Kuda
If you’ve always thought of lace knitting as too serious or complicated, this shawl is meant for you!
Kuda is a fun and playful take on lace, designed to be enjoyable at every step of the way.
It is knit top-down in a three-quarter square shape that stays securely over your shoulders. There is no lace patterning on WS rows - perfect for peaceful knitting. Choose between 3 sizes - small (shawlette), medium and large (see tester photos).
You can see a video of the shawl here.
Kuda means “umbrella” in my mother tongue, and inspiration comes from my favourite season - the Indian monsoon! Dark clouds roll in over the horizon, the temperature drops, the fresh smell of wet earth begins to rise, and warm drops splatter, followed by cool sheets of rain. That’s when a myriad umbrellas (usually black!) appear and bob about on the streets.
In the shawl body, eyelet columns flow downwards like streaks of rain on an umbrella. The slanting spines and the geometric lines in the border echo the shapes of umbrella ribs. Pastel colours in stripes and border represent more contemporary umbrella shades, as well as fresh new shoots and flowers after rain. Pearl-finish beads along the lower edge sparkle like raindrops.
I designed Kuda during the time of strict Covid lockdown, when I needed something both soothing and satisfying. As I knitted, I began to feel a deep emotional connect with the shawl, and while working through the sections, I felt I was passing from a place of darkness into hopefulness and light.
Hope it brings you peace and joy too!
Skill level: Advanced beginner / Intermediate
Shawl sizes: Small (Medium, Large)
Top edge: 42 (54, 62)” / 107 (137, 157) cm
Straight lower edge (back center when worn): 27 (37, 43)” / 64 (94, 109) cm
Complete lower edge: 81 (111, 129)” / 206 (282, 328) cm
Height (blue arrow): 19 (23, 27)” /48 (58, 69) cm
Yarn
Light fingering weight yarn, 547 yds/500 m/100g in 5 colors: Main color (MC), A, B, C (stripes) and D (border).
Yarn requirements for size S (M, L)
MC: 192 (310, 540) yds
A: 19 (26, 33) yds; B: 9 (11, 14) yds; C: 12 (16, 20) yds
D: 133 (170, 208) yds.
Shawl in photos is size medium and used acrylic light fingering in colors MC: black, A: teal, B; pale pink, C: light green, D: beige.
Note: You can use fingering, sport or lace weight yarn with suitable needles, but gauge and yarn requirements will differ. Testers used both fingering and light fingering yarn.
Needles & notions
3mm circular needle (40” or longer), US size-4 3.5mm needle for bind off, 10 stitch markers, tapestry needle. Beading: 0.7mm crochet hook (or needle and thread), for S (M, L): 120 (150, 180) 3.5mm 6/0 seed beads. Shawl in photo used pearl finish beads.
Gauge
Approx. 20 sts and 24 rows = 4” in St st, unstretched and unblocked, with 3mm needles.
Change needle size if needed, to obtain gauge. Gauge is not critical but will affect the yardage and finished size.
Instructions
Pattern is available in both written and charted form. In addition, for the more visually oriented, I have provided tables which clearly delineate sections for each row.
If you’d like to see more photos, please see my Instagram feed: @padma.r1
There will be more photos, videos and progress shots of the shawl coming up there :)
This pattern is a part of the Monsoon Memoirs collection by Indesco (Indian Designers’ Collaboration).
Kuda is a fun and playful take on lace, designed to be enjoyable at every step of the way.
It is knit top-down in a three-quarter square shape that stays securely over your shoulders. There is no lace patterning on WS rows - perfect for peaceful knitting. Choose between 3 sizes - small (shawlette), medium and large (see tester photos).
You can see a video of the shawl here.
Kuda means “umbrella” in my mother tongue, and inspiration comes from my favourite season - the Indian monsoon! Dark clouds roll in over the horizon, the temperature drops, the fresh smell of wet earth begins to rise, and warm drops splatter, followed by cool sheets of rain. That’s when a myriad umbrellas (usually black!) appear and bob about on the streets.
In the shawl body, eyelet columns flow downwards like streaks of rain on an umbrella. The slanting spines and the geometric lines in the border echo the shapes of umbrella ribs. Pastel colours in stripes and border represent more contemporary umbrella shades, as well as fresh new shoots and flowers after rain. Pearl-finish beads along the lower edge sparkle like raindrops.
I designed Kuda during the time of strict Covid lockdown, when I needed something both soothing and satisfying. As I knitted, I began to feel a deep emotional connect with the shawl, and while working through the sections, I felt I was passing from a place of darkness into hopefulness and light.
Hope it brings you peace and joy too!
Skill level: Advanced beginner / Intermediate
Shawl sizes: Small (Medium, Large)
Top edge: 42 (54, 62)” / 107 (137, 157) cm
Straight lower edge (back center when worn): 27 (37, 43)” / 64 (94, 109) cm
Complete lower edge: 81 (111, 129)” / 206 (282, 328) cm
Height (blue arrow): 19 (23, 27)” /48 (58, 69) cm
Yarn
Light fingering weight yarn, 547 yds/500 m/100g in 5 colors: Main color (MC), A, B, C (stripes) and D (border).
Yarn requirements for size S (M, L)
MC: 192 (310, 540) yds
A: 19 (26, 33) yds; B: 9 (11, 14) yds; C: 12 (16, 20) yds
D: 133 (170, 208) yds.
Shawl in photos is size medium and used acrylic light fingering in colors MC: black, A: teal, B; pale pink, C: light green, D: beige.
Note: You can use fingering, sport or lace weight yarn with suitable needles, but gauge and yarn requirements will differ. Testers used both fingering and light fingering yarn.
Needles & notions
3mm circular needle (40” or longer), US size-4 3.5mm needle for bind off, 10 stitch markers, tapestry needle. Beading: 0.7mm crochet hook (or needle and thread), for S (M, L): 120 (150, 180) 3.5mm 6/0 seed beads. Shawl in photo used pearl finish beads.
Gauge
Approx. 20 sts and 24 rows = 4” in St st, unstretched and unblocked, with 3mm needles.
Change needle size if needed, to obtain gauge. Gauge is not critical but will affect the yardage and finished size.
Instructions
Pattern is available in both written and charted form. In addition, for the more visually oriented, I have provided tables which clearly delineate sections for each row.
If you’d like to see more photos, please see my Instagram feed: @padma.r1
There will be more photos, videos and progress shots of the shawl coming up there :)
This pattern is a part of the Monsoon Memoirs collection by Indesco (Indian Designers’ Collaboration).
Save
Share
Tweet
