Sansonnet (Free Pattern)

The knitting I brought on my trip to Sidney didn’t get nearly as neglected as I’d predicted. I thought knitting moments would be scarce but there were long car rides once there, and obviously there was a LOT of time to knit on those plane rides. Still, I didn`t manage to make enough progress to even come close to having a finished shawl to wear for the wedding. So, since I was improvising the pattern as I went along in the first place, I picked up the needles again in Canada and started adding stripes and a bit more color. The yarn, Debbie Bliss Angel, is wonderful ; it’s softer on my neck than Rowan Kidsilk Haze (which always itches a bit on me, as does most mohair) and has generous yardage. I’m just not 100% convinced this combination of stitches and this shape works for me... or at least I much prefer it worn on the body than stretched out on a table. In fact this is one of those time where I’m grateful for knitting photography ; seeing the shawl worn different ways in photos really does increase my appreciation for a garment and reminds me that my finished objects deserve to be taken out of their storage bins!

Le projet de tricot que j’avais apporté pour mon voyage en Australie a été moins négligé que j’avais anticipé. Après tout, le trajet en avion m’a permis une vingtaine d’heures de tricot dans chaque direction! Malgré tout l’effort n’a pas abouti, du moins je n’ai pas terminé mon châle à temps pour les noces de soeur (quoique qu’il a fait plus de 30 degrés pendant notre séjour alors un châle n’aurait pas été trop utile de toute façon!). Puisque j’improvisais le patron à fur et à mesure, lorsque je suis revenue au Canada j’ai décidé d’ajouter des rayures et une bordure ondulé simplement pour me faire plaisir. En toute sincérité ce n’est pas le coup de foudre. La laine est magnifique, plus douce que le Rowan Kidsilk Haze (qui ne manque jamais à me piquer le coup) et le métrage est généreux. Mais en le regardant comme ça épinglé à la table, le châle de m’a pas convaincu. En fait, ça me rappelle à quel point je suis reconnaissante pour la photographie, c’est souvent en voyant l’item porté en photo que je suis motivé à le sortir du placard!  

If you’re not deterred by my lack of enthusiasm and would like to knit a version of the shawl, instructions are below. Because of the simplicity of the design, I've neither had it tech-edited nor test-knitted. If you notice mistakes (and I'm certain there are quite a few), I'd love to hear from you! Same goes if you've seen this yarn deeply discounted somewhere... I'm looking to purchase a sweater quantity of it to knit another Floataway! 

Si quelqu'un aimerait tricoter une version du châle malgré mon apréhension vous êtes les bienvenus! J'invite toutes corrections au patron et si vous avez-vu cette laine en solde quelque part j'aimerais bien le savoir, je cherche à m'en procurer assez pour tricoter un deuxième Floataway.

Sansonnet

Materials:

• 1 skein Debbie Bliss Angel in color A (I used color Blush) or 220 yards of a similar yarn such as Rowan Kidsilk Haze. 
• Approximately 0.5 skeins of color Debbie Bliss in colors B and C (I used Pale Pink and Rose), or approximately 110 yards of two similar yarns.
• A little bit of colour D. This was the last bits of a ball of Kidsilk Haze I had lying around, so I don't know how much I used. *I apologize for the vagueness of these yardage estimates!*

Gauge:

17 sts and 35 rows per 10" square in stockinette stitch. A really light and airy, open fabric.                                                                                                                              

Abbreviations

m1rp : make 1 right purl: increase one stitch by picking up the strand running between the stitch you’ve just purled and the next, from back to front, and purl into the front of the strand.

m1lp : make 1 left purl: increase one stitch by picking up the strand running between the stitch you’ve just purled and the next, from front to back, and purl into the back of the strand.

Instructions:

With Color A, cast on 5 sts.
Row 1: knit.
Row 2: k2, m1lp, p1, m1rp, k2. 7 sts.
Row 3: k2, *yo, k1, rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 4: k2, m1lp, purl across to last 2 sts, m1rp k2. 9 sts.
Row 5: k2, *k2tog; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 6: as row 4. 11 sts.

Repeat rows 3-6 until skein of color is used up or desired length achieved. With my single skein I was able to complete 118 more rows resulting, ending with 129 sts on the needles.

Break off  Color A and join Color B.

Row 1: knit.
Row 2: k2, m1lp, purl across to last 2 sts, m1rp k2.
Row 3: join Colour C, knit across row with colour C.
Row 4: k2, m1lp, purl across to last 2 sts, m1rp k2.
Row 5: drop Color C and pick up strand of Color B. Knit.
Row 6: k2, m1lp, purl across to last 2 sts, m1rp k2.
Row 7: drop Color B and pick up strand of Color C. Knit.
Row 8: k2, m1lp, purl across to last 2 sts, m1rp k2.

Repeat Rows 5-8 until you have 201 stitches on the needles. Tip: each time you pick up the contrasting strand of colour at the beginning of right side rows try to do so very loosely. Pulling on the strand tightly will prevent you from blocking that side properly, resulting in an uneven triangle shawl.

Join color D and work in garter stitch as follows:

Row 1: knit across, increasing 1 stitch anywhere in in the row. 202 sts.
Row 2: k2, m1l, knit to last 2 sts, m1r, k2. 204 sts.
Row 3: knit.
Row 4: k2, m1l, knit to last 2 sts, m1r, k2. 206 sts.
Row 5: knit.
Row 6: k2, m1l, knit to last 2 sts, m1r, k2. 208 sts.
These completed 6 rows have created 3 ridges of garter stitch. 
Row 7: k2, *k1, (k2tog) twice, (yo, k1) 3 times, yo, (ssk) twice, k1; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 8: k2, m1pl, purl to last 2 stitches, m1pr, k2. 210 sts.
Row 9: k3, *k1, (k2tog) twice, (yo, k1) 3 times, yo, (ssk) twice, k1; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 10: k3, m1pl, purl to last 3 stitches, m1pr, k3. 212 sts.

I did not do the following 2 rows because I was afraid to run out of yarn, but if you have enough I highly recommend them, they'll add one more pattern repeat and make the edging more wavy.

Row 11: k4, *K1, [k2tog] twice, [yo, k1] 3 times, yo, [ssk] twice, k1; rep from * to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 12: k4, m1pl, purl to last 4 stitches, m1pr, k4. 214 sts.

Rows 13-18: Purl. (These 6 rows create 3 garter ridges).

Bind off. I used my favorite picot bind-off, which is so elastic that I switched to size US4 needles first.
Picot bind-off instructions: *Cast on 2 stitches using the cable cast on, then bind off 4 stitches. Slip the single stitch on the right hand needle back onto the left hand needle, and repeat the process from * until you have bound off all stitches. Weave in ends.

The shawl will need a good solid blocking to open up the lace mesh pattern of Color A and open up the yarn-overs in the Color C border.

And as always, if you you knit the sweater and would like to give back, please consider making a small donation to your local food bank or women’s shelter. Thank you!