Firiel

Firiel Sideways Knit Shawl by Lucy Hague

What Is Being Made

Firiel is a pointed triangular shawl designed for wearing around the neck and shoulders. The design features a generous neck edge of 57 inches (145 cm) with a depth from neck edge to centre point of 21 inches (53.5 cm). This sideways construction shawl is specifically engineered to showcase hand-dyed variegated sock yarn while minimizing colour pooling through strategic stitch placement.

Design Philosophy and Yarn Considerations

Lucy Hague created Firiel with hand-dyed variegated 4-ply yarn as the primary inspiration. The pattern strategically combines multiple stitch textures to break up and distribute colour variations across the fabric, preventing the visual distraction of pooling that can occur with variegated yarns. The sideways construction method offers practical flexibility—knitters can use as much yarn as desired, allowing customization of the finished shawl size without requiring pattern modifications.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Sideways construction: The shawl is worked horizontally from one side to the other, rather than from the top down or bottom up, enabling flexible yarn usage and custom sizing
• Integrated lace edging: The pointed lace edging is worked simultaneously with the main body of the shawl rather than added afterward, creating a seamless finished edge
• Stitch pattern mixing: The combination of different stitch textures serves both aesthetic and functional purposes in managing variegated yarn appearance

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Garter stitch: Created by knitting every row, providing a textured, reversible fabric that anchors the design
• Stocking stitch: Alternating knit and purl rows to create a smooth, classic knit fabric that contrasts with garter sections
• Lace stitches: Clean lace lines incorporating yarn overs and decreases (k2tog, k3tog) to create openwork patterns along the pointed edging
• Decreases: K2tog (knit 2 stitches together) and k3tog (knit 3 stitches together) are used to shape the lace edging and create the pointed effect

Materials and Tools

Yarn: The pattern calls for 437 yards (400 metres) of 4-ply or fingering weight yarn. The sample shown uses Araucania Botany Lace in shade PT 1793, a 100% wool yarn available at 448 yards (410 metres) per 100 grams. Hand-dyed variegated sock yarns are ideal for this design, though any 4-ply weight yarn with good stitch definition will work.

Needles and notions: Knitters will need 4.5 mm (US size 7) needles or the size required to achieve good fabric drape with their chosen yarn. The pattern specifies that exact gauge is not essential due to the customizable nature of the sideways construction, though a reference gauge of 20 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch after blocking is provided. Three stitch markers are needed to track pattern repeats and construction points.

Difficulty Level

Firiel is rated as an intermediate knitting project. While the sideways construction and lace elements require some experience, the flexible gauge and customizable sizing make it accessible to knitters with solid foundational skills. Familiarity with basic decreases, yarn overs, and reading stitch markers is expected.