Sunday, July 17, 2011

Pyewacket: a shawl

This is a top-down shawl in a sort-of half-circle shape. There is a minute amount of lace in the pattern. The pattern is written line by line to preserve the mystery of when and where Pyewacket appears. Pyewacket is the cat in the movie "Bell, Book and Candle" starring James Stewart & Kim Novack.

Materials:
2 balls of Opal Hundertwasser sock yarn (original knit in color 1434)
or

2 balls of Schoppel Wolle Zauberball sock yarn (I used color 1536)

4.5mm circular needle or size needed to get gauge

Gauge:
5sts = 1" (unblocked)

Abbreviations:

W&T (wrap & turn)- bring yarn forward, between the needles. slip next st, return yarn back between the needles. turn work. slip st to right needle. work row as described in pattern.

M1 (make1)- an increase. In the case of this pattern, using right needle, pick up strand between just worked and next st, front to back. Knit this st as it lies. DO NOT Twist this st!!

SSK (slip, slip, knit)- a right leaning decrease. There are several ways to work this abbreviation. The method I used is this: slip next st knit-wise to right needle. slip next st knit-wise to right needle. wrap yarn around right needle as if to knit and lift the 2 slipped sts off the right needle. This looks much more complicated than it is.

Pattern:
Cast on 25 sts. Knit 2 rows.

**Next Row: K23, W&T. K to end.

K21, W&T. K to end.

K19, W&T. K to end.

K17, W&T. K to end.

K15, W&T. K to end.

K13, W&T. K to end.

K11, W&T. K to end.

K9, W&T. K to end.

K7, W&T. K to end.

K5, W&T. K to end.

K3, W&T. K to end.

K1, W&T. K to end.

K25, turn. K to end.

Repeat from ** five times more. (6 wedges total), but on final repeat, DO NOT knit back. Instead cast off 25, keeping last st on the needle. Rotate the piece and pick-up & P 1st for each ridge around the outside of the half-circle. [77sts]

Row 1 (right side): Sl1, K2, M1, K10, *M1, K1, M1, K12; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K10, M1, K3. [89sts]

Row 2 & all even rows: Sl1, K2, P to last 3 sts: K3.

Row 3: Sl1, K2, M1, K12, *M1, K1, M1, K14; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K2, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, K7, M1, K1, M1, K12, M1, K3. [101sts]

Row 5: Sl1, K2, M1, K14, *M1, K1, M1, K16; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K2, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, K7, M1, K1, M1, K14, M1, K3. [113sts]

Row 7: Sl1, K2, M1, K16, *M1, K1, M1, K18; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K5, yo, K3tog, yo, K10, M1, K1, M1, K16, M1, K3. [125sts]

Row 9: Sl1, K2, M1, K18, *M1, K1, M1, K20; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K18, M1, K3. [137sts]

Row 11: Sl1, K2, M1, (yo, K2tog) x10, *M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x11; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x5, K2, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, K1, (yo, K2tog) x2, M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x10, M1, K3. [149sts]

Row 13: Sl1, K2, M1, K22, *M1, K1, M1, K24; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K12, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, K5, M1, K1, M1, K22, M1, K3. [161sts]

Row 15: Sl1, K2, M1, K24, *M1, K1, M1, K26; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K15, yo, K3tog, yo, K8, M1, K1, M1, K24, M1, K3. [173sts]

Row 17: Sl1, K2, M1, K26, *M1, K1, M1, K28; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K26, M1, K3. [185sts]

Row 19: Sl1, K2, M1, K28, *M1, K1, M1, K30; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K25, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, M1, K1, M1, K28, M1, K3. [197sts]

Row 21: Sl1, K2, M1, (yo, K2tog) x15, *M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x16; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, (yo, k2tog) x12, K1, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x15, M1, K3. [209sts]

Row 23: Sl1, K2, M1, K32, *M1, K1, M1, K34; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K28, yo, K3tog, yo, K3, M1, K1, M1, K32, M1, K3. [221sts]

Row 25: Sl1, K2, M1, K34, *M1, K1, M1, K36; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K34, M1, K3. [233sts]

Row 27: Sl1, K2, M1, K36, *M1, K1, M1, K38; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, K31, M1, K3. [245sts]

Row 29: Sl1, K2, M1, K38, *M1, K1, M1, K40; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, K31, M1, K3. [257sts]

Row 31: Sl1, K2, M1, (yo, K2tog) x20, *M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x21; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K3, yo, K3tog, yo, K2, (yo, K2tog) x16, M1, K3. [269sts]

Row 33: Sl1, K2, M1, K42, *M1, K1, M1, K44; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K42, M1, K3. [281sts]

Row 35: Sl1, K2, M1, K44, *M1, K1, M1, K46; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K12, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, K27, M1, K3. [293sts]

Row 37: Sl1, K2, M1, K46. *M1, K1, M1, K48; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K12, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, K27, M1, K3. [305sts]

Row 39: Sl1, K2, M1, K48, *M1, K1, M1, K50; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K15, yo, K3tog, yo, K30, M1, K3. [317sts]

Row 41: Sl1, K2, M1, (yo, K2tog) x25, *M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x26; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x7, K8, (yo, K2tog) x14, M1, K3. [329sts]

Row 43: Sl1, K2, M1, K52, *M1, K1, M1, K54; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K52, M1, K3. [341sts]

Row 45: Sl1, K2, M1, K54, *M1, K1, M1, K56; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K54, M1, K3. [353sts]

Row 47: Sl1, K2, M1, K56, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, K50, *M1, K1, M1, K58; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K56, M1, K3. [365sts]

Row 49: Sl1, K2, M1, K58, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, K50, *M1, K1, M1, K58; repeat from * 2 times more; M1, K1, M1, K58, M1, K3. [377sts]

Row 51: Sl1, K2, M1, (yo, K2tog) x30, M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x2, K2, yo K3tog, (yo, K2tog) x26, *M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x31; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x30, M1, K3. [389sts]

Row 53: Sl1, K2, M1, K62, *M1, K1, M1, K64; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K62, M1, K3. [401sts]

Row 55: Sl1, K2, M1, K64, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, K58, *M1, K1, M1, K66; repeat from * 2 more times: M1, K1, M1, K64, M1, K3. [413sts]

Row 57: Sl1, K2, M1, K66, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, K58, *M1, K1, M1, K68; repeat from * 2 more times: M1, K1, M1, K66, M1, K3. [425sts]

Row 59: Sl1, K2, M1, K68, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K3tog, yo, SSK, K62, *M1, K1, M1, K70; repeat from * 2 more times: M1, K1, M1, K68, M1, K3. [437sts]

Row 61: Sl1, K2, M1, (yo, K2tog) x35, M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x2, yo, SSK, K5, (K2tog, yo) x30, K2tog, *M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x 36; repeat from * 2 more times: M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x35, M1, K3. [449sts]

Row 63: Sl1, K2, M1, K72, *M1, K1, M1, K74; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K72, M1, K3. [461sts]

Row 65: Sl1, K2, M1, K74, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, K68, *M1, K1, M1, K76; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K74, M1, K3. [473sts]

Row 67: Sl1, K2, M1, K76, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, K70, *M1, K1, M1, K78; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K76, M1, K3. [485sts]

Row 69: Sl1, K2, M1, K78, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K3tog, yo, SSK, K72, *M1, K1, M1, K80; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K78, M1, K3. [497sts]

Row 71: Sl1, K2, M1, (yo, K2tog) x 40, M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x3, K5, (K2tog, yo) x35, K2tog, *M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x41; repeat from * 2 times: M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x40, M1, K3. [509sts]

Row 73: Sl1, K2, M1, K82, *M1, K1, M1, K84; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K82, M1, K3. [521sts]

Row 75: Sl1, K2, M1, K84, *M1, K1, M1, K86; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K84, M1, K3. [533sts]

Row 77: Sl1, K2, M1, K86, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, K80, *M1, K1, M1, K88; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K86, M1, K3. [545sts]

Row 79: Sl1, K2, M1, K88, M1, K1, M1, K3, K2tog, yo, K3, yo, SSK, K80, *M1, K1, M1, K90; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, K88, M1, K3. [557sts]

Row 81: Sl1, K2, M1, (yo, K2tog) x45, M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x2, K2, yo, K3tog, yo, K3, (yo, K2tog) x40, *M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x46; repeat from * 2 times more: M1, K1, M1, (yo, K2tog) x45, M1, K3. [569sts]

Row 83: Sl1, K2, M1, K92, * M1, K1, M1, K94; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K92, M1, K3. [581sts]

Row 85: Sl1, K2, M1, K94, *M1, K1, M1, K96; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K94, M1, K3. [593sts]

Row 87: Sl1, K2, M1, K96, *M1, K1, M1, K98; repeat from * 3 times more: M1, K1, M1, K96, M1, K3. [605sts]

Row 88: Sl1, K2, P to last 3 sts: K3.

The shawl is complete, but do not break the yarn.

Edging:

CO 3 sts using the working yarn. The edging will match the edges of the shawl.

Right side rows: K2, SSK the last edging st together with the next shawl st.

Wrong side rows: K3.

When you come to the corners, to have the edge lay flat I advise working some extra rows on the edging. When the next shawl st is a st you’ve worked M1s on both sides of: work a right side row without joining. Work the wrong side row as normal. Work the next right side row as usual (joining the corner st) & the wrong side as well. Work another right side row without joining. Work the wrong side row as usual. Continue joining shawl sts & edging sts until you reach the next corner st and repeat as above.

Block the shawl using pins &/or wires as you normally would. Make sure to stretch it out to open up Pyewacket’s appearances. There are several good tutorials on shawl blocking both on Ravelry & on youtube. I don’t have a favorite to suggest so have a look at a number if you’ve never blocked a lace-ish piece.

I hope you enjoyed the knitting of it and will enjoy the wearing of it. Please leave comments here on the blog or drop me a line on Ravelry; I love comments. And this is the first shawl pattern I’m offering so any advice is more than welcome.

Sile

2 comments:

Deena Bo Beena said...

This looks interesting! I just wish you had more pictures of the finished object. nonetheless, I think I may just cast on and find out! :)

Síle said...

Deena, I have deliberately left this one a little vague to preserve the mystery of Pyewacket. Give it a go :)