What you'll need
| One size only: | 35in (89cm) deep by 66in (167.5cm) wide |
|---|---|
Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn - S8
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2 |
Product Description
One of my favorite flowers in the spring garden is the pansy, or Viola tricolor. This flower has such a happy “face” decorated with all sorts of colors from reds and yellows through deepest blues and purples. The pansy is a traditional part of English herbals under the name of “heartsease” because it was believed to help with respiratory and cardiac ailments.
This simple triangle shawl is worked in garter stitch and garter eyelet, meaning that it is completely reversible. It is designed for a sportweight yarn and large needles, making it a quick project. Guidelines are given to modify the size, placement of the eyelet border, and yarn weight.
Heartsease Shawl by Katherine Vaughan
What is Being Made
The Heartsease Shawl is a triangular shawl inspired by the pansy flower, known botanically as Viola tricolor and historically called "heartsease" in English herbals. This shawl is a completely reversible design that measures 35 inches deep by 66 inches wide (89cm by 167.5cm), making it a versatile accessory suitable for various occasions and styling preferences.
Design Inspiration and Heritage
The designer, Katherine Vaughan, drew inspiration from the pansy—one of her favorite spring garden flowers. Historically, pansies were valued in traditional English herbals for their believed therapeutic properties, particularly for respiratory and cardiac ailments. The shawl captures the cheerful essence of this flower through its construction and structure.
Knitting Techniques and Stitches
This intermediate-level knitting project employs two primary techniques to create its distinctive texture and visual interest:
- Garter stitch forms the foundation of the shawl, creating a textured, reversible fabric that looks identical on both sides
- Garter eyelet is incorporated throughout the design, adding delicate openwork details while maintaining the reversible quality of the piece
The combination of solid garter stitch sections with garter eyelet creates a balanced design that is fully reversible, allowing the shawl to be worn with either side facing outward.
Abbreviations and Stitch Techniques Used
The pattern utilizes standard knitting abbreviations including:
- K (Knit)
- K2tog (Knit two stitches together)—a right-leaning decrease
- Kfb (Knit into the front and back of a stitch)—an increase technique
Materials and Yarn Specifications
The Heartsease Shawl is designed for sport weight yarn, requiring approximately 600 yards (550 meters) of yarn. The pattern calls for US 11 (8mm) needles, which are relatively large needles paired with the lighter sport weight yarn. This needle-to-yarn pairing creates a quick, manageable project despite the shawl's generous finished dimensions.
Additional materials needed include one stitch marker and a tapestry needle for finishing.
Gauge and Sizing
The pattern specifies a gauge of 14 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches (10cm) in garter stitch, measured after blocking. The designer provides guidelines for modifying the size, allowing knitters to customize the shawl dimensions to their preferences.
Project Difficulty and Suitability
Rated as an intermediate-level project, the Heartsease Shawl is accessible to knitters with foundational skills while offering enough textural interest to engage more experienced crafters. The use of large needles and sport weight yarn, combined with straightforward stitch techniques, makes this a relatively quick project to complete despite the shawl's substantial finished size.
Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | Sport |
| Pages: | 0 |
| Designer: | Katherine Vaughan |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Notes: | May use any sport weight yarn, 600yd (550m) |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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