Seismic Shift Shawl (knit)

DIGITAL KNITTING PATTERN

Looking for the crochet version? It’s here.

The construction of this shawl takes its cue from how the Hawaiian Islands were formed as the tectonic plates slowly moved over volcanic hot spots, forming new islands along the way. Beginning at the top of the shawl, a small color block is followed by a section of stripes. Next, a second color block builds up on only one side of the center peak. Stitches are then picked up along the inner edge of the color block for more stripes, but this time with two peaks (or a single chevron) in the center. Another color block leads to a third peak (two chevrons), and so on. Each color block grows larger and larger, as the Hawaiian Islands have also done, in general. The chevrons in the center call to mind the erratic zig zags of waves on a seismometer.

TECHNIQUES

• Garter stitch
• Stripes
• Basic increasing and decreasing
• Very simple short rows (no wrapping & turning necessary!)
• Picking up stitches from a selvage edge

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Span: 66 in / 165 cm

Height at center: 20 in / 50 cm

GAUGE (after blocking)

20 sts / 40 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in garter stitch

MATERIALS

Light fingering weight yarn:

Color A: 375 yds / 343 m

Color B: 410 yds / 375 m

Shown in: Miss Babs Avon (85% merino, 15% silk; 490 yds / 448 m per 100g skein); 1 skein each in Reef Waters (A) and Dolphin Dive (B)

US 4 / 3.5 mm circular needle, 36 in / 91 cm

Tapestry needle

6 stitch markers