Farnsfield

• Description
• Pattern Information
• Techniques

• Designed by:
  Karen Butler

  Farnsfield is an elegant, rectangular lace wrap/stole, which can be knit in a range of widths and lengths for a great fit. Light yet warm, it is the perfect wrap for any occasion.

  Farnsfield is named for a Nottinghamshire village where the designer's sheep farming ancestors lived in the distant past. Multiple connections, fine and delicate as lace yarn, connect this design with the rural landscape of her home county. The leaf and flower patterns reflect the natural environment, but there are less obvious links to the historic architecture of Georgian red brick farm buildings in the farming villages. One small detail often seen on the local threshing barns is a distinctive lozenge ventilator constructed from bricks; a decorative diamond shaped structure of bricks and spaces. Similar lozenge shapes can be seen in the design for Farnsfield with diamond shaped leaves and placement of the flower motifs. Even the flowers themselves are truncated diamonds, with the stitches forming the structure around the lace holes.

  The lace patterns come together to create a stunning design, without being overly complicated to knit. Once the main patterning is established, it becomes reassuringly predictable and familiar like the details in historic architecture.

  The shawl is worked as two identical pieces. Each part starts with a knitted cast-on using doubled yarn, producing a decorative edge which complements the lace. The lace edge is worked, followed by the main pattern, ending at the centre of the stole. Finally, the live stitches from the two pieces are joined together either by grafting or a three-needle bind-off.

  The lace can be worked from either charts or written instructions. Read charts from right to left on RS rows and from left to right on WS rows. Where two yarnovers are made together to form a double yarn over, on the following row work the two loops as (p1, k1) as directed.

  Farnsfield is knitted in Marilyn, a luxurious 2 ply lace weight yarn, created from a blend of 55% Merino wool and 45% Silk which produce a fabulously soft fabric with a beautiful drape. The yarn is hand dyed in-house in a small but stunning range of rich, jewel like shades, including the gorgeous shade shown here is Gilda. The yarn can be purchased separately or as a kit either with or without the PDF pattern included.

• Yarn
  Susan Crawford Marilyn, 2 Ply Laceweight, 55% Merino wool, 45% Silk
  (800m / 875yds per 100g skein)

  Long Option

  2 (2, 2, 3*) skeins, shade Gilda
  

  Short Option

  1 (2, 2, 2) skeins, shade Gilda
  

  * Note: for the 4th size Long option, 2 skeins are only just sufficient to knit stole to gauge. If you work to a looser gauge, 3 skeins may be needed to work the specified number of repeats.

  Gauge

  22 sts and 36 rows = 10cm (4in) over Chart B worked flat, after blocking. We obtained this gauge using 3.25mm needles.

  If necessary, use an alternative needle size to obtain the correct gauge.

  Suggested needles

  Two 3.25mm (US 3) circular needles (60-80cm in length).or two pairs of 3.25mm (US 3) straight needles

  Notions
  Stitch markers (optional)
  Blocking pins
  Blocking wires (optional)

• Following a lace chart
  Lace knitting
  Shawl blocking
  

Yarn Kit available