Boothbay

Boothbay Shawl by Jen Lucas

What is Being Made

Boothbay is a knitted wrap shawl designed by Jen Lucas. This intermediate-level project creates a finished wrap measuring 20 inches wide by 66 inches long, making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or draping. The design showcases colorwork techniques that combine a main color with six coordinating gradient colors.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several intermediate knitting techniques to create its structure and visual interest. Garter stitch forms the foundation of the fabric, creating a textured, reversible surface that is characteristic of many shawl designs. The pattern incorporates colorwork through the use of multiple yarn colors worked throughout the piece, specifically using six color gradients alongside a main color base. Decreasing techniques are utilized to shape the wrap, including central double decreases and standard knit decreases that help create the shawl's drape and finished silhouette.

Stitches and Abbreviations

The Boothbay pattern uses standard knitting abbreviations and stitches including:

• Knit (k) - the fundamental stitch
• Knit two together (k2tog) - a right-leaning decrease
• Central double decrease (cdd) - created by slipping the first and second stitches together as if to knit, knitting one stitch, then passing the two slipped stitches over the knit stitch for a centered decrease
• Cast on (CO) - the foundation row
• Bind off (BO) - the finishing edge

Materials and Yarn

The Boothbay pattern is designed for fingering weight yarn, which is a 4-ply yarn weight. The sample shown uses yarns from Done Roving Yarns, specifically 100% domestic superwash merino. The yarn requirements are:

• Main color (MC): 200 yards of fingering weight yarn. The sample uses Frolicking Feet Petites in Maritime Blue (1.5 oz)
• Gradient colors (CA, CB, CC, CD, CE, CF): 100 yards total of fingering weight yarn in six coordinating colors. The sample uses Frolicking Feet Mini Gradients in color #6 Chateau Rose (0.8 oz each)

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked at a gauge of 18 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch. However, the pattern notes that gauge is not critical for this design, meaning that variations in gauge will primarily affect the overall size of the finished wrap and the total yardage required, rather than compromising the structural integrity of the piece.

Needles

While specific needle size is not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, knitters should select needles appropriate for fingering weight yarn and their personal gauge to achieve the recommended 18 stitches and 20 rows per 4 inches in garter stitch.