Tea & Picots

Tea & Picots Knitted Shawl by Shannon Squire

Project Overview

Tea & Picots is a triangular knitted shawl designed by Shannon Squire, created as a downloadable PDF pattern. This advanced beginner project combines classic shawl construction with decorative picot lace elements, making it an excellent choice for knitters looking to expand their skills beyond basic stockinette stitch.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a three-sided triangular shawl with finished measurements of 48 inches along the middle side, 54 inches at the longest side, and 25 inches at the shortest side. The asymmetrical triangle shape provides versatile styling options, allowing the wearer to drape and wear the shawl in multiple ways. The design incorporates picot details, which are small decorative loops typically created along edges or within lace sections, adding visual interest and texture to the finished piece.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Tea & Picots shawl employs several intermediate knitting techniques suitable for advanced beginners:

• Flat knitting on straight needles, worked in rows rather than in the round
• Increasing stitches to create the triangular shawl shape and expand the fabric as you progress through the pattern
• Mesh lace construction, which creates open, airy sections through strategic yarn overs and decreases
• Picot edging or detailing, adding decorative finished elements to the shawl
• Blocking after completion to set the final measurements and enhance the lace definition

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern uses fundamental knitting stitches and abbreviations including:

• Knit (k): the basic knit stitch
• Knit two together (k2tog): a right-leaning decrease used to shape the shawl and create lace patterns
• Yarn over (yo): creates a new stitch and an eyelet hole, essential for lace work
• Yarn over twice (yo2): creates a larger opening, often used in decorative lace sections
• Stitch markers (m, pm, sm): help track pattern repeats and shaping points
• Right side and wrong side (rs, ws): directional references for pattern reading

The pattern is worked primarily in stockinette stitch as the base fabric, with yarn overs and decreases creating the lace and picot details throughout.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

Yarn: The pattern requires approximately 120 yards of super bulky weight yarn. Shannon Squire used Knitted Wit Cotton Candy in the Split Pea colorway for the original design, though any super bulky weight yarn of similar characteristics will work. Super bulky yarn allows the shawl to knit up quickly while still showcasing the lace and picot details.

Needles: A US 17 (12mm) needle is recommended for flat knitting, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. The needle size may be adjusted based on your individual gauge and yarn choice.

Notions: Additional materials include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends after completion.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 7.5 stitches over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in stockinette stitch, measured after blocking. However, the pattern notes that gauge is not crucial for this project, making it more forgiving for beginners. Blocking after completion is recommended to properly set the measurements and enhance the definition of the lace and picot elements.

Skill Level and Pattern Details

Tea & Picots is rated as an advanced beginner project, making it ideal for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to tackle increasing techniques and mesh lace construction. The pattern was designed by Shannon Squire and is protected by copyright as of 2014. This is a personal-use downloadable PDF pattern.