This shawl is made up of sections of stocking stitch bordered with garter stich and punctuated by sections of garter stitch eyelets. These eyelets are inspired by mussel farms that are a very common sight in the inshore coasts around Shetland. The farms are made up rafts floating on the water’s surface. Ropes with connected pegs are tied to these floats onto which the mussels naturally attach and grow until they are ready to be harvested. Mytilus is the genus name of the common mussel that are grown on these rafts.

The shawl is knitted in two halves, each half starts at the point and one side is increased every forth row until the centre is reached. The two halves are then grafted together to create a triangular shaped wrap.

This design has been knitted using Langsoond DK Shetland wool, this yarn has been spun from our own Shetland sheep and from some from neighbouring crofts. The quantity of each batch is limited but the following yarns can be used as an alternative for this pattern:

Uradale Yarns Double Knit Organic undyed yarn
Uradale Double Knit Weight Organic Yarn
Blacker British Classic Double Knitting Yarn

Pattern Details:

Actual size: wing span 224cm (88in) x depth 40.5cm (16in)

Gauge: 18 sts and 24 rows over 10cm (4in) over stocking stitch on 4.5mm needles

Yarn: Langsoond Double Knit (100% Shetland Wool; 220m (238yds)/100g skein)
Shade A: Daala Mist x 2 skeins actual quantity 190g; 418m (457yds)
Shade B: Keksie x 1 skein actual quantity; 98g; 216m (237yds)

Needles and Notions: 4.5mm (UK 7/US 7) long needles or long circular needle
2 stitch markers
Blunt tapestry needle