Beginner's Lace Shawl

This shawl is designed for the knitter who has never knit a triangular lace shawl before and wants a simple pattern to help them understand the basics. It is also a useful pattern if you have some precious yarn that you want to use every last bit of. The shawl can be finished when you are down to your last few grams. **Knitters should already be able to:** * Knit & purl * Make Stockinette (st st) and garter stitch * Be familiar with increasing using Yarn overs (yo) and decreasing by knitting two stitches(k2tog) together. * Weave in yarn ends **Knitters will learn to:** * Select yarn and needle size * Make a tab cast on, which is a common way of beginning triangular lace shawls * Make a simple lace stitch with yarn over increases and centre stitch decreases * Follow a graph chart for lace knitting * Understand pattern symbols and abbreviations (This pattern is written with many of the full instructions with abbreviations in brackets afterwards, to help you get used to following abbreviations). * Maintain the lace pattern * Cast off loosely so that the edge has room to expand * Block and dress the lace to complete it. **Materials** * 50 or more grams of yarn. Choose a yarn that is lace, fingering or dk weight. Other yarns can be used. * Circular knitting needles, one or two sizes larger than listed on the ball band. Ideally a range of needle sizes is best in order to sample. Circular needles are preferred over straight needles because they can hold a large number of stitches. * T-pins (20+) and a large piece of cardboard or foam for blocking. Blocking wires make blocking shawls easier, but are not essential. **Errata** Row 7 should read: **Row 7:** k2, sm, yo, **k7**, yo, sm, k1, yo, k7, yo, sm, k2. (23sts) This has been corrected on the pattern on January 25, 2013.