Sandbloom - asymmetrical textured crescent shawl

This design was originally created in collaboration with SS of Krityum Handmades, a BIPOC indie yarn dyer and notions maker.

Have you ever seen a desert in bloom? Many people think of a barren, punishing land when they think of a "desert". Yet in the Mojave Desert surrounding my hometown, Las Vegas, the landscape comes alive after a rainstorm. Hardy, spiky cacti suddenly sprout delicate, bright flowers that last for a few glorious days in the sun before fading into memory. This shawl is inspired by various flowering plants in the Mojave. The textured stitch patterns evoke barrel cacti, sagebrush branches, and prickly pears while the shape mimics the asymmetrical, yet beautiful, way that these plants propagate.

The pattern is written for two sizes/weights: a cozy DK weight shawlette, and a full-size fingering weight shawl. Both versions can be worked in either one or two colors, for a total of four possible shawls! Stitch counts and repeat numbers will be indicated in the format [ fingering (DK) ].

Materials

Two 100g skeins of yarn, MC and CC (if making a one color shawl, both skeins are the same colorway)

• 40" or longer circular needle
• removable stitch marker

Yarn/Needle Size

fingering weight - 2 100g/460y skeins of Rozaana Socks, US5/3.75mm

DK weight - 2 100g/225y skeins of Cozy Sweater Light, US7/4.5mm

Techniques

This pattern is intended for an advanced beginner or intermediate knitter with experience with simple lace techniques (yo, k2tog, ssk), picking up stitches, and slipping stitches. Written instructions are provided for decreases and increases beyond the basics.