RicRac

RicRac Shawl by Meghan Jackson

What Is Being Made

RicRac is a knitted shawl designed by Meghan Jackson that draws inspiration from vintage sewing trim. This top-down shawl features a rounded garter stitch body paired with a knitted-on border, making it a versatile accessory suitable for pairing with various outfits. The design is customizable in size, with the sample shown measuring approximately 54.5 inches across the top.

Construction and Design Techniques

The shawl employs a top-down knitting construction, a technique that allows knitters to begin at the neckline and work downward to create the finished piece. This method provides flexibility for customizing the final size of the garment. The body of the shawl is worked in garter stitch, a fundamental knitting stitch that creates a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges. The design incorporates a knitted-on border, which is attached as you knit rather than picked up and worked separately, creating a seamless integration between the body and edging.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch: The primary stitch used throughout the shawl body, created by knitting every row to produce a thick, textured fabric with visible horizontal bumps on both sides
• Knitted-on border: A border technique that is worked directly onto the edges of the main shawl body as part of the knitting process

Materials and Tools

The RicRac shawl is designed to be worked with 3-ply and 4-ply weight yarn, offering flexibility in yarn selection. The sample shown uses Zen Yarn Garden Serenity Silk+, a luxury blend yarn containing 75% superwash merino, 15% cashmere, and 10% silk, providing approximately 500 yards per 100 grams in the colorway Blue Hawaii. One skein is required for the project.

Knitting needles required include US #6 (4.00 mm) needles in either circular or straight configurations. The gauge is approximately 16 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch after blocking. For the optional beaded border embellishment, a US 11/12 (1 mm) crochet hook is needed to thread beads through the knitted edging. The pattern accommodates either Miyuki Magatama Fringe Beads in purple iridescent or standard Seed Beads size 6/0, with 31 beads required for the sample. A yarn needle completes the basic tool requirements.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is classified as advanced, reflecting the techniques involved in top-down shawl construction, working with a knitted-on border, and potentially incorporating beadwork into the finished design. Knitters should have solid foundational skills before attempting this project.