Australis Shawl

Australis Shawl by Su Sayer

What is Being Made

The Australis Shawl is a knitted shawl design inspired by the natural phenomenon of the northern lights dancing across the night sky. This intermediate-level knitting project combines restful stocking stitch sections with moments of visual interest, making it suitable for knitters seeking a balanced project that offers both meditative knitting and engaging stitch work.

Design Features and Inspiration

The shawl's design philosophy centers on capturing the sweeping, shifting movement of the aurora borealis. The pattern incorporates short row lace sections that evoke the dynamic dance of the northern lights across a calm night sky. These lace elements are strategically placed to provide visual interest and textural variation, while the surrounding stocking stitch background offers moments of more straightforward, meditative knitting. The shawl is finished with a knit-on edging, which adds a refined, polished detail to the completed garment.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Short row shaping: Creates the sweeping, curved sections inspired by the northern lights' movement
• Lace knitting: Incorporates openwork sections for visual interest and lightness
• Stocking stitch: Forms the primary background fabric, providing a smooth, classic base
• Knit-on edging: A finishing technique worked directly onto the shawl edge for a professional appearance

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

While specific stitch abbreviations are not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, the Australis Shawl employs lace stitches within its short row sections, combined with stockinette stitch for the main body. The interplay between these stitch types creates the visual rhythm that echoes the northern lights' ethereal movement across the sky.

Yarn and Materials

The Australis Shawl is designed for 4-ply yarn weight, offering a delicate, refined fabric suitable for a shawlette or wrap-style garment.

Main Color (MC): Travel Knitter BFL Supersock in the Midnight Fireflies colorway. This yarn is composed of 75% Blue Faced Leicester (superwash) and 25% nylon, providing durability and easy care. One 100g skein provides 425 meters or 465 yards of yarn.

Contrast Color (CC): Peak District Yarns 4-ply in the Whaley Welldressing colorway. This yarn blend contains 75% merino and 25% nylon, offering softness and resilience. One 100g skein provides 425 meters or 465 yards, though the pattern calls for approximately 300 meters of the contrast color.

The combination of superwash-treated Blue Faced Leicester and merino creates a shawl that is both luxurious to wear and practical to maintain. The nylon content in both yarns adds strength and elasticity, ensuring the shawl maintains its shape and drape through regular wear and washing.

Difficulty Level

Rated as an intermediate project, the Australis Shawl is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle short row shaping and lace techniques. The balance of straightforward stocking stitch with more engaging lace sections makes this an ideal project for building confidence in intermediate techniques without overwhelming the knitter.

Pattern Format

The Australis Shawl is available as a downloadable PDF pattern designed by Su Sayer. The pattern is intended for personal, non-commercial use only.