Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl – knitting pattern

Wrap yourself in this warming shoulderette shawl, bordered with a leafy pattern reminiscent of ginkgo biloba foliage.  The ginkgo tree has been called “a living fossil”. Its form has remained virtually unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs, lending it a vast sense of eternity. Last September when I was creating this pattern, here in New Zealand the ginkgo trees were unfurling their new spring growth, while those of you in the northern hemisphere lucky enough to live near these beautiful trees, were enjoying the golden hues of their autumn/fall foliage.
This shawl is a peaceful knit – zone out in meditative stocking stitch until you reach the border. Then the lace pattern is worked on both the knit and purl sides, requiring a little more concentration. :)

 
Japanese Ginkgo Trees – photo by Inoc

Inspiration
I first saw this lace stitch on a knitted dish cloth and envisaged it would make an attractive edging for a triangular top-down shawl. I charted the written instructions and mirror imaged the lace, adapting it to fit within a triangle shawl shape. After completing a small test knit, the edging reminded me of the ginkgo tree and its beautiful fan shaped leaves. To emphasize this, I used a stretchy bind-off, so the leaves could be blocked easily into shape. I spun the handspun version  from heathered green batts created by David from Southern Cross Fibre; baby alpaca lending the fine merino wool extra warmth and a cosy halo. The gold version is from sock yarn I hand dyed.

Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl
(Pattern is written in American English)

Printable PDF (free download)
Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl – US LETTER paper size
Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl – A4 paper size

Finished Measurements
Length at center back: 22 inches (55 centimetres)
Width: 46 inches (115 centimetres)
Yarn
Handspun version (green)
330yds/300m sportweight yarn; 330yd per 3.5oz (300m per 100g) skein
Yarn used; two ply high-twist, handspun from Southern Cross Fibre ”Eucalyptus Grove” batts, 20% baby alpaca, 80% merino. 4 oz (116g) yielded 382 yards (348m) approx. 16wpi
Sock yarn version (gold)
330yds/300m sock/fingering yarn; 366yd per 3.5oz (333m per 100g) skein
Needle Size
US 6/4.00mm circular needle, 24in (60cm) or longer for body, US 8/5.00mm and US 10/6.00mm circular needles of the same length, for loose edging and bind off
Accessories
Crochet hook for provisional cast on in a size close to needle size
Waste yarn for provisional cast on
Blocking wires and rust-proof pins
Stitch markers, if you like to mark the center stitch or pattern repeats
Gauge
22 stitches per 4in (10cm) in stockinette stitch before blocking.
17 stitches per 4in (10cm) in stockinette stitch after wet blocking.
Gauge is not critical, unless limited yardage is an issue.
Pattern Notes
Triangular shawl is worked from the center top down starting with a provisional crochet cast on. A stockinette portion is worked first, followed by a lace edging.
A garter stitch border two stitches wide is worked either side of the chart.
The pattern repeat is outlined in red and is worked 5 times on each half of the shawl.

Increasing Shawl Size
If you wish to increase the size of the stockinette section of the shawl before you begin the lace chart, you need an odd multiple of 15 stitches + 2, when these stitches are counted between the center stitch and the garter stitch border on each half of the shawl. For example, this shawl uses a multiple of (5 x 15) + 2 on each half. The next size up would require (7 x 15) + 2 on each half, so for this size you would knit in stockinette stitch until row 106, beginning lace chart on row 107.

Stitch Explanations
K on RS, P on WS  Knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side
P on RS, K on WS  Purl on the right side, knit on the wrong side
k2tog  Knit 2 sts together; 1 st decreased
p2tog Purl 2 sts together; 1 st decreased
SKP Slip 1 st knitwise, then knit 1 and pass the slipped stitch over; 1 st decreased
SSP Slip 2 stitches knitwise, return both to left needle then purl those 2 stitches together from behind; 1 st decreased.
SK2P Slip 1 stitch, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over; 2 sts decreased.
yo Yarn over
st Stitch

Lace Border Chart

Directions
Work provisional crochet cast on: Using crochet hook and the waste yarn, chain 4 sts. Using US 6/4.00mm knitting needle and main yarn, pick up and knit 2 sts through the bumps on the reverse side of the crochet chain. Knit 7 rows. Turn work 90 degrees clockwise and pick up and knit 1 st in each garter stitch ridge along the edge, picking up a total of 3 sts. Unravel the waste yarn chain. Place the 2 live sts left exposed onto the left needle. Knit these 2 sts. 7 sts total.

Begin stockinette stitch section:
Row 1: k2 (garter st border), yo, k to before center st, yo, k1 (center st), yo, k to before garter st border, yo, k2 (garter st border)
Row 2: k2 (garter st border), purl to last 2 sts, k2 (garter st border)
Rows 3 – 76: Repeat rows 1 and 2. After working row 76 there should be 77 sts between the center st and the garter st border, on each half of the shawl. Total stitch count for this row is 159 sts.
Begin lace border chart:
Row 77: Work row 1 of lace border chart, working 5 pattern repeats (outlined in red) on each half of shawl. Continue to follow chart, continuing garter st border either side of chart. Work row 34 of chart using US 8/5.00mm needle. Chart is now complete. Bind off using US 10/6.00mm needle.
You need a stretchy bind-off to block the edging into leaf shapes. I used this one: k2, insert left needle into front of these 2 sts (leave right needle in position) and k2tog. *One st remaining on right needle. K1, insert left needle into front of these 2 sts (leave right needle in position) and k2tog. 
Repeat from * until all sts are bound off.

Finishing and Wet Blocking
Weave in ends. Soak shawl for 30 minutes in water with a little woolwash if desired. To block shawl, insert a blocking wire through the column of center stitches and another through the eyelets along the garter stitch border. Stretch shawl into a triangle. Pull out the lace edging using multiple pins to form the ” gingko leaf” shapes as per the photos. For each “border leaf” insert the first pin at the center leaf vein point and then use the other pins to secure the edges. If desired, use a pin to expand open the large eyelet hole near each “pattern leaf”.  Allow shawl to dry, unpin and enjoy!