Steam Heat

It’s a sizzling night. The heat is only outdone by the anticipation as I stare at a microphone set at center stage under a glaring spotlight. Covered by darkness, the orchestra awaits their cue. A woman glides into the light, and as she begins to sing and move with the music all the tiny beads and sequins in her dress glisten and sparkle and throw beams of light into the audience. This. This has always been one of my favorites scenes in a movie, almost any movie. Lucky for me it’s not an uncommon scene in movies from the 1920s to 1940s, as well as movies about that era.

This shawl is simple in form: a triangle knit from the top down, growing with right-side rows. It begins simply enough, with a basic tab cast on. It’s not long before the lace is joined by tiny cables, and scattered beads. By the end, the number of beads increases, and you’ll practically see steam rising from the heat of the speed of your needles as the stitches fly.

• Yarn: lace weight; 750, 1000 [1250, 1550, 1900] yards.
• Model: Malabrigo Silkpaca in Lettuce (color SA037) knit in third size; 420 yards in 50 grams; 70% baby alpaca, 30% mulberry silk.
• Gauge: 21 sts and 30 rows to 4 inches.
• Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm) for gauge.
• Crochet hook: US 13 (8.75 mm) hook, or size that will go through the center of beads.
• Beads: 400, 450 [525, 575, 650] size 8/0 seed beads.
• Finished sizes: 67.5 x 35.25, 76.75 x 40.5 [86 x 46, 95.25 x 51.5, 104.5 x 56.75] inches.
• Stitch instructions: Charted only.

If you want to knit the shawl yourself, you can get the pattern here.