Secret Fish Shawl

Secret Fish Shawl is an “any yardage, any gauge” type of project. This tip-to-tip shawl pattern can be adjusted to almost any amount of yarn - just weigh it in the beginning, knit with increases along one edge until roughly half of yarn is used, then start mirrored decreases.

Why Secret Fish? Sometimes a design takes on a life of its own. Here the stitches twisted and curved until a little school of fish was swimming across my knitting. Look closely and you’ll spot nupps for eyes and cables flicking into tails!

The pattern features traveling and wrapped stitches, nupps, a bit of cables and garter. Directions are both charted and written out. Videos for tricky techniques provided.

Yarn

• DK weight yarn, 245 (490, 735)yds / 224 (448, 672) m or 1 (2, 3) 100g skeins
• OR use another weight and yardage!
• Sample shawl: Sylvan DK by Camellia Fiber Co. (70% alpaca, 20% silk, 10% cashmere; 246yds / 224m, 3.5oz / 100g), in color Moonflower
• Solid to tonal colorways will show the stitch pattern best

Needles and Gauge

• The gauge is not crucial for this pattern. Swatch and pick the gauge and needles that give you the fabric you like.
• To fit into the specified yardage for DK weight, use US 6 / 4mm needles or the size needed to obtain the gauge below
• 25sts and 34 rows in 4” / 10cm in DK in stockinette, unblocked
• 23sts and 32 rows in 4” / 10cm in DK in stockinette, blocked

Size

• Size will change depending on your gauge, yardage, and number of pattern repeats. Numbers below are approximate and given for reference in DK weight.
• Small (Medium, Large), adjustable
• Length 51 (75, 91)“ / 130 (190, 230)cm plus tassels
• Width at the widest point 6.7 (9.5, 11.5)“ / 17 (24, 29)cm
• Shown in size Medium

Construction

• The shawl is worked flat from tip to tip.
• Increases made along one side shape the first half of the shawl, and mirrored decreases - the second.
• You can adjust the size of the finished shawl to your liking by making fewer or more repeats of the pattern.
• The edges are worked in garter stitch.
• Optional tassels can be added to the tips of the shawl for a more playful look.