Friday 22 April 2011

Mystic Forest shawl pattern

Inspired by nature itself, with its mysterious tree leaves and unknown undergrowth plants of a dark green forest, this lace shawl is just waiting to be knitted and become the best companion for chilly summer nights.
The shawl consists of the main section and the lace edging that is knitted onto the centre part using circular needles. The pattern has both lace charts and text instructions. Have fun!

Download the knitting pattern as a pdf file on Google Docs or Ravelry.




Oops! (Errata)
Rd1 of the written edging pattern should read:
[k5to3, k3, sk2p, k3] until last 4 sts of the side, k5to3, k1 to corner st

Not a tremendous issue, but one good tip slipped away from the pattern: for casting on the centre section, use needles one size larger than those for knitting, this will ensure the edge to stretch enough during blocking.



Below are some techniques explained. There are also more photos of the shawl at the bottom of this post.

Stretchy knitted cast-on
This technique looks more like making a crochet chain, but the edge will remain stretchy enough for blocking your knitwork.
Start with making a slipknot onto the left needle, knit a stitch out of it, but do not slip it off the needle yet. Place the newly made stitch onto the left needle next to the slipknot (first stitch), still not removing the right needle. Instead knit a next stitch by pulling the yarn through the same loop. Continue making the stitches onto the left needle.

Lace bobble (nupp)
Bobble in this pattern refers to ’nupp’ of Estonian lace knitting.
Knit 5 (or 7 or 9) stitches out of the same stitch while holding the stitch on the left needle and alternating knit stitches with yarnovers. Pull those new stitches at least 1 cm long, otherwise you will run into a lot of trouble on the WS row. Sharp pointed needles are also recommended for nupp making. Purl all strands together on WS row and pull the stitch tight around needle.

Knit 5 stitches into 3 stitches
Knit 3 stitches together without slipping them off the left needle and knit 5 stitches out of this loop as in making the bobble, but without pulling the stitches longer than usual. Purl all strands individually on WS row to have 5 stitches. The k2to3 is made similarly.

K2tog cast-off
This technique will ensure the other edge of the knitwork to be stretchy as well. Working with medium tension will be best.
Slip the first stitch and knit the second one, then place them both back to the left needle without removing the right needle from the loops and knit together through the back loops. Knit the next stitch and knit two stitches together the same way.

These knitting stitches and techniques are best described in books The Haapsalu Shawl, The Haapsalu Scarf and Knitted Lace of Estonia.













If this shawl seems too difficult or time-consuming, you could start with the much easier Allegretto shawl that is worked in one piece and uses a simpler stitch pattern, or the easy little Crinklie scarf.


46 comments:

  1. Kiitsin Ravelrys ja kiidan siin! Väga ebatavaline ja efektne rätik. Vaatasin Teie töid Etsys, vägevad pitsid! Edu ja jaksu edaspidiseks.

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  2. So gorgeous -- this is the shawl I hope to be able to knit well enough to make someday. It is perfection.

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  3. Thank you for the beautiful words!
    The shawl is not really that complicated, I do hope you'll knit it someday.

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  4. I have knit a lot (!!) of lace, but this is a design I can see myself making over and over. Thank you!

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  5. Thank you for your comment. Enjoy knitting, I hope to see your finished shawl!

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  6. So lovely, especially in your choice of colour! Downloading the pattern for after the Christmas knitting rush.

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  7. If knitting for charity, how long would it take me -- and would it be easy maintenance for recipient?

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  8. I did not take the exact time, but perhaps about 40 hours. The maintenance consists of handwashing and blocking - laying on a flat surface and fastening edges with pins to keep the shawl stretched while drying. But how often does one need to wash a shawl... Hope you'll decide to knit it!

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  9. Thank you, Grannie, merry Christmas time and the best after-Christmas-knitting-time!

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  10. Hi Tettidesign, I've finished knitting the central part of this beautiful shawl. I am having some problems with the edging though. The number of stitches instructed to pick up from each edge didn't match the pattern. 412 st from each long edge and 112 sts from each short edge do not divide evenly by 12 sts of pattern repeat. At the end of each edge I have 4 extra sts instead of 1 st for the corner. Did you make a mistake of adding 4 sts for the 4 corners 4times instead of once? Or did I not understand the pattern right? Can you please explain this? I"ll greatly appreciate it.

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  11. Thank you for choosing to knit this shawl and the large work you've done!
    If you have extra 4 sts in the corners, then everything should be correct. Each edge ending has those 4 sts in addition to the pattern repeats: 412-4=408 and 112-4=112, and 408 and 108 divide by 12.
    That can be seen on the chart, but the mistake seems to be in the written version: one k5to3 is missing from the end of the 1st round. So Rd1 of the edging pattern should read:
    [k5to3, k3, sk2p, k3] until last 4 sts of the side, k5to3, k1 to corner st

    Does this make sense now? Sorry for the error and thanks for pointing it out. I better check the other rows, too. Hope to hear further news about your progress with the edging!

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  12. Thanks for your prompt response. I am so glad I didn't undo the sts I picked up from the edges because it was a lot of work. I can carry on merrily now. I can't wait to finished knitting it so I can block it. I didn't have any dark color lace so I used white instead. So my shawl would be something more like a winter forest than a mystic forest :) Thanks for sharing the pattern.

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  13. Hi. I absolutely adore this pattern! Thank you so much for providing your talent with this for free! I am planning to begin this pattern shortly (within the next few days) and was looking over the printed pdf when I noticed a few things that I am unsure of.

    I am assuming that the pink additions in the chart are "options" for people to use? Not necessary to the finished product but perhaps a bit simpler for someone starting out but wanting to complete your beautiful shawl?

    I looked over the complete pdf and cannot find an explanation (or I completely missed it which would not be the first time I've done such a thing)

    I would like to know if the pink additions are completely necessary or if I can ignore them and simply use the black print/charts.

    Thank you so much again for the beautiful pattern! I will be posting it in Ravelry when I finish (I am not a fast knitter so it might be a while)

    Audrey (mom21 on Rav)

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  14. Thank you Audrey!
    Unfortunately the pink parts in the chart are necessary, but there's nothing complicated. They are replacing the "normal" black symbols in the beginning and at the end of the row, so they should be followed only at the beginning of the 1st pattern repeat and at the end of the last repeat.
    There is an explanation in the Notes section and also in the written pattern.

    I hope this helped a little, let me know if it's still confusing.

    Happy new beginnings and knittings in new year!

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  15. Alright. I will do that once I start.

    Thank you so much for such a prompt response! A new reason to love your pattern!

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  16. I saw this and said "I must have this!" But I want to bead it - maybe with crystals. What do you think? Good project to knit before winter.

    My mother had a piano shawl that was coral knitted lace from her Czech friend. The lace reminds me of it. I used to play with it.

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    1. Thank you! I think, beading is a great idea. For example, all nupps could be replaced by beads.

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  17. This shawl is beautiful, but I am having problems with the knit 5 to 3 stitches. Will you please explain. Thank you!!

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    1. Thank you, Diana!
      There is an explanation in this post between the first and the second photo, the best I can do to put it in other words: you insert the right needle through 3 sts as if to knit 3 together and pull the yarn loop through, but leave those 3 sts on the left needle and make a yarn over, then make another knit stitch through those 3 sts, yarn over again, and one more knit stitch - you'll have 5 new stitches, only then slip the 3 sts off the left needle.
      Good luck!

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  18. Thank you for your quick response back and for breaking it down for me. I now understand it better. Thanks for the pattern. :)

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  19. I teach a knitting class at my local public library and I would like to use this gorgeous pattern for the intermediate class project. May I use your pattern and if so, how much will a copy cost my students? My e-mail address is yakardnas@hotmail.com

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    1. This pattern is free for personal use and for educational purposes, so you and your students may use it free of charge. Very nice of you to ask, thanks. Sent an email as well.

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  20. I wonder would it be possible to purchase this scarf, because it's perfect!

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    1. Thank you so much, Patti! As a matter of fact, the sample shawl can still be purchased, since nobody hasn't done that yet. Here's the direct link to the shelf in my Dawanda shop: http://en.dawanda.com/product/22314313-Merinostola-in-dunkelgruen
      Let me know, if you have any questions. You can also use the e-mail button at the bottom right corner of the page.

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  21. Lovely pattern. May I use it to make a shawl for a silent auction to benefit a charity?
    Lizzie G

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    1. Thank you! Yes, you have my permission. I love good causes. Have a great knitting time!

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  22. This looks like a wonderful pattern. I also noticed that it is customisable. If knit exactly as written, what is the approximate size once blocked? Thank you.

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    1. The size of the sample shawl is 45 x 175 cm, approximately 17.5 x 69 inches. It is made of finer than the usual laceweight yarn. Knitting and blocking tension can, of course, also affect the final size. Thank you!

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    2. I'm wondering how hard a pattern this would be to do a triangular design...Any ideas? Thank you, ljweaver@live.com

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    3. I am not an expert on triangular shapes, but there is someone on Ravelry who has made it into a triangle, maybe she could help: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/slohne/mystic-forest

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  23. I am really enjoying this pattern. Thank you. I have just finished the center section and don't really understand the directions on how to pick up stitches. I'm good at picking up stitches, it's the 1_1_2 pattern that I'm having trouble wrapping my head around. Could you explain it further? Thanks again

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    1. Thank you for making this shawl!
      The 1-1-2 simply means that you pick up 2 sts from every third edge stitch:
      1 - pick up 1 sts from 1 edge stitch
      1 - pick up 1 sts from 1 edge stitch
      2 - pick up 2 sts from 1 edge stitch (e.g. 1 sts from each strand of the edge stitch).

      This way the edging will be wide enough to match the length of the centre part. Hope that helps a bit!

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    2. Thanks so much. It makes complete sense now.

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  24. BEAUTIFUL, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this pattern. May I ask what yarn you used for the sample. I LOVE the forest-green color especially with the leaf-like pattern of the shawl. I am definitely adding this to my queue, and probably moving some things down the list to make room for this. Absolutely gorgeous. Thank you!

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    1. Thank you for the kind words!
      This yarn is Merinos Extra by Titan Wool, probably not very widely known. It's cobweb weight and actuallly a bit too soft for shawls. Lamb wool would give a much better hold.

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  25. I would love to knit this for my sister but I am having trouble finding how much yarn to buy. Could you email me the number of skeins to buy. mholdgreve54@gmail.com thank you.

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    1. Thank you for your interest!
      The yarn required depends on the yarn weight. My sample shawl was knitted in cobweb weight and required 75 grams. If you are using lace weight, a bit more than 100 grams might be needed. I would buy 3 skeins of 50 grams in lace weight to be sure. Sent you an e-mail as well.

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  26. This is my first time knitting lace and it has been/is a learning experience. Three things that helped tremendously: The nupps nearly drove me crazt until I found 'Eazy Peazy Nupps' on Youtube.
    I made quite a lot of errors in the first few rows until I decided to put stitch markers between the pattern runs. this made it much easier to know when I had made a mistake and to correct it. It was very slow going for the first 7 pattern sets and I was despairing of every finishing this shawl in my life time. Then I Had an idea to write each row of instructions on an index card. Wow! The pattern was much easier to read and speeded things up dramatically. It also helped me to see and understand how the pattern worked. Now I am thoroughly enjoying knitting this shawl and know that I will finish it.

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  27. What an exquisite shawl, absolutely beautiful!

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  28. Hi there. Lovely lace shawl and I have mastered the central pattern but am puzzled by the edging scheme about where to start. Do I start on the 1st picked up stitches of the 12 pattern repeat in the box? I’m also puzzled by the “no stitch”. I love the shawl and am proud of myself for mastering it as I’m not an advanced knitter. I hope you can help me with this.
    Nina

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    1. Thank you for knitting the shawl. Where to start is a good question, had to think about it myself for a while.
      But yes, you start with the box of the 12 sts pattern repeat (kto3) right after a corner stitch.
      Then try to ignore the grey 'no stitch' squares, as they don't exist in reality, and continue to next white square. There will be more stitches on each next round due to increasing, but I could not draw out the pattern unless I left these empty squares on the first rounds. I am not at all sure that is now clearer...
      Hope it helps a little further!

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  29. Many thanks for your reply. However I’m still a bit unsure about the extra pick ups for the edging. Sorry to be thick! Do I need 2 extra stitches for each of the four corners? Many thanks. I will try and add a photo when finished as I have knitted in in dark green Botany lace and it is beautiful. Very proud as it’s my first lace
    Nina

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    1. You have done great so far. I know the edging can be confusing if not used to this traditional Haapsalu shawl method.
      Each corner should have 1 stitch - there is 1 white square on the 1st row of the edging pattern in corners.
      Good luck and hope to see the photo!

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  30. Hi there. Should the total number of picked up stitches around the edge be 1056 or 1052? Many thanks
    Nina

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    1. The stitch numbers mentioned in the pattern add up to 1048. I made it a long long time ago, but that should be correct.

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