Modern Daily Knitting Field Guide No. 15: Open is the perfect way to open yourself up to the possibilities of lace!

In typical Jeanette Sloan fashion, this shawl is full of surprises. She upends the idea of the traditional triangle shawl by eliminating the pointy part, creating a trapezoid shape that is easy to wear and eliminates the possibility of Jemima Puddle-Duck Shawl Syndrome, aka the shawl that points straight to your bum.

Another construction surprise: the shawl is made from point to point, beginning with only four stitches. This allows us to get the hang of the rib lace pattern and the increases in small doses. By the time we arrive at the center panel, we’re ready to take on a new lace pattern—a geometric swath of tumbling blocks.

Instructions are for two versions, one in light fingering weight yarn and one in aran weight yarn.

Materials
Light Fingering Version:
— Helix by La Bien Aimée [100 g hanks, each approx 710 yds (650 m), 75% Falkland merino wool, 25% Gotland wool]: 2 hanks Kokko (A)
— Size US 6 (4 mm) circular needle, 24” (60 cm) long or longer, or size needed to obtain gauge
— Blocking pins
Aran Version:
— Merino Aran by La Bien Aimée
[100 g hanks, each approx 182 yds (166 m), 100% superwash merino wool]: 5 hanks Eric Northman (B)
— Size US 10.5 (6.5 mm) circular needle, 24” (60 cm) long or longer, or size needed to obtain gauge
— Blocking pins

Knitted Measurements
— 72.75 (85.75)“ wide × 23.75 (24.25)” long [184.5 (218) cm × 60.5 (61.5) cm]

Gauge
— Light Fingering Version: 23 sts and 35 rows = 4” (10 cm) over Tumbling Blocks Lace, using A and smaller needle, after blocking
— Aran Version: 16 sts and 20.5 rows = 4” (10 cm) over Tumbling Blocks Lace, using B and larger needle, after blocking

Size
— One Size

Notes
— Instructions are given for Light Fingering Version first, with Aran Version in parentheses; when only one number is given, it applies to both versions.
— Piece is worked back and forth on circular needle to accommodate large number of stitches.
— See charts for both lace patterns on pages 22–24.