Wildside

Wildside Shawl by Mary-Anne Mace

Project Overview

Wildside is an intermediate-level knitted shawl designed by Mary-Anne Mace. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a generously sized crescent shawl measuring 247 cm wide and 58 cm deep (97 x 23 inches), making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or wearing as a wrap. The shawl showcases elegant construction techniques combined with beautiful drape characteristics.

What Is Being Made

A crescent-shaped shawl worked from a stretchy garter tab foundation that gradually expands through strategic increases to create the distinctive curved silhouette. The finished shawl features a stockinette stitch body with decorative increases integrated throughout to enhance the crescent shape and visual interest of the finished piece.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The pattern calls for Farbmasche Merino/Silk yarn, a luxurious blend consisting of 50% Merino wool and 50% silk. This yarn weight is classified as lace weight, with 800 metres (875 yards) per 100 grams. The illustrated colorway is New Green. The shawl shown in the pattern used approximately 770 metres (842 yards) of yarn, leaving minimal yardage requirements for this design.

Needles and Tools

• 3.75 mm circular needle, 100 cm (40 inches) or longer
• 3-4 mm cable needle

Gauge and Finished Dimensions

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 19 stitches and 28 rows over a 10 cm (4 inch) square in the stockinette stitch section. One repeat measures approximately 9.5 cm wide after blocking, providing a reference point for tracking progress throughout the project.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

Wildside employs several key techniques to achieve its elegant crescent shape and professional finish:

• Stretchy Garter Tab Foundation: The shawl begins with a garter stitch tab that provides a flexible, elastic cast-on edge to prevent restriction at the starting point.
• Strategic Edge Increases: Throughout the pattern, 2 stitches are increased at each edge on right-side (RS) rows, totaling 4 increases per RS row. On wrong-side (WS) rows, 1 stitch is increased at each edge, totaling 2 increases per WS row. This creates 6 additional stitches every second row through side increases alone, driving the width expansion.
• Loose Edge Stitches: Edge stitches are worked loosely to ensure a neat, flexible selvage that will not pucker or restrict the shawl's drape.
• Lifted Increases: Additional increases are strategically placed throughout the stockinette stitch section to aid the crescent shaping. The lifted increase technique is employed, with the pattern specifically noting the right lifted increase method.

Stitches Used

The primary stitches featured in this pattern include garter stitch for the foundation tab and stockinette stitch for the main body. Lifted increases are used decoratively and functionally throughout the stockinette sections to create shaping and visual texture.

Skill Level

Classified as intermediate difficulty, this pattern is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are comfortable working increases, managing a large number of stitches on circular needles, and understanding how shaping techniques affect garment construction.