Hunter's moon

Hunter's Moon Shawl by Mindy Wilkes

Project Overview

Hunter's Moon is an advanced-level knitted shawl designed by Mindy Wilkes. This elegant accessory is constructed using a tip-to-tip construction method, creating a finished shawl measuring 68 inches (173 cm) wide by 14 inches (36 cm) deep. The design combines a stockinette stitch body with an integrated lace edge, offering a sophisticated blend of smooth fabric and delicate openwork.

Construction and Design

The shawl features a distinctive tip-to-tip knitting method, where the garment is worked from one point to the opposite point. The body is worked primarily in stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric surface. The defining characteristic of this design is the lace edge that is knit as you go, meaning the lace pattern is integrated directly into the shawl during the knitting process rather than added afterward.

The lace edge showcases a carefully designed pattern featuring a row of leaves set among a gently curving trellis lace motif. This combination creates visual interest and movement while maintaining the elegant aesthetic appropriate for an advanced knitting project. After blocking, the stockinette stitch body comprises approximately 90 percent of the finished fabric, with the remaining 10 percent being the integrated lace edging.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This project employs several key knitting techniques suitable for advanced crafters:

• Stockinette Stitch: The primary stitch used for the body, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, resulting in the characteristic smooth, V-patterned fabric
• Lace Knitting: The edge incorporates lace techniques, which typically involve yarn overs and decreases to create openwork patterns
• Leaf Motifs: Specialized decreases and yarn overs are used to form leaf shapes within the trellis lace pattern
• Trellis Lace Pattern: A geometric openwork design that creates a lattice or trellis-like appearance
• Tip-to-Tip Construction: A shaping method that requires careful stitch management and increases/decreases to create the triangular shawl shape
• Blocking: Essential finishing technique to open up the lace pattern and set the final dimensions

Materials and Specifications

Yarn Requirements: The pattern calls for 425 yards (389 meters) of DK weight yarn. The sample shown was knitted in Zen Yarn Garden Serenity DK, a blend of 90 percent superwash merino and 10 percent cashmere, with 250 yards per 100 grams. This yarn choice provides both durability and luxury, with the cashmere component adding softness and the superwash merino ensuring easy care.

Gauge: The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 23 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in stockinette stitch after blocking. While the designer notes that gauge is not critical for fit since shawls are flexible garments, variations in gauge will affect the finished size and the total yardage required to complete the project.

Tools Required: US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles measuring 24 inches in length, or the size needed to achieve the specified gauge. Circular needles are used for this project to accommodate the increasing number of stitches as the shawl expands from the tip. Additional notions include one stitch marker for pattern tracking and a yarn needle for weaving in ends.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as advanced difficulty, making it suitable for experienced knitters who are comfortable with lace patterns, stitch markers, and the spatial reasoning required for tip-to-tip construction. The integration of lace into the edge while simultaneously shaping the shawl requires attention to pattern repeats and shaping instructions.