Product Description
Counterchange is a term for a pattern whereby the colours of the motif and its ground are reversed in another part of the design to balance the elements. The Tiles pattern used here is from the Barbara G Walker book, Mosaic Knitting, published in 1997.
Although it may look complex, this pattern is simple to work. It starts with a white motif on a blue background. As the centre of the shawl approaches, the pattern changes to a Parquet pattern and then to a simple stripe. The stripes down the centre back enable the change in the colour focus and the following Parquet and Tiles patterns have their colours reversed with a blue motif on a white background.
Counterchange Shawl by Lisa Featherstone
What is Being Made
The Counterchange Shawl is a sophisticated mosaic knit shawl designed by independent knitwear designer Lisa Featherstone. This garment combines visual interest with wearability, offering a versatile piece suitable for cool summer evenings or as an extra winter layer. The shawl features a dynamic design where the colour focus shifts halfway through the pattern, creating visual balance and maintaining knitter engagement throughout the project.
Design and Pattern Concept
Counterchange is a design principle where the colours of a motif and its background are reversed in another section of the garment, creating symmetry and visual harmony across the complete piece. The Counterchange Shawl employs the Tiles pattern from Barbara G. Walker's seminal 1997 publication Mosaic Knitting, a foundational reference for this knitting technique.
Knitting Techniques and Stitches
This project utilizes mosaic knitting, a technique that creates complex-looking colourwork without the complexity of traditional fair isle or intarsia methods. The pattern begins with a white motif displayed against a blue background. As the shawl progresses toward its centre, the colour scheme reverses, establishing the counterchange effect that defines the design.
The shawl construction incorporates decreasing rows in the latter half of the pattern. As the centre approaches and passes, rows progressively shorten, accelerating the knitter toward completion and creating momentum in the final stages of the project.
Difficulty Level and Knitting Experience
Rated as intermediate difficulty, the Counterchange Shawl is described as interesting to knit without being overly challenging. Despite its visually complex appearance, the mosaic knitting technique simplifies execution, making it accessible to knitters with moderate experience while remaining engaging for more advanced crafters.
Materials and Yarn Specifications
This pattern is designed for 4-ply yarn weight, a lightweight yarn suitable for creating the delicate drape and refined texture characteristic of quality shawls. The specific yarn and needle requirements are detailed within the downloadable PDF pattern.
Project Format
The Counterchange Shawl is available as a downloadable PDF pattern, providing immediate access to complete instructions and charts for independent knitters.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | Fingering |
| Pages: | 12 |
| Designer: | LisaFeatherstone |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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