Myssoni by Susan Ashcroft available to buy on Ravelry
I love a bit of feather and fan, especially in a self striping yarn. Myssoni by Susan Ashcroft uses this classic effect across an asymmetrical shawl.
Our version uses just one ball of Crazy Zauberball, a 4ply yarn.
The pattern repeat is worked over 48 rows and 17 stitches and is both written and charted. You place a stitch marker on your needles as you finish each row repeat, which makes it easier to keep the stitch pattern correct.
Feather and fan is a classic lace knitting pattern made up of equal amounts of yarn overs and decreases which produces a wavy movement in your knitted fabric. This is enhanced in our shawl by a self striping yarn. Crazy Zauberball 4ply is perfect. I used shade 1660.
Myssoni on the needles with stitch markers
It's not too tricky to make feather and fan, you just have to keep your yarn overs and decreases consistent. So don't forget a yarn over or make too many and make sure they line up correctly with the rows below.
Looking at a pattern chart can help and using the stitch markers means you can check each stitch repeat as you work them rather than waiting to the end of the row before you realise it's gone wrong.
With a 420m ball of 4ply our Myssoni makes a small shawl measuring 150cm across and 60cm at its deepest but it's easy to make it bigger, just keep repeating the 48 rows. In the end I had 8 row repeats and ended after row 14 of the written instructions before working the finishing rows.
To get the best of feather and fan it's good to give it a good stretch when you are blocking it. So...
- soak your shawl
- squish out the water
- stretch and pin it into shape
- leave to dry
I used blocking wires and went in and out of every stitch down the sides, aiming to keep them as smooth as possible (unlike the Ariva shawl which I gave little decorative loops by going in and out of particular rows). I pinned out the cast off edge into points.
If you want to read more about blocking you'll find some photo tutorials at Tin Can Knits and Ysolda.
And there's some photos of another blocking shawl in the Gallery - Double Edged Shawl.
We have wool wash and T-pins online and in the Pittenweem shop. We do have blocking wires in the Pittenweem shop. Unfortunately they are a bit awkward to post so they are not available online. I use foam playmats from B&Q as my blocking surface.
