April Sands

This April, my husband and I celebrated our 13th anniversary, and it made me do a lot of reminiscing. We spent our honeymoon in a borrowed beach house in the Outer Banks. While April in North Carolina is warmer than a lot of places (including Vermont, where we got married and had snow), it wasn’t exactly swimming weather. We did a lot of exploring and walking on the beach instead.

This shawl makes me think of days like that, of walking on the beach barefoot when it’s too cold to really be comfortable with wet feet. Between the sandy color and cozy warmth of the worsted weight yarn and the simple smoothness of the pattern itself, it just feels perfect for the beach in spring.

It’s a super simple pattern: the most complicated stitch is a k2tog. It’s a great beginner-level project that looks harder than it is.

Another thing I love about this triangular shawl is how flexible it is. The gauge isn’t actually important. You can use any yarn (just be aware that if you use a lighter yarn, you’ll need more of it). You can make it bigger by adding more repeats (there are instructions for where to add them) or by using a heavier yarn. I’m always a fan of worsted weight (it’s warm without being too bulky), but feel free to use whatever is most comfortable for you. I actually prefer a larger shawl if I’m using it to wrap around my shoulders, but I only had three skeins of this yarn, which I got on clearance. It’s still a nice size for a shoulder-wrap shawl, and it would make a warm winter scarf-type shawl too, if that’s your preferred style. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get modeled photos in time for this release, but I’ll update the post as soon as I have them.

Pattern notes: This pattern does not require strict adherence to gauge recommendations. Just remember that changing the gauge will change the finished dimensions and may require additional repeats of the Pattern Sequence to reach desired size.

Needle: US size 7 (4.5mm), 25” circular or longer, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Yarns used: Lion Brand Heartland (Medium (4); 100% acrylic; 251 yards/142 grams), 3 skeins of Acadia.

Yardage: 750 yards.

Gauge: 18 stitches and 26 rows in 4 inches.

Other Notions: 4 stitch markers; yarn needle for finishing.

Final Measurements:

Length of long edge: 60 inches (152 cm).
Center edge to center point: 29 inches (74 cm).

Stitch Abbreviations:

k = knit
p = purl
k2tog = knit two together
yo = yarn over
pm = place marker
sm = slip marker

Pattern:

Garter Tab Cast On:

Cast on 3 sts.

6 rows: knit.

Pick up 3 sts along side and another 3 sts along cast on edge. (9 sts total)

Setup Row: k3, pm, *p1, pm, rep from * twice more, k3.

Pattern Sequence:

Row 1: k3, sm, yo, k to marker, yo, sm, k1, sm, yo, k to marker, yo, sm, k3. (Increase 4 sts)

Row 2: k3, p to last 3 sts (sm when you come to them), k3.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 a total of 9 times.

Row 3: k3, sm, yo, k to marker, yo, sm, k1, sm, yo, k to marker, yo, sm, k3. (Increase 4 sts)

Row 4: knit (sm when you come to them).

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 a total of 9 times.

Row 5: k3, sm, yo, k1, [yo, k2tog] to marker, yo, sm, k1, sm, yo, k1, [yo, k2tog] to marker, yo, sm, k3. (Increase 4 sts)

Row 6: k3, p to last 3 sts (sm when you come to them), k3.

Repeat this whole Pattern Sequence twice more. (If you wish to make a larger shawl, or if you’re using a different yarn/gauge, repeat as many times as desired.)

Garter Border:

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 a total of 9 times.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 a total of 9 times.

Repeat Row 5.

Repeat Row 4.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 a total of 3 times.

Bind off. Sew all ends under. Block.