Jen Shawl KAL for Invest in ME Research

When I discovered that 12 May is M.E. Awareness Day and that there were other people in the community who were fundraising I decided to give it a go. This is what I came up with, a pattern for a shawl. All proceeds will go to the charity: Invest in ME Research.

It is a quick knit, pictured here in Regia Design Line Kaffe Fassett Sugared Almonds and uses 100 g yarn. The appeal is not only the soft, squishy yarn in simple garter stitch but also the lace border. It has an eight row repeat which is easy to learn by heart after a few repeats. Also with cast on and bind off rows which have only 10 stitches respectively I know it is going to be popular with a lot of people.

The shape when opened out is a long, shallow triangle. If you use 100g yarn then it is a light accessory to throw over the shoulders when it is a bit chilly. However it is also ideal for cold weather because it can be tied as in the picture and therefore keeps all the cold air away from your neck, closing all gaps. It is nevertheless lightweight. You could of course make it larger by using more yarn.

The next surprise is the simple construction. Once you have the lace border and the rhythm of increases set up you keep going until you have used up just less than 50 % of your yarn by weight. I stopped increasing at 48 g, knitted straight without increases but including the border for one repeat and then continued the border repeat this time with decreases where there were previously increases.

The pattern is an adaptation of a Norwegian design called a Bactus. (See my previous blog post with free instructions for a simple shawl without lace border).

I have set up a facebook page for the KAL KAL for Invest in ME Research

100% of the proceeds from this pattern go to Invest in ME Research.
The pattern is available to purchase through ravelry: Buy pattern on ravelry or etsy: Buy pattern on etsy.com

Feel free to take part in the KAL by doing the easy Bactus style shawl instead. All you need to do is to donate via my JustGiving page instead:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/laura-whittington4

Link to the Beginner's Bactus Style Shawl: http://knittingemporium.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/baktusis-toothtrollfrom-norwegian.html

To knit the Jen Shawl you will need:

Yarn:
I have used Opal undyed (100g/420m) hand dyed in my own colour scheme but you could use any of the yarns I have listed:

Regia Design Line - Sugared Almonds - Kaffe Fassett (03772) (100 g/420 m): one skein (shown above)
or
Regia Design Line - Island - Arne and Carlos (03765) (100g/420 m): one skein
or
The Florist Collection Sock Yarn by West Yorkshire Spinners - Forget-me-not (801) (100g/400m): one skein.
or
Drops Alpaca Uni Color (3620) 100% alpaca 4ply (50g/167m): two skeins for a small shawl or up to four skeins for a larger version of the shawl shown.

Gauge:

Gauge is not crucial for this project. My gauge is 24 sts and 40 rows measure 10 cm square (4 inches square) in garter stitch using 3.5 mm needles (US 4) after blocking.

Finished size:  32 cm at widest point x 154 cm long after blocking. The size is easily adjustable if you would like to make it larger but would then require more yarn.

Materials:
3.5 mm knitting needles (US 4) or size needed to get the fabric you want. It should feel slightly looser than usual to make the shawl soft and give it drape.
Tapestry needle
Stitch marker