“Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of Magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden—in all the places.”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
All kinds of knitting is magic to me, but there is something different about lace! Taking only the simplest of tools, some needles and thread; fancy doilies have always intrigued me. Worked in a heavier yarn than the thread that doilies are typically made from, Ashes of Roses includes all the things that fascinate me about fancy lace knitting in a fingering weight shawl. Beads, nupps and the mysterious “no stitch” chart boxes make it exciting enough for the adventurous lace knitter, but really it is much easier than it looks, like magic!
Tutorials
Size
17″ [43 cm] deep, x 34″ [86 cm] wide at widest point.
Yarn
Ozifarmer’s Market Moolah 125 (80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon; 548yds [500 m] /125 grams [4.5 oz]), Pink Heath 1 skein.
Thanks to Ozifarmer for all her support!
Needles
US 5 [3.75mm]: 47″ circular needles to accommodate stitch count, or size needed to obtain gauge.
Notions
US 5 [3.75mm] Steel Crochet Hook for crochet bind off
US 16 [0.6mm] Steel Crochet Hook or size needed for bead placement.
200 size 6/0 beads.
Blocking wires
T-pins
Tapestry needle
Gauge
28 sts and 22 rows = 4 inches [10cm] relaxed after blocking in pattern.
Abbreviations
Please see our standard abbreviations.
B: k and bead: place bead on shank of 0.6mm crochet hook, k 1 st, sl st to the crochet hook, pull through bead and replace on right ndl
nupp:
Row 1 (RS): (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) into 1 st.
Row 2 (WS): p5tog.
P5tog – purl 5 sts together.
Pattern Notes
- 5-st-nupps create 5 sts from 1 on RS rows, and decrease to 1 st on WS rows (see instructions above).
- Stitch counts are variable throughout the pattern.
- When swatching using a gradient yarn, swatch using the opposite end from where you will begin your project; save your swatch as you might need it for the bind off.
- Sample used almost all of the suggested yarn.
- Gauge, while not critical to a shawl, will impact knitters yarn requirements and finished size.
- Pattern is charted only.
- Double yarn overs (2 sequential yos in a RS row) are worked on WS rows as p1, k1.
Charts
Chart A
revised on June 29, 2020

Chart B

Chart C

Key for Charts A, B & C
Bindoff Helper Chart
This chart is the only one that has the garter stitch edges on it. We did this because you work a 5-stitch cluster on each edge, and that includes the garter stitch.

Bindoff Helper Key
Shawl Instructions
Body
Using your favorite provisional CO, CO 3 sts.
Work 13 rows of garter stitch (k every row).
Turn work 90 degrees and pick up and p 6 sts along one long edge, turn work 90 degrees, pick up and k 3 stitches from provisional CO; 12 sts.
Set up row (RS): K3, *yo, k1, repeat from* to last 3 sts, k3; 18 sts.
Next row (WS): K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Starting with row 1 of Chart A, work charts A, B and C sequentially as follows, working reps of the area outlined in red (6 reps for Charts A and B, 14 reps for Chart C):
Odd Rows, 1 to 97 (RS): K3, work chart to last 3 sts, k3.
Even Rows 2 to 98 (WS): K3, p to last 3 sts, closing all nupps as you come to them by working a p5tog, k3.
Finishing
Chain Loop Edging
Following the “BO helper chart” or the written instructions here, BO as follows:
Using your size 5 crochet hook, gather 5 sts tog, ch 7, (gather 3 sts, ch 7) 4 times, gather 4 sts, ch 7, *gather 3 sts, ch 7, gather 4 sts, ch 7, (gather 3 sts, ch 7) 9 times, gather 4 sts, ch 7, repeat from * to last 24 sts, gather 3 sts, ch 7, gather 4 sts, ch 7, (gather 3 sts, ch 7) 4 times, gather 5 sts.
Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Pull yarn through last loop on crochet hook snuggly and weave in ends.
Blocking
Soak piece in lukewarm water for at least 30 minutes; roll in a towel to absorb most of the moisture. Using blocking wires (if desired) and t-pins, pin out as shown in photograph.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER – MARY E. ROSE
Mary learned to knit as a young child and it has had an impact on her life ever since. As a teen, when her friends were getting jobs at fast food restaurants, Mary worked at her LYS, where the hours and working conditions were much better.
As with many knitters, when she couldn’t find patterns for what she wanted to knit, she started designing her own.
She currently lives in Central Ohio with her three children, who also craft. She can be found on Ravelry and her blog, or with knitting needles in hand, guarding her stash.
I could not get charts B & C to download. What am I doing wrong?
Shirley
I’m not sure tbh. I just checked and they’re there.
Can you click each chart and then you should get it enlarged?
Such a nice design ! I have a lot of pleasure to knit it.
Best regards from Switzerland 😉
Nathalie
I agree – it’s such a pretty shawl!
I started one for my Mom using beads but I decided that beads aren’t right for her.
Maybe I should start again…
Ahah ! You read in my mind, that’s exactely what i am doing !
Maybe you should translate it in French, i think it’s a need !
that’s really helpful to hear! we do offer some patterns translated but this isn’t one of them.
thanks for your input though! it’s definitely good to hear 🙂
I just read and re-read all of the instructions before I finished winding off my yarn and no where do I find which method of centered double decrease did you use. Since there is more than one way to make that particular stitch, how did you do it?
Sorry it’s not clear 🙁
It’s described in our Standard Abbreviations (linked in the pattern) as:
slip 2 as if to knit 2 together, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over
Your PDF file down load is not working for this pattern.
I just tried it and it worked, so I’m thinking it’s related to a specific browser or version.
Can you give me more details?
Thanks!