There'd Been A Flood

I said there’d been a flood.

I said there’s nothing left.

I hoped that you would come.

I gave you my address.

-- The Letters lyrics and music by Leonard Cohen

There’d Been A Flood is a square shawl that begins life as a traditional triangular shawl with a garter tab start. Additional triangles are started after a few rows, creating space for the neck and allowing the shawl to hang smoothly over the shoulders. The unique lace motifs use double and quadruple yarn overs for a dramatic fabric effect. Beads are entirely optional, but when used give the shawl additional drama and weight.

Materials Needed:

- @475 yards of light fingering weight yarn

- 4mm (US 6) needle or size needed to make gauge

- 58 stitch markers to mark edge and between-wedge stitches plus motif repeats (optional but recommended)

- 612 size 6/0 beads (optional)

- 0.5mm steel crochet hook for placing beads (optional) depending upon the opening of your beads, you may be able to use a 0.6mm/US 12 hook

Gauge: 20 sts x 32 rows = 4”/10cm in stocking stitch unblocked

Note that I do not consider gauge essential for shawls. Rather, I recommend getting a fabric you like and going from there. However, if you have a limited amount of yarn then matching the pattern gauge is important.

Gauge is given for the unblocked fabric because the rate of blocking varies between people.

Pattern Instruction Format:

The pattern is entirely written; you do not need to refer to the charts to work this pattern.

The pattern is entirely charted; you do not need to refer to the written instructions to work this pattern.