fir cone triangular shawl

A basic triangular shawl using the traditional Fir Cone pattern found in a kajillion Shetland lace patterns and stitch dictionaries. Not particularly original, but hey, it’s simple & easy to memorise for portable knitting.

Beginning –

CO 3 sts
Knit 6 rows in garter stitch, slipping the first stitch of each row
Pick up 3 sts along the garter edge, then pick up 3 sts from the cast on – 9 sts

Next row and all following WS rows- Sl1, k2, p to last 3, k3
Next row (RS)- Sl1, k2, yo, k(1), yo, k1, yo, k(1), yo, k3

Increasing number of sts in (parentheses) by 2 each row, repeat these two rows three times. Work the WS row once more – 25 sts.

Fun lace parts! All WS rows are same as before. (Sl1, k2, p to last 3, k3)

(written out)

Next row (RS) – Sl1, k2, *yo k2tog k2 yo k1 yo k2 ssk yo ** , k1, rep from * to **, k3 (29 sts)
Next RS row – Sl1, K2, * yo k1 ssk k2 yo k1 yo k2 k2tog k1 yo ** , k1, rep from * to **, k3 (33 sts)
Next RS row – Sl1, k2, * yo k2 ssk k2 yo k1 yo k2 k2tog k2 yo ** , k1, rep from * to **, k3 (37 sts)
Next RS row – sl1, k2, * yo k3 ssk k2 yo k1 yo k2 k2tog k3 yo ** , k1, rep from * to **, k3 (41 sts)

(charted)

Next row (RS) Sl1, k2, work first row of chart; k1; repeat first row of chart; k3
Work in the fashion for next 3 rows, following subsequent rows of the chart – 41 sts

Now for the main lace pattern that is repeated until either you are driven stark raving loony or until the shawl is finished; it’s up to you. Instructions in (parentheses) are knit once on the first repeat, three times on the second repeat, five times on the third, and so on until either you are driven stark raving loony or until the shawl is finished; sense a theme here?

(written out)

1. Sl1, k2, * yo k2tog k2 yo, (k1 yo k2 sl2k1p2sso k2 yo) , k1, yo k2 ssk, yo ** , k1, rep from * to **, k3
3. Sl1, k2, * yo k1 ssk k2 yo, (k1 yo k2 sl2k1p2sso k2 yo) , k1, yo k2 k2tog k1 yo **, rep from * to **, k3
5. Sl1, k2, * yo k2 ssk k2 yo, (k1 yo k2 sl2k1p2sso k2 yo) , k1, yo k2 k2tog k2 yo **, rep from * to **, k3
7. Sl1, k2, * yo k3 ssk k2 yo, (k1 yo k2 sl2k1p2sso k2 yo) , k1, yo k2 k2tog k3 yo**, rep from * to **, k3
8 – same as all other WS rows – Sl1, k2, p to last 3, k3

(charted)

1. Sl1, k2, work row 1 of chart; k1; repeat row 1 of chart; k3
3. Sl1, k2, work row 3 of chart; k1; repeat row 3 of chart; k3
5. Sl1, k2, work row 5 of chart; k1; repeat row 5 of chart; k3
7. Sl1, k2, work row 7 of chart; k1; repeat row 7 of chart; k3
8 – same as all other WS rows – Sl1, k2, p to last 3, k3

Repeat last eight rows until shawl is desired size. How you figure out what size you want the shawl to be is entirely a matter of preference. Usually to get a rough idea of what size a shawl is I measure down the center line of increases, stretching slightly to get an idea of how much it can grow with blocking; when I think I’m close to the desired size, I slip the stitches across as many circular needles as needed to let the shawl open up fully, then pin out the shawl to what size it wants to be. If what it wants to be is what I want it to be, I know it’s time to start the edging. This shawl took me 311 sts; I have no earthly idea how many repeats that would be.

Set-up for edging –

Next row (RS) – sl 1, k2. Turn.
Next row (WS) – sl 1, k1, p1. Turn.
Repeat these two rows six times more. This will create a 14-row column 3 sts wide.

Next row (RS) – SSK, slip this st back to left needle and SSK again. (In effect, binding off 2 sts.) Pick up & knit seven stitches along the slip stitch edge from the column created in the previous step. Slip the final stitch back to left needle and SSK this stitch together with one stitch from the body of the shawl. Turn.
Next row (WS) – sl1, k6, p1

Next row (RS) Sl1, k6, SSK. Turn.
Next row (WS) – sl1, k6, p1
Repeat these two rows three more times.

Main edging pattern – turn work at the end of each row
(written out)

1. Sl1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, SSK.
2. Sl1, k7, p1
3. Sl1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2, SSK
4. Sl1, k8, p1
5. Sl1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k3, SSK
6. Sl1, k9, p1
7. Sl1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k4, SSK
8. Sl1, k9, SSP
9. Sl1, k1, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, k2, SSK
10. Sl1, k8, SSP
11. Sl1, k1, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, SSK
12. Sl1, k7, SSP
13. Sl1, k1, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, SSK
14. Sl1, k6, SSP
15. Sl1, k1, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, yo, SL2, K1, P2SSO
16. Sl1, k6, p1

(charted)

Rows 5 and 9 are knit into a stitch which was a yarnover two rows before, and row 15 knits into a stitch which was a double decrease two rows before. Paying attention to where in the pattern the edging is helps me to stay on track with the edging – another option is to place stitch markers every 8 sts at the appropriate places on the body of the shawl.

Repeat this pattern until 3 sts shy of the center stitch.

Center point –

Sl1, k6, SSK, Turn
Sl1, k6, p1
Repeat these two rows twice more. (Total of six rows)

Sl1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, turn
Sl1, k6, p1
Repeat these two rows twice more. (Total of six rows)

Sl1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k4, SSK. Turn.
Sl1, k9, ssp

Sl1, k1, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, turn
Sl1, k5, ssp
Repeat these two rows twice more. (Total of six rows)

Sl1, k1, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, yo, sl2k1p2sso, Turn.
Sl1, k6, p1

Sl1, k6, SSK, Turn.
Sl1, k6, p1
Repeat these two rows three times more. (Total of eight rows)

Repeat main 16-row edging again – exactly as before and the same number of repeats as on previous side. (Really.)

After all these edging repeats are knit and done, 14 sts left on the needle. Final rows -

RS – Sl1, k6, SSK. Turn.
WS – Sl1, k6, p1

Repeat these two rows 4 times more. (Total of ten rows.)

Next/final row – *SSK, slip stitch back to left needle*, repeat to end.

Cut yarn & weave in tails loosely, leaving a healthy tail. Block to whatever size the shawl says it’d like to be, trim tails, and wear with flair.

May 12 edit – clarity and remembering the “turn” after the short edging rows!

10 Comments

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.