Rite of Spring is a classic triangular top-down shawl.
In a twist it uses Estonian stitch patterns that are usually worked from the bottom up. But, they have been adapted to work the other way, so that you can use up every bit of your chosen yarn. The shawl contains lots of nupps; if you don’t like knitting them, they can be replaced by no. 6 seed beads, added using the crochet hook method.
The shawl is generously sized so that you can wrap yourself up in it to keep those March winds and April showers at bay.
The shawl is named for the beautiful ballet with music by Stravinsky and choreographed by Nijinsky, for the Ballet Russe.
Tutorials
Size
Finished size: 94″ (238 cm) x 44″ (112 cm)
Yarn
The Unique Sheep Kiri Fingering Weight (80% Merino 20% Tussah Silk): Spring Grass Gradiance, 1-300g set (6 50g skeins).
Needles
Size US 6 (4 mm): 36″ circular
Notions
Markers and removable markers; tapestry needle for sewing in ends, blocking pins
Gauge
18 sts x 27 rows = 4″ [10 cm] in lace pattern, blocked
Abbreviations
Please see our standard abbreviations.
Nupp
Row 1 (RS): [(k1, yo) 3 times, k1] all into the next st.
Row 2 (WS): P7 tog.
Pattern Notes
The shawl is worked top-down, starting from a garter stitch tab. The nupps used are 7-st nupps.
When working, it is important to ensure that the loops are worked loosely or you will not be able to get the needle through the loops on the return row.
If you find nupps fiddly, there is a good tutorial on creating them using a crochet hook here https://www.theyarnloop.com/index.php/article/midweek-masterclass-knit-nupps-a-crochet-hook.
Charts
Charts do not include WS rows; work these as in the written instructions.
If you prefer written instructions, you can get them at the bottom of the pattern.
Main Body
This is the same chart for both the Right Side and Left Side.
Border – Right Side
Border – Left Side
Shawl Instructions
CO 2 sts.
Row 1-6: K all sts.
Turn work 90 degrees and pick up 3 sts down one side of the strip in the “valleys” of the garter st. Pick up and knit a further 2 sts from the base of the strip (7 sts).
Body
Set up Row (WS) K2, p3, k2. (you may want to place markers). Using the charts or written instructions, work the center portion of the chart as follows:
Row 1 (RS): K2, yo, work Body chart, yo, k1 center st, yo, work Body chart, yo, k2
Continue in this manner, working Body lace Rows 2-36, then rep Rows 37-64, adding reps of the center 14-st rep, until there are 387 sts (193 sts on each side).
Border
Row 1 (RS): K2, work RS Border, k1, work LS Border, k2.
Row 2 (WS): K2, purl to last 2 sts, k2.
Repeat above 2 rows until entire border is worked, ending with a WS row.
BO all sts loosely using a lace bind off as follows: K2, BO 1 st, *sl st back onto LH needle, k2togtbl, repfrom * until all sts have been bound off. Cut yarn and pull cut end through the last st to fasten off.
Finishing
Wet block the shawl to the given dimensions in the schematic, pining out the bottom edge into scallops below the last nupp in each section (see photograph for placement). When dry unpin and weave in ends.
Written instructions
Please note: to make it easier to read, the center st is in blue.
Body of shawl
Row 1 (RS): K2, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k2.
Row 2 and all WS rows to 64: k2, p across all sts, knitting together the loops of any nupps in previous row, to 2 sts rem, k2
Row 3: K2, yo, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, yo, k2.
Row 5: K2, yo, k5, yo, k1, yo, k5, yo, k2.
Row 7: K2, yo, k7, yo, k1, yo, k7, yo, k2.
Row 9: K2, yo, k9, yo, k1, yo, k9, yo, k2.
Row 11: K2, yo, k11, yo, k1, yo, k11, yo, k2.
Row 13: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 15: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 17: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k7, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 19: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k9, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 21: K2, yo, k21, yo, k1, yo, k21, yo, k2.
Row 23: K2, yo, *k9, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k9*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 25: K2, yo, *k9, k2tog, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, ssk, k9*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 27: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, (k1, nupp) 2 times, k1, yo, ssk, k4, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 29: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, k3, nupp, k3, yo, ssk, k4, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 31: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k6, (k2tog, yo) 2 times, k1, (yo, ssk) 2 times, k6, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo,k2.
Row 33: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k6, (k2tog, yo) 2 times, k3, (yo, ssk) 2 times, k6, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 35: K2, yo, k35, yo, k1, yo, k35, yo, k2.
Row 37: K2, yo, *k6, (k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k6) 2 times, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 39: K2, yo, *k7, (k2, k2tog, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, ssk, k5) 2 times, k4*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 41: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k3, (k1, k2tog, yo, (k1, nupp) twice, k1, yo, ssk, k4) 2 times, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 43: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k4, (k2tog, yo, k3, nupp, k3, yo, ssk, k3) 2 times, k1, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 45: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k5, (k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k4) 2 times, k2, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 47: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k6, ((k2tog, yo) twice, k3, (yo, ssk) twice, k3) 2 times, k3, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 49: K2, yo, k49, yo, k1, yo, k49, yo, k2.
Row 51: K2, yo, *k6, (k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k6) 3 times, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 53: K2, yo, *k7, (k2, k2tog, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, ssk, k5) 3 times, k4*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 55: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k3, (k1, k2tog, yo, (k1, nupp) twice, k1, yo, ssk, k4) 3 times, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 57: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k4, (k2tog, yo, k3, nupp, k3, yo, ssk, k3) 3 times, k1, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 59: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k5, (k1, k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k4) 3 times, k2, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo,k2.
Row 61: K2, yo, *k3, k2tog, yo, k6, ((k2tog, yo) twice, k3, (yo, ssk) twice, k3) 3 times, k3, yo, ssk, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 63: K2, yo, k to center marker, yo, k1, yo, k to edge marker, yo, k2
Border Pattern
Row 1 (RS): K2, yo, k1, nupp, k2, (k3, nupp, k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, nupp, k2) repeat 12 times, k3, nupp, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, nupp, k3, (k2, nupp, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, nupp, k3) repeat 12 times, k2, nupp, k1, yo, k2.
Row 2 and all WS rows: k2, p across all sts until 2 sts rem, knitting together the loops of any nupps in previous row, k2
Row 3: K2, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, k3tog, (yo, ssk, yo, k1, nupp, k5, nupp, k1, yo, k3tog) 12 times, yo, ssk, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, (k2tog, yo, sssk, yo, k1, nupp, k5, nupp, k1, yo,) 12 times, k2tog, yo, sssk, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, k2.
Row 5: K2, yo, *k1, nupp, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, (cdd, yo, ssk, yo, k1, nupp, k3, nupp, k1, yo, k2tog, yo) 12 times, cdd, yo, ssk, yo, k1, nupp, k1*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 7: K2, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k3tog, ((yo, ssk) twice, yo, k1, nupp, k1, nupp, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k3tog) 12 times, (yo, ssk) twice, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, nupp, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, (sssk, yo, ssk yo, k1, nupp, k1, nupp, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo) 12 times, yo, ssk, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, k2.
Row 9: K2, yo, *k1, nupp, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, (cdd, (yo, ssk) twice, yo, k1, nupp, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo) 12 times, cdd, (yo, ssk) twice, yo, k1, nupp, k1*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 11: K2, yo, *k3, (yo, k2tog) 3 times, (k1, (ssk, yo) 3 times, k1, (yo, k2tog) 3 times) 12 times k1, (ssk, yo) 3 times, k3*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 13: K2, yo, *k5, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, (k1, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog) 12 times, k1, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, yo, k5*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
Row 15: K2, yo, *k5, yo, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, (k1, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog) 12 times, k1, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, yo, k5*, yo, k1, yo, rep from * to * once more, yo, k2.
About the Designer – Janine Le Cras
About the Designer – Janine Le CrasI learned to knit at my grandmother’s knee at the age of about 7 and knitted right through school and up until my children got to an age where they refused to wear hand knits. I started knitting again seriously, about 8 years ago after a hiatus of about 10 years. Then I discovered the online knitting community. Knitting on a small island in the middle of the English Channel can be rather lonely.
Thanks to the Internet I have rediscovered my knitting mojo, learned to spin, acquired a stash ( both yarn and fibre) bought a wheel and started designing in earnest – not necessarily in that order.
Since then I have been fortunate enough to have designs accepted by several publishers.
I have designed for Magknits, Knotions, and Yarn Forward and have had patterns published in several books including Knitting in the Sun, The Joy of Sox, and Sock Club.
I enjoy a wonderful working relationship with the Girls at the Unique Sheep and have designed several things showcasing their yarns including our ongoing series of lace shawl Mystery KALs inspired by classic children’s books.
I also have many designs available on Ravelry, and also a few now available via KCDesigns, ready to knit in the Knit Companion app.
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