Desiderata Shawl

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.[]

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy. ”

Desiderata, by Max Erhamann.

Desiderata is a semicircular shawl worked from side to side. Body and edge are worked simultaneously and shaping is made by increasing and decreasing stitches at the body bottom edge.

The garter stitch used for the body is coupled with a delicate and minimal edge, combining cabling and lace, resulting in a simple and elegant shawl.

The width of the shawl can be easily modified by increasing the number of repetitions in the central part.

Please note that the cable can be easily worked without the use of a cable needle.

Size

Finished Size: 58.25” wide and 17.75” deep/148 cm wide and 45 cm deep

Yarn

Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfine (100% merino; 175 yards [160 meters]/50 grams): 589 Grey, 7 balls

Needles

Size US 4 (3.5 mm): straight or 24” circular

Notions

Markers; cable needle (please note that the cable can be easily worked without the use of a cable needle); tapestry needle.

Gauge

23 sts and 42 rows = 4” [10 cm] in Garter st after wet blocking.

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

1/1 LC: sl 1 st onto cn, hold to front, k1, k1 from cn.

1/1 RC: sl 1 st onto cn, hold to back, k1, k1 from cn.

1/1/1 RPC: sl 2 sts onto cn, hold to back, k1, sl 1 st from cn to left ndl and hold cn to front, p1, k1 from cn.

See our tutorial for instructions on working cables without a cable needle.

Chart

Pattern Notes

The body begins with increases on every second row, then every four rows, while working the cable edge. The central part is then worked even, with no increases/decreases. The body then decreases, first every four rows, then every second row until the BO.

Shawl Instructions

Using long tail CO method, CO 37 sts.

Set up Row: K34, pm, k to end.

First Increase section

Start working the body and the edge simultaneously as follows:

Row 1 (RS): K3, m1L, sm, work edge (from chart or written instructions below).

Row 2 (WS): Work edge, sm, p1, sl3.

Row 3: K3, k to m, m1L, sm, work edge.

Row 4: Work edge, sm, p1, k until 3 sts rem, sl3.

Rep Rows 3-4  until you have worked 3 reps of the edge chart.

Second Increase section

Continue working body as follows, while continuing to work edge:

Row 1 (RS): K3, k to m, sm, work edge.

Row 2 (WS): Work edge, sm, k until 3 sts rem, sl3.

Row 3: K3, k to m, m1L, sm, work edge.

Row 4: Work edge, sm, p1, k until 3 sts rem, sl3.

Rep Rows 1-4 until you have worked 3 reps of the edge chart (6 total from the beg).

Center section

Work body as follows, while continuing to work edge:

Row 1 (RS): K3, k to m, sm, work edge.

Row 2 (WS): Work edge, sm, k until 3 sts rem, sl3.

Rep Rows 1-2 until you have worked 5 reps of the edge chart (11 total from the beg).

First Decrease section

Work body as follows, while continuing to work edge:

Row 1 (RS): K3, k to 2 sts before m, ssk, sm, work edge.

Row 2 (WS): Work edge, sm, p1, k until 3 sts rem, sl3.

Row 3: K3, k to m, sm, work edge.

Row 4: Work edge, sm, k until 3 sts rem, sl3.

Rep Rows 1-4 until you have worked 3 reps of the edge chart (14 total from the beg).

Second Decrease section

Work body as follows, while continuing to work edge:

Row 1 (RS): K3, k to m, ssk, sm, work edge.

Row 2 (WS): Work edge, sm, p1, k until 3 sts rem, sl3.

Repeat Rows 1-2  until you have worked 3 reps of the edge chart (17 total from the beg), ending the last rep on a Row 31 (RS).

BO all sts on WS.

Edge instructions

Row 1 (RS): K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p2, k1, p2, k2, sk2psso, k2, p2, k1, p2, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k tbl x 2, k1 (32 sts)

Row 2 (WS): Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k2, m1R, p1, k2, p5, k2, p1, m1L, k2, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2 (34 sts)

Row 3: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p3, k1, p2, k1, sk2psso, k1, p2, k1, p3, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1 (32 sts)

Row 4: Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k3, m1R, p1, k2, p3, k2, p1, m1L, k3, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2 (34 sts)

Row 5: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p4, k1, p2, sk2psso, p2, k1, p4, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1 (32 sts)

Row 6: Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k4, m1R, (p1, k2) x 2, p1, m1L, k4, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2 (34 sts)

Row 7: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p5, 1/1 LC, p3, 1/1 RC, p5, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 8: Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k6, p1, k3, p1, k6, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2.

Row 9: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p6, 1/1 LC, p1, 1/1 RC, p6, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 10: Rep Row 8.

Row 11: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p7, 1/1/1 RPC, p7, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 12: Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k7, p1, k1, p1, k7, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2.

Row 13: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p6, 1/1 RC, p1, 1/1 LC, p6, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 14: Rep Row 8.

Row 15: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p6, k1, p3, k1, p6 k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 16: Rep Row 8.

Row 17: Rep Row 9.

Row 18: Rep Row 12.

Row 19: Rep Row 11.

Row 20: Rep Row 12.

Row 21: Rep Row 13.

Row 22: Rep Row 8.

Row 23: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p5, 1/1 RC, p1, k1, p1, 1/1 LC, p5, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 24: Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k5, (p1, k2) x 2, p1, k5, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2.

Row 25: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p4, k2tog, p2, yo, k1, yo, p2, ssk, p4, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 26: Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k4, p1, k2, p3, k2, p1, k4, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2.

Row 27: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p3, k2tog, p2, (k1, yo) x 2, k1, p2, ssk, p3, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 28: Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k3, p1, k2, p5, k2, p1, k3, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2.

Row 29: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p2, k2tog, p2, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p2, ssk, p2, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 30: Sl1 wyf, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2, k2, p1, k2, p7, k2, p1, k2, p1 tbl x 2, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl x 2.

Row 31: K1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, p2, k1, p2, k7, p2, k1, p2, k1 tbl x 2, p1, 1/1 LC, p1, k1 tbl x 2, k1.

Row 32: Rep Row 30.

Finishing

Cut yarn and pull through last stitch. Weave in all ends, wash and block to final measurements (see schematic).