Downhome

Downhome Shawl by Alicia Plummer

What is Being Made

Downhome is a beginner-friendly triangular shawl designed by Alicia Plummer, inspired by pastoral farmland imagery. The finished shawl measures 54 inches (137 cm) across the wingspan with a depth of 26.5 inches (67 cm), making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or wrapping. The design evokes the aesthetic of rural landscapes with hay fields and farm animals, particularly Golden Laced Wyandotte chickens.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

This shawl employs top-down triangular construction, a popular method for creating crescent or triangular shawls that begin at the neck and expand outward. The pattern utilizes strategic increases worked on every right-side row to create the shawl's expanding shape. Each portion of the pattern incorporates a total of four increases on every right-side row, distributed across two increases per side, allowing the fabric to grow evenly and maintain balanced proportions throughout the knitting process.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch pattern used in Downhome is stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric with a flat appearance ideal for showcasing yarn color and texture. The stockinette base provides an excellent canvas for the color work elements incorporated throughout the design.

Yarn and Materials

Downhome is worked in 4-ply weight yarn from the Hue Loco Backyard Chickens Collection, featuring a blend of 75% superwash merino and 25% nylon. This fiber content provides durability, softness, and easy care characteristics. The yarn is worked at a gauge of 24 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in blocked stockinette stitch.

Yardage requirements: The main color (MC) in Speckle requires 463 yards, while two contrast colors (CC1 in Rich Golden Brown and CC2 in Steely Black) each require 90 yards, allowing for subtle color accents throughout the design. The total yardage comes from a single 100-gram skein of the main color.

Needles and notions: The shawl is worked on US 5/3.75 mm circular needles measuring 32 inches in length. Additional materials include four place markers to track pattern repeats and a darning needle for weaving in yarn ends upon completion.

Skill Level

Downhome is classified as a beginner-level knitting project, making it accessible to knitters new to shawl construction. The straightforward stockinette stitch and regular increase pattern provide an excellent introduction to top-down shawl knitting without overwhelming complexity.