Sea Goddess Shawlette

This is a 'knit til you are done' recipe.  The original measures 54 inches across but, if you have more yarn to use and continue the increase/decreases as described, you could knit a larger shawl easily.  The EKF yarn kit (which was a Happy Hooves Sock Yarn Club installment this month) came with 8 colors of about 50 yds each.  This is a very simple 'recipe'.  It lends itself beautifully to using up small bits of handspun or those little leftover ends of sock yarn.  It's relaxed knitting that will really let the colors and visual features of your yarn shine!

This is a simple, no gauge pattern that you will soon find a rhythm to and be able to knit it anywhere.  It is a basic recipe with very little complication in stitching so it makes great, relaxing knitting!  Working from light to dark with a variety of colors will produce a dramatic effect as seen here – making it a fabulous project for those little bits and ends of handspun or sock yarn.  About 50 yds of each of the 8 colors will work.

Yarn:  EKF Superwash Sock Fingering (400 yds) or any fingering wgt yarn

Needle:  Size 7US

Co 4 sts
Knit garter ridge until you have 38 ridges per side.
K2tog twice, Pick up 36 sts along garter ridges plus two from opposite garter edge
K 2 rows
K3, purl to last 3 sts (wrong side)
K3, m1 knit to last 3 sts, m1, k3 (right side)
K3 purl to last 3 sts, k3
Repeat last 2 rows 3 more times

Set up row:

Please note – you may find it helpful to use stitch markers for the increase points – this is a personal choice.  Some knitters will ‘read’ the knitting and see the yo, k1, yo at every point and find the marker cumbersome.  Again, it’s up to you.  Likewise, you may find it helpful to use a different type of stitch marker for the decrease points as you are using for the increase points – as a visual reminder to decrease or increase.
1.  K3, k2, *yo, pm, k1, pm, yo*, k4 - repeat until 5 sts remain, knit all
2.  K3, p to last 3 sts, k3
3.  Knit 3, place ½ decrease marker (dmkr)k2tog, knit to mid point of the sts between the first set of increase markers and the second set, and create the following full decrease marker as follows: ssk, slip dec marker, k 2 tog.  Knit all increases as in Set Up Row 1.  Repeat the placement of setting up full decrease markers until you get to the last 5 sts, while still knitting the increases as in Set Up row 1. k2 tog, place ½ decrease marker, k3.  Essentially, you have one increase row (row 1) and 1 increase and decrease row (to make the points) in row 3.  Make sure you are increasing on both row 1 and 3.
4.  K3, p all sts, k3

Repeat these 4 rows, changing color when you run out of color 1. For each color after that, proceed as follows:

K3, k2, *yo, sm, k1, sm, yo*, k4 - repeat until 5 sts remain, knit all  this is your increase row to make your star points
K3, p to last 3 sts, k3
K3, k2, *yo, sm, k1, sm, yo*, k to dec mkr, ssk, k2tog, knit to increase mkr- make increases, knit until 5 sts remain, knit 2 tog at last ½ decrease marker, sm, k3 this is your decrease row to make your inverted points
K3, p all sts, k3

Repeat these rows until the last color.  Then, stop all increases and decreases and knit 3 garter ridges on each side, casting off loosely on the last garter row.  I usually wet block but this pattern is very simple and stretches naturally so is easy to steam block for a quicker finish!