renaissance stripes
A large lightweight rectangular shawl with stripes of lace and stranded knitting in a patchwork of harmonizing naturally dyed colors.
The sample shawl was knit on 2mm/US0 needles with the Renaissance Dyeing Main Range (now the Lã nollin Main Range): 75 x 25m/27yd skeins of artisan yarn, hand-dyed with traditional natural dyestuffs by Lã nollin in Isère in the French Alps.
The colors include indigo, madder, cochineal, weld, oak & Persian berry. The yarn is a 24/2 worsted 100% fine grade Merino superwash lambswool spun in Northern Italy. A kit is available here from Lã nollin.
This is a quite a challenging knit combining fine gauge, a wide complicated chart, 8 colors per row, lace knitting on RS and WS rows, trapping, and numerous color changes with ends to be spliced or dealt with alternatively!
Finished dimensions: approx. 68cm/27in x 195cm/77in
Needle sizes: 2mm/US0 for knitting the charts and 3mm/US2½ for the cast on and bind off
Approximate average gauge over the width of the shawl on 2mm/US0 needle:
20sts and 34 rows = 10cm/4in in stranded knitting and lace pattern
Approximate gauge for stranded knitting: 34sts and 34 rows = 10cm/4in on 2mm/US0 needle
Approximate gauge for lace knitting: 20sts and 34 rows = 10cm/4in on 2mm/US0 needle
Also included in the pattern is a detailed description of the color groups and distribution.
I divided the skeins into groups of related colors (see picture below), and made some changes as the project progressed - there are many possibilities for organizing the colors according to your own wishes!
The pattern is charted. The pdf contains 3 charts, short written instructions and tips, and a phototutorial on splicing. English and French versions of the pdf are available.
Renaissance Stripes is also available as part of the Indigo & madder eBook.
$7.00
