Calais Shawl

A PURL BUMPS DESIGN

I was given a skein of beautiful blue yarn that inspired this shawl. The stitch pattern that I designed for the body of the
shawl reminds me alternately of raindrops or tulips depending on the light and perhaps, my mood. I love how the row of
eyelets separating the body from the edging gently curves like a wave. The edging is a very popular Estonian pattern and
so to honor Estonian knitting I used their traditional double strand cast off which is a favorite of mine. It gives a beautiful,
sturdy and defined edge with plenty of stretch for blocking.

I named my shawl after the town of Calais, France, which is on the north coast of France facing England across the
narrowest part of the English Channel. I am told that on a clear day you can see the White Cliffs of Dover (England) from
the beach. One of their principal industries is Lace Making and Calais Lace is famous throughout the world.
This is an easy knit, with quick to memorize pattern repeats. It is top down construction beginning at the neck edge with
a few stitches. The pattern makes it so easy to dream while you knit. My dream was of sandy beaches and blue, blue sky
and the white cliffs on the horizon as I walked barefoot along the edge of the incoming tide.

Blocked size – 48 inches wide by 22 inches deep

Materials

Fingering weight - approximately 325-350 m (355-383 yds)

The blue sample shown in Sweet Fiber Avery Sport, 50% Silk, 50% Merino [329m/360 yds, 95 gram / 3.35 oz skein:
1 skein Blue

The green sample shown in Handmaiden Casbah Sock, 80% Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon [325m/355yd, 115 gm /
4 oz skein: 1 skein Moss

3.75mm (5 US) circular Needle, 32-inch length

Abbreviations used
K - knit
P - purl
YO – yarn over
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
PM – place marker
Notes on reading the
Charts
The charts provided represent
one half of the shawl.
There are two edge stitches at
each end of your needle that
are not shown on the charts.
The four edge stitches are
worked in garter stitch (knit
every row) throughout.
There is one centre stitch that
is not shown on the charts and
divides the two halves of the
shawl. The centre stitch is
worked in stocking stitch
throughout.
When working the charts,
begin by working two edge
stitches, work through the
appropriate row of the chart,
work the center stitch, repeat
the same row of the chart for
the second half of the shawl
(reading in the same direction)
and end with two edge
stitches.
Wrong side rows are not
shown on the charts and
are worked as follows: Knit 2
edge stitches, purl all stitches
until 2 stitches remain, knit 2
edge stitches.
All right side rows (odd
numbered rows) are read from
right to left.
Calais Shawl by Judy Marples copyright 2010 all rights reserved
When following the written
instructions to the charts, the
pattern repeat in indicated by
the bold text in brackets.
Cast On
Cast on two stitches by making
two backward loops onto the
needle.
Knit 6 rows.
Next row: Knit 2 stitches, do
not turn work, but rotate your
work one quarter turn to the
right and pick up and knit 3
stitches along the edge of the
garter ridges (one stitch for
each garter ridge). Turn the
work another one-quarter
turn to the right and pick up
and knit two stitches from the
cast on edge (the two
backward loops).
You should have a total of 7
stitches on the needle.
Next row (WS): K2, P1, PM,
P1, PM, P1, K2.
You now have a marker on
either side of the center stitch.
As you increase on either side
of the center stitch be sure to
keep your markers right next
to the center stitch.
Chart A
Begin Chart A and work rows
1 to 22.
Repeat rows 17 to 22 a further
12 times. The red vertical lines
indicate the 6-stitch repeat.
Each time you repeat rows 17
to 22 you will add enough
stitches for another 6 stitch
repeat on each half of the
shawl.
Work repeats until you have
195 stitches on the needle,
ending after completing row
22.
You should have 2 edge
stitches, 95 pattern stitches, 1
center stitch, another 95
pattern stitches, and 2 edge
stitches for a total of 195
stitches on the needle.
The next eyelet section is
not part of either chart -
work as directed below:
Eyelet Row 1 (RS): K2,YO, knit
to center stitch,YO, knit center
stitch,YO, knit until 2 stitches
left,YO, K2.
Row 2 (WS): Knit to center
stitch, purl center stitch, knit to
end.
Row 3 (RS): K2,YO, (knit 2
together,YO) repeat until there
is one stitch left before the
center stitch. K1,YO, knit
center stitch,YO, K1 (YO, knit
2 together) repeat until there
are two stitches left,YO, K2.
Row 4 (WS): Knit to center
stitch, purl center stitch, knit to
end.
Row 5 (RS): K2,YO, knit to
center stitch,YO, knit center
stitch,YO, knit until there are 2
stitches left,YO, K2.
2
Row 6 (WS): Knit to center
stitch, purl center stitch, knit to
end.
You should now have 207
stitches on the needle - 2 edge
stitches, 101 pattern stitches, 1
center stitch, 101 pattern
stitches, and two edge stitches.
Chart B
Begin chart B with row 1. The
10 stitch repeat is indicated by
the red vertical lines.
You may work the entire chart
through row 20, or if you run
out of yarn you may stop after
completing any wrong side
row.
If you have extra yarn you may
make your edging as deep as
you’d like. After completing
row 20, you may go back and
repeat rows 19-20 as many
times as you’d like to. Keep
in mind that you will
need a doubled length of
yarn if you wish to do
the double strand
Estonian bind-off that
follows.
Double Strand Estonian
Bind-Off
Note: This technique may be
done with a single strand of yarn
if desired.
Pick up another length of yarn
and use two strands of yarn
held together for the bind-off.
Leaving a tail of the new strand
to weave through later, begin
bind-off:
Calais Shawl by Judy Marples copyright 2010 all rights reserved
Slip one stitch knitwise, knit
one stitch, *slip these two
stitches back to left
needle and knit two
together through the
back loop. Knit one*
Repeat between * * until all
stitches are bound off. This edition of the Calais
Shawl pattern was revised
Finishing in May 2012. The original
pattern was published in
Weave in your tails but do not March 2010.
trim until after blocking.
Soak your shawl in cold water
and no rinse wool wash for at
least 30 minutes to allow the
fibres to become completely
saturated.
Roll in a white towel or spin
out excess water using a
lingerie bag and the spin cycle
of your washing machine.
Using T pins and blocking wires Copyright 2010
block while wet. Stretch while
blocking to open up the lace all rights reserved
pattern.
This pattern is provided free of
The edging may be pinned out charge for your personal use only.
into points where the yo, knit Please do not use it for any other
1, yo naturally creates a point. purpose without the permission of
the designer.
Leave until completely dry or
Judy Marples may be reached on
overnight. Remove the pins
Ravelry as spinnyknitter
and blocking wires, trim the tail
ends of yarn, and dance around or by email
the room with your new shawl.
judymarples@gmail.com
I hope you enjoyed this
pattern. or on her blog
www.purlbumps.wordpress.com
3
 CHART A

CHART B

Calais Shawl by Judy Marples copyright 2010 all rights reserved 4

CHART A

R1: yo, k1, yo

R3: yo, k3, yo

R5: yo, k1, yo, cdbl dec, yo, k1, yo

R7: yo, k2, yo, cdbl dec, yo, k2, yo

R9: yo, k3, yo, cdbl dec, yo, k3, yo

R11: yo, k1, yo, cdbl dec, yo, k3, yo, cdbl dec, yo, k1, yo

R13: yo, k2, yo, cdbl dec, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, cdbl dec, yo, k2, yo

R15: yo, k3, (yo, cdbl dec, yo, k3) 2 times, yo

R17: yo, k1, [yo, cdbl dec, yo, k3] yo, cdbl dec, yo, k1, yo

R19: yo, k2, [yo, cdbl dec, yo, k1, p1, k1] yo, cdbl dec, yo, k2, yo

R21: yo, k3, [yo, cdbl dec, yo, k3] yo

CHART B

R1: yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo] k1, yo

R3: yo, k1, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo] k1, yo, k1, yo

R5: yo, k3, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo] k1, yo, k3, yo

R7: yo, k5, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo] k1, yo, k5, yo

R9: yo, k7, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo] k1, yo, k7, yo

R11: yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo]

R13: yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo]

R15: yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo]

R17: yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo]

R19: yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo, [k1, yo, k3, sl1 k2tog psso, k3, yo]

Calais Shawl by Judy Marples copyright 2010 all rights reserved 5