Sullivan Shawl
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Sullivan is a semi-circular shawl knit top-down and flat. You will received a pdf of the pattern.
Kathryn D. Sullivan is a geologist and oceanographer, a former NASA astronaut, the first U.S. woman to do a space walk, and the first woman to descend to the Challenger Deep. She is the first human ever to visit both space and the deepest known part of Earth’s oceans.
This shawl is inspired by Kathy’s adventures to the extremes of human travel; it plays on the echoes between deep sea and deep space. You’ll begin with the moon, our most familiar celestial object and the force behind the movement of the oceans. From there, trails of eyelets radiate outward, drawing on the visual similarities between stars and bubbles. You’ll finish with a simple lace that can be interpreted as both the cloud around a rocket blast and the froth under a sea-diving vessel as it descends. The final few rows return you to the texture of the moon, this time in a wave formation - a reminder that all things are connected, no matter how far apart they seem.
This pattern has been professionally tech edited and test knit.
Yarn: 1 skein of Forbidden Fiber Co. Pride LF (70% superwash Merino, 20% nylon, 10% Stellina), or 480 yards (439 m) of light fingering (yardage for swatching not included in estimate).
Needles: US5 (3.75 mm) circulars, or size to obtain gauge, long enough to accommodate a large number of stitches at the end; I used a set 40” (101cm) long.
Gauge: 24 sts is 4” (10 cm) in stockinette worked flat. Gauge is not critical, but please note that a change in gauge will change the yardage requirements for this piece. I recommend working at a gauge where your stockinette “holds together” and isn’t lacy; this will help accentuate the eyelets in the finished object.
Finished size: 50” (127 cm) wingspan, 28” (71 cm) depth.
Other Materials: 8 stitch markers plus 1 unique marker for the center, and your usual knit kit.
Skills: This shawl uses common stitches, and as such is accessible to beginning knitters. The pattern repeats are difficult to memorize, so this pattern is best for knitters comfortable following charts or detailed written instructions, or those who want to practice those skills.
Pattern: is written (all sections) and charted (some sections).
You will get a PDF (14MB) file