Evolution

This heart-shaped shawl follows the evolution of a knitter. It begins with garter stitch, representing that garter-stitch scarf so many of us knitters began with. Then a bit of stockinette, as the beginner knitter learns to purl. Once the basic stitches are mastered, textured patterns like the diamond pattern become possible.

Then, a knitterly friend suggests that cables are “not that hard” -- perhaps the novice knitter would like to try? Another friend encourages the knitter to try a bit of simple lace -- just a few yarn-overs and decreases, after all, and the wrong side rows are all-purl.

Each pattern builds on the last; each pattern is made up of knits and purls, manipulated to form apparent complexity. But, one stitch at a time, all knitting is conquerable. The final stitch pattern combines right-side and wrong-side pattern, cables, twisted stitches, lace, and unusual decreases for a gorgeous exuberance that flares all around the edge of the finished shawl.

Evolution is written with a combination of written directions (for the simpler sections) and charts (for the more complex sections. Full written directions for all charts are included in the pattern.