new pattern: mornings in paris

This pattern is dedicated to my good friend Liz and our knitting group.  I was lucky to meet Liz 6 years ago.  She was knitting a pair of socks at the playground while our kids were playing.  I asked her what she was working on, we figured out that two of our children would be going to preschool together, and that was it.  She's been a great knitting friend and a great friend. 

Once preschool started, we learned that one of the preschool teachers knit.  And her mom knit.  And Liz's friend knit.  And Liz's friend's friend knit.  Soon we had a group that met on Thursdays, either at someone's house or at a coffee shop.  One of those coffee shops was Mornings in Paris.  Pretty soon, I felt like I had expanded my group of friends, the people to whom I felt most close.

Last year, I found out I was moving away.  Liz stopped by my house with a skein of yarn and a bottle of wine.  I was still so surprised that we were moving that I didn't really know what to say.  But I deeply appreciated the gesture.

This winter, after finally settling into our new house and getting through the holiday, I started knitting again.  I picked up the skein of yarn Liz gave me and tried to come up with something that would remind me of her and our knitting group.  I found a stitch pattern called "Eiffel Tower" by Barbara Walker.  I turned the stitch upside down and played with the spacing and size of the repeats.  The Mornings in Paris Shawl was born.

 

 

Pattern Info

The shawl begins with a garter tab and construction is top-down. Increases are worked at the edges and center on the right side. This pattern is charted only.

Sizing
Blocked measurements Small (Large) :: 42 (55)” / 101.5 (139.75) cm across top by 16 (28)” / 40.75 (71) cm deep

Yarn
1 (2) skeins Blue Moon Fiber Arts; 390 yds / 356 m per 3.38 oz / 96 g skein; 60% wool / 20% yak / 20% cultivated silk
Smaller sample in Help Us Rhonda. Larger sample in The New Color of Love.

Needles & Notions
Size 5 US / 3.75 mm 40” / 102 cm circular needles
2 stitch markers, tapestry needle, blocking pins

Gauge
19 sts and 30 rows = 4” / 10 cm in pattern stitch from Charts A and B using Size 5 US / 4.5 mm needles, after blocking
Gauge is not critical for this pattern, but it is important if you want to make the smaller shawl from 1 skein and the larger shawl from 2 skeins.