by Carissa Browning

Once upon a time, in a small town in western Texas, there lived a little girl with very definite opinions on food. She ate grilled cheese at steakhouses. She ordered chicken fingers at Chinese restaurants. She knew what she liked, and more to the point, she knew what she didn't like.

When the little girl grew up and went off to college, she yearned to fit in. She began to experiment with gateway foods, like gyros and pad thai. Eventually, she caved to peer pressure and took her first bite of raw fish encased in rice and seaweed. She was hooked. Her addiction has now progressed so far she must wrap herself in an algae-like sheath to stave off the shivering until she can get her next fix.

This coping mechanism is created sideways, from tip-to-tip. If you require a larger or smaller dosage, simply work more or fewer of the repeats of the lace charts to accommodate your rehabilitative needs.

SIZE
One
See pattern notes for details on how to adjust dimensions

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Width: 60 inches
Height: 25 inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Madelinetosh Tosh Sock [100% Merino wool; 395yd/361m per 100g skein]; color: Jade; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #3/3.25mm straight or circular needle

Notions
yarn needle
blocking wires/pins

GAUGE
17 sts/31 rows = 4 inches in pattern stitch, after blocking
24 sts/33 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, after blocking


PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

ssp = (slip 1 as if to knit, 1 as if to purl), return these stitches to the left needle and purl them together through back loop

This shawl is easily adjustable in size. Work as many repeats of Chart A as you wish until shawl is half desired width. Work Chart B as many times as required to decrease to 9 sts, then work final rows as written.

DIRECTIONS
Increase Portion
CO 4 sts.

Row 1 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p1 tbl, yo, p1 tbl, p1. 5 sts.

Row 2 [RS]: Sl1, k1 tbl, yo, k1, k1 tbl, k1. 6 sts.

Row 3 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p1 tbl, p2, yo, p1 tbl, p1. 7 sts.

Row 4 [RS]: Sl1, k1 tbl, yo, k3, k1 tbl, k1. 8 sts.

Row 5 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p1 tbl, p4, yo, p1 tbl, p1. 9 sts.

Work Rows 1-12 of Chart A 20 times, incorporating new sts into lace pattern by repeating section outlined in red. 5 sts increased per repeat, 109 sts total.

Decrease Portion
Work Rows 1-12 of Chart B 20 times, repeating section outlined in red as necessary. 9 sts rem.

Row 1 [RS]: Sl1, k1 tbl, k3, k2tog, k1 tbl, k1. 8 sts.

Row 2 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p1 tbl, p2tog, p2, p1 tbl, p1. 7 sts.

Row 3 [RS]: Sl1, k1 tbl, k1, k2tog, k1 tbl, k1. 6 sts.

Row 4 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p1 tbl, p2tog, p1 tbl, p1. 5 sts.

BO all sts.

FINISHING
Weave in ends and block.

Carissa lives and knits in Dallas, Texas, where she bites her thumb at Mother Nature and keeps right on knitting through triple-digit heat. She has, however, made the occasional concession of swapping out wool for cotton or bamboo.

More of her work can be found at CarissaKnits.com, or look her up as nosmallfeet on Ravelry.

Carissa would also like to thank Sushi Axiom in Addison for indulging a crazy customer's odd request and for providing a delicious meal.