Hague

What is Being Made

Carradal is a top-down semi-circular shawl designed by Lucy Hague. This intermediate-level knitting project features a striped body paired with a richly cabled edging. The shawl incorporates stitch patterns inspired by key spirals commonly found in Celtic and Pictish art, bringing historical design elements into a contemporary knitted accessory. Two sizes are provided to accommodate different preferences, and the finished shawl can be blocked to a slight crescent shape rather than a traditional semi-circle if desired.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

• Small: Neck edge length of 43 inches (109 cm); depth from neck to lower edge of 15.5 inches (39.5 cm)
• Large: Neck edge length of 56 inches (142 cm); depth from neck to lower edge of 20 inches (51 cm)

Knitting Techniques Used

This shawl employs a top-down construction, meaning you begin knitting from the neck edge and work outward toward the lower edge. The design incorporates stripes throughout the body for visual interest, combined with a cabled edging that frames the shawl's perimeter. A picot cast-off finish provides an extra shot of contrasting color at the edge, adding a decorative and refined detail. The shawl is designed to be blocked to shape, with the option of creating either a semi-circular or slightly crescent silhouette depending on personal preference.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The shawl features stocking stitch as the primary stitch in the body, combined with cable stitches in the edging. The cable patterns draw inspiration from key spiral motifs characteristic of Celtic and Pictish artistic traditions, creating a culturally meaningful design element. The picot cast-off uses a contrasting yarn color to create a decorative, textured edge finish.

Gauge

The pattern calls for a gauge of 19 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in stocking stitch after blocking. Proper gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements. The pattern recommends dampening your swatch, stretching it out, and pinning it to imitate the effects of lace blocking before measuring, then allowing the swatch to dry completely before removing pins and measuring the gauge.

Materials and Yarn Requirements

This project uses fingering weight yarn in two colors:

• Yarn A (Main Color): 370 yards (338 meters) for the Small size, or 480 yards (439 meters) for the Large size. The pattern example features Eden Cottage Yarns BFL Sock in 'Hazel' (100% wool, 436 yards per 100 grams)
• Yarn B (Contrast Color): 116 yards (106 meters) for the Small size, or 150 yards (137 meters) for the Large size. The pattern example features The Yarn Yard BFL in green (100% wool, 207 yards per 55 grams)

Needles and Tools

You will need 3.75mm (US size 5) needles, or whatever size is needed to obtain the specified gauge. Long circular needles are recommended for this project, as they provide the necessary length to accommodate the increasing number of stitches as the shawl grows from the top-down construction.