Switchback is not only the British word for a roller coaster and the American word for a serpentine road, it is also the name of my new design. Waves and curves have always been a huge inspiration in my work. Switchback combines four tiers of rolling bends to create a really cozy shawl.

Switchback can be knitted with all kinds of yarn as long as you are able to distinguish the four different tiers. You can use two solids or two semi solids. You can also use yarns with a color gradient. I knitted two versions with very long gradients, so the tiers are clearly distinguishable. I also knitted one version with a shorter gradient which worked well.

The icy blue version was knitted with Wollbonbon Merino 4 ply “Alaska”. I used two cakes of 820y/750m. The vibrant colorful version was knitted with one 1050y/920m cake of Monsoon Calamity’s Moca Cotton “Wildflower Valley”. The more subtle version in browns and light blues was knitted with four Laceballs by Schoppel Lange Bank. I knitted with two strands at the same time to gain fingering weight and longer color gradients. If you want to do the same, make sure you get two balls that start at the same point of the color spectrum.

Depending on the yarn weight, the tightness of your stitches, and the size you want to knit the amount of yarn you will need will vary. You should have at least 750 yards available. Switchback has a waxing and a waning part. Therefore, it can be knitted with every weight. Simply knit the waxing part until you have reached half of the desired length and then start with the waning part. Here are the percentages per tier to make sure you have enough yarn for all the tiers:

Tier #1= 11% of your total amount
Tier #2 = 32% of your total amount
Tier #3 = 35% of your total amount
Tier #4 = 22% of your total amount

All joining techniques will be explained in photo tutorials at the end of the pattern. You will also have to apply short rows. If you haven’t knitted short rows before, you will find photo tutorials on how to wrap stitches and later conceal the wraps again.

The tiers are divided into modules – one module per bend – since all the bends vary. Therefore, you will find the instructions for each individual module. Because the instructions are given in written AND in charted form I have created two shorter pdfs rather than one very large one. One with the written instructions only and one with just the charts. Both versions contain complete guidelines and graphics, and of course all photo tutorials.

If you would like to knit Switchback at some point in the future, don’t hesitate to get your pattern now as this weekend (29th of February and 1st of March EST) it is on sale for 25% off the original price of $5.99 - no action code required. So grab it while you can!!!

Happy Knitting,

Ursa Major