Sofronia

Yarn: any weight, any amount; fingering weight used in sample shown
Shown in Skeinny Dipping Yarn Single & Squooshy (100% superwash merino wool; 400 yds./366 m per 4 oz./114 g skein) in Rhinebeck 2017, one skein (Note: This was a special-edition colorway that is no longer available. If you are looking for something similar, Malaria Dreams is a very close substitute)

Needles: US 5, or size that gives you a fabric you like

Gauge: 20 stitches and 41 rows = 4 in./10 cm in garter stitch, blocked
Note: Gauge is less critical than getting a fabric you like. Adjust your needle size as needed to achieve your ideal fabric.

Notions:

• Seed beads in a size appropriate to yarn (size 6/0 or 8/0 for fingering weight)
• Yarn needle
• Small crochet hook or other tool to apply beads
• Kitchen or jewelry scale (optional)

The ultimate in comfort knitting is a shawl in garter stitch: Every row is knit, gauge is less critical than the finished fabric, and any finished size is the perfect size. Sometimes, though, garter stitch needs to be dressed up a bit. This shawl combines the ease of garter stitch with the bling of beaded bobbles. Even better? You can use any skein of yarn in any weight -- just adjust your needle size to get a fabric you like.

To knit this shawl, you need to know how to:

• knit and purl,
• work knit front and back (kfb) and knit front/back/front (kfbf) increases,
• work a double decrease (sk2p), and
• place a bead on a stitch.

The beads placed on the bobbles are optional; instructions are given in the pattern for omitting them. The size of the beads should be appropriate to the weight of yarn used. For fingering weight, size 6/0 or 8/0 seed beads are recommended. A small crochet hook or other tool to apply the beads will be used to add the beads to an individual stitch (beads are not pre-strung).

This shawl is intended to be knit until you are almost out of yarn or are happy with the size. A kitchen or jeweler’s scale can be helpful if you are trying to maximize your yarn usage.

This pattern has been professionally tech edited.