Rugged Knits Pattern Highlight: Cedar Bough
Cedar Bough is the last of my pattern highlights for Rugged Knits! I had a concept for this shawl long before I actually designed it and this is one of those that required a huge amount of swatching to figure out exactly how I wanted to achieve those geometric lines. In the end I settled on twisted stitches that are slipped on the wrong side, and the result is exactly what I hoped for. This is one of the pieces that I'm wearing the most from this collection. It's got a generous wingspan and looks great worn scarf-style, which is my favourite way to show off my shawls.
CONSTRUCTION
- This shallow triangle shawl is worked side-to-side using increases and decreases to create the shape.
- The lace edging is worked at the same time as the body of the shawl.
- A clean I-cord edging is applied to the top after completing the rest of the shawl for a neat finish.
- The twisted slip stitch pattern creates a dense, hard-wearing fabric.
FIT
- The shawl has a generous 71 in/180.5 cm wingspan, so it can be wrapped around a bunch or draped for elegant warmth.
YARN
I picked Quince and Co. Tern, a fingering weight silk/wool blend with a tight twist and a bunch of plies. Not only is the stitch definition amazingly crisp, but the silk adds a tiny bit of shine that makes the surface design pop even more.
TIPS FOR SUBSTITUTING
- To get the full effect, choose a tightly-twisted plied yarn with a bit of something shiny in it like silk, cotton, or even mohair if you want a little halo.
- A good, sturdy hand dyed sock yarn could be lovely if you want a bit of a watercolour effect.
- Sincere Sheep Agleam could be a lovey choice - it's a Tencel/Merino blend.
MY FAVORITE DETAIL
This one is all about the surface design. It isn't exactly a detail, more the main event, but I love those geometric lines.
GENERAL TIPS
Because the fabric is so dense, this takes a bit more yarn and time than you might think looking at the photos, but it's worth it in the end!
Be sure to use the hashtags #RuggedKnits, #CedarBoughShawl, and #AndreaRangelKnits when you post pics of your Cedar Bough shawl!
PATTERN DETAILS
Finished Measurements
71” (180.5 cm) wide and 243⁄4” (63 cm) long
Yarn
1215 yd (1111 m) fingering weight (#1 Super Fine).
Shown here: Quince & Co. Tern (75% American wool, 25% silk; 221 yd 202 m/50 g): color #404 Seaweed, 6 skeins.
Needles
Size U.S. 5 (3.75 mm): 32” (80 cm) long circular (cir).
Size U.S. 4 (3.5 mm) pair of double-pointed (dpn) for I-cord edging.
Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Notions
Markers (m); tapestry needle; blocking wires.
Gauge
28 sts and 35 rows = 4” (10 cm) over Twisted Sts patt (Charts 1–8) using larger needles, blocked.