SAGITTARIA SHAWL

By Vilma Vuori

The shawl is named after the arrowhead pattern in the shawl edging. The triangular shape also
reminds me of an archer drawing back the bow. Sagittarius is originally a Latin word meaning
armed with a bow and arrow. In Latin the word ending us is usually masculine and a word
ending a is feminine. Therefore, Sagittaria is a woman armed with a bow and arrow, a female
archer. So, when you are wearing this shawl you are figuratively carrying a bow and arrows
with you. Sagittaria is also a genus of water plants, including e.g. arrowheads.

This pattern is for personal use only; please do not sell items knitted with this pattern!

Copyright Vilma Vuori 2006

Materials and pattern notes

Yarn
You can knit the shawl from virtually any yarn: the thinner the yarn the lighter the shawl and
the smaller the pattern. The brown shawl in the picture (on the cover page) is made of Novita
Wool (100 % merino wool, 50 g = 135 m), and took approx. 160 g.

Needles
Pick about 2 mm bigger needles than recommended to the yarn. The size of the needles
depends on how tight or loose you knit: my knitting style is quite average, and with the shawl
in the picture I chose 5,5 mm needles when the recommendation for the yarn was 3,5 mm
needles.

Other materials
4 stitch markers, and a tapestry needle to weave in the yarn ends.

Finished Measurements
The size depends on the yarn, needles and gauge. The shawl in the picture (on the cover page)
is 200 cm x 90 cm, and the size can be easily adjusted by knitting less or more of rows 1-12 of
chart 2.

Pattern
Cast on loosely 9 sts with the style you prefer. For example, in Flower Basket Shawl designed
by Evelyn A. Clarke the stitches are cast on as follows: With contrasting waste yarn and crochet
hook, ch 4. With 2 strands of yarn held tog, pick up and knit 2 sts in the bumps on the back side
of the center 2 ch = 2 sts. Knit 8 rows. Next row: K2, pick up and knit 1 st in each of the 5 garter
ridges along selvedge edge of piece, unzip waste yarn chain to expose 2 sts at base of piece,
place these 2 sts onto left needle, k2 = 9 sts total. Knit once rows 1-10 of chart 1.
Start knitting chart 2. This is the central pattern of the shawl. In the shawl on the cover page
the rows 1-12 of chart 2 have been repeated 7 times. The size of the shawl can easily be adjusted
by repeating chart 2 fewer or more times. The main thing is that you knit all the rows of chart 2
before starting chart 3, so that the last row knitted before chart 3 is row 12.
When you have repeated chart 2 enough start chart 3. Knit rows 1-12 once and begin knitting
chart 4. Knit rows 1-14 of chart 4 once and continue by knitting the last chart, chart 5. Knit rows
1-10 of chart 5 once, and on the last row (row 10, WS) cast off sts loosely. Break yarn, but leave
a long tail just in case you would have to cast off sts more loosely after blocking.

Finishing
Soak the shawl in water for about 15-20 minutes. Wrap the shawl into towel and gently press it
to remove excess water. Lay the shawl flat and block it into shape. I strongly recommend
blocking the stole to the max to do justice to the lace pattern! Let the shawl dry thoroughly,
weave in ends of tails.

Copyright Vilma Vuori 2006

sisainen.villapaita@gmail.com

http://vilman.blogspot.com

Lace Charts
The charts include both right side and wrong side rows: The odd rows are knitted on the RS, and the chart is read from right to left. The
WS rows, the even rows, are worked from left to right. Note that in chart 1 and chart 2 the lace pattern continues also on the WS!

Copyright Vilma Vuori 2007

Copyright Vilma Vuori 2007