What you'll need
| sizes: | XL | L |
|---|---|---|
YRY005_603
|
3 | 2 |
|
YRY005_601
|
3 | 2 |
|
YRY005_619
|
3 | 2 |
|
YRY005_602
|
3 | 2 |
|
YRY005_617
|
3 | 2 |
|
YRY005_608
|
3 | 2 |
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Product Description
"Sweetness of tint, purity of air and grace of mien," so Charlotte Bronte styles her gentle and pensive heroine Caroline in her novel Shirley. So I gave this shawl the blue of pure air, the grace of a flowing leaf lace motif, and a few sweet finishing touches.
This is a large shawl to reflect the epic scope of the novel and because I was awed by the huge size that shawls grew to match the growing width of the skirt during the first half of the 19th century. Of course you don't have to make it so large -it can easily be resized both width and length-wise. It is made with lace yarn held double, for which you can substitute fingering/4ply if you prefer (the doubled lace is a bit trickier to work with, but gives an airier fabric).
There are lots of changes of direction and techniques in this shawl.
I used a colourway called callao, but have listed just some of the other beautiful colourways available in the rooster yarn.
Also available as part of the Charlotte Bronte Shawls collection.
Caroline Helstone Shawl by Elizabeth Felgate
Design Inspiration and Concept
The Caroline Helstone shawl draws inspiration from Charlotte Brontë's novel "Shirley," specifically the character Caroline Helstone, described as having "sweetness of tint, purity of air and grace of mien." Designer Elizabeth Felgate created this shawl to capture Caroline's essence through color, stitch work, and structural design. The shawl features the pale azure blue that Caroline is mentioned wearing as a decorative touch in the novel, combined with flowing leaf lace motifs and refined finishing details that reflect the character's graceful nature.
Structural Design and Knitting Technique
This shawl employs a sophisticated directional knitting approach that reflects Caroline's many reversals of fortune throughout the narrative. The knitting changes direction 4 times throughout the construction, with all sections ultimately coming together in a unified, fairy tale conclusion. This technique creates visual interest and demonstrates advanced shawl construction methods beyond simple top-down or bottom-up approaches.
Stitch Work and Lace Details
The Caroline Helstone shawl features leaf lace motifs as its primary decorative element, combined with locket lace in the border. The pattern requires solid lace knitting experience, including:
- Yarn overs of all types
- Increasing and decreasing techniques
- Picking up stitches
The locket lace border measures approximately 15cm (6 inches) deep around the main pattern area, providing a delicate frame for the central leaf lace design.
Sizing and Finished Dimensions
The Caroline Helstone shawl is available in two sizes:
- Large size (3 repeats of main pattern): 79cm/31in x 195cm/77in
- Extra large size (5 repeats of main pattern): 105cm/41in x 195cm/77in
Both sizes share the same length of 195cm (77 inches), with width variations determined by the number of main pattern repeats.
Skill Level and Prerequisites
The Caroline Helstone shawl is rated as Advanced Intermediate difficulty. Previous lace knitting experience is recommended before beginning this project. Knitters should be comfortable with all fundamental lace techniques before starting, as the pattern assumes existing knowledge of complex stitch manipulations and directional changes.
Materials and Tools
This shawl is designed to be worked in lace weight yarn on 4.5mm (US size 7) needles. The lace weight yarn creates the delicate, flowing quality essential to the leaf lace motifs and border details. The specific gauge should be verified against the pattern documentation to ensure proper finished dimensions and drape.
Format
The Caroline Helstone shawl pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, making it accessible for immediate use once purchased. This format allows knitters to print the pattern or reference it digitally while working.
Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | Lace |
| Designer: | Elizabeth Felgate |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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