Recently my pattern for this shawl was requested and before I sent off the link I reviewed what I had written and found it so complicated. What was I thinking? So instead of using that confusing and overlong pattern I decided to update the instructions to make them simple and easy to follow.
Here's a silent but great video on how to knit a mitered square/diamond, also called a domino square. https://vimeo.com/6832500
Yarn: Worsted or dk, in two colors. I used a size 7 needle because I knit loosely, but use the needle suggested by the yarn label. Yardage? Well, around 600 to 750 yds, depending on weight and needle etc. Gauge is whatever your yarns produce. I suggest knitting a swatch. It couldn't hurt.
This diagram shows the order of knitting this shawl. Its unusual construction begins in the middle left with diamond #1. Garter stitch is used throughout.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Always begin by slipping the first stitch on every row, and end every row with a purl stitch. This will facilitate picking up stitches along the edge.
Diamond #1 Based on 24+3+24 = 51 stitches. 3 being your center decrease number.
Cast on 51 stitches, using your fave cast on technique.
Row 1 k
Row 2 slipping first stitch counting it as 1 (as mentioned in red above) k to the 24th stitch. place marker, knit 3, place marker, knit 23 stitches to one stitch before the end, purling last stitch.
Row 3 Add second color yarn. k to marker, sl 1, k2tog, psso, which is your center double decrease, also referred to as cdd. Drop the markers as you will recognize the look of your decreases and anticipate when you will work the cdd.
Row 4 k
Row 5 with first color yarn, k 23 and cdd over the three center stitches. K 23
Row 6 k
Continue to switching yarns every two rows, and decrease on all uneven numbered rows and knit until 3 stitches remain. K cdd and cut yarn, pulling end through the final stitch.
Diamond #2
Cast on 26 stitches and then pick up 25 stitches along the top right edge of diamond #1. Knit diamond as for Diamond #1.
Triangle #3. Along the bottom left edge of Diamond #1 pick up 26 and knit to the end of the row, p. This is row 1.
Row 2 K
Row 3 K Add second color yarn, knit to 3 stitches before the end of the row, k2tog, p last stitch as usual.
Continue to decrease on the left edge of the front side, alternating yarn colors every two rows, until 2 stitches remain, k2tog, cut yarn and pull through the final stitch.
Set aside the diamonds and triangle.
Diamond #4
Knit as for Diamond #1. Do not cut yarn at the end.
Diamond #5
Pick up 25 stitches along the top left edge of Diamond #4 and cast on 26. This is row 1.
Row 2 k
Row 3 Add second color yarn and cdd in center 3 stitches.
Continue as for previous diamonds. Cut yarn at the end and pull through last stitch.
Triangle #6 not pictured above, but see diagram or picture below.
Pick up 26 stitches along right bottom edge of diamond #4
Row 2 k
Row 3 add second color yarn, knit first stitch with the second color, then k2tog and k to the end of the row, p last stitch.
Row 4 k
Row 5, using first color yarn, slip first stitch as usual, then k2tog to the end of the row, p last stitch.
Continue as for previous triangle. Cut yarn at the end and pull through last stitch.
Diamond #7
This diamond joins the two sets of your work.
Pick up 25 stitches along the top left edge of diamond #2 and 26 stitches along the top right edge of diamond #5. Knit this diamond as before.
Triangle #8
Note: this triangle has decreases on each edge, as well as cdd in the middle.
Joining the diamonds on their bottom edges, pick up 51 stitches along the bottom edge of diamonds #1 and #2 and then 50 stitches along the bottom edges of #5 and #4. 101 stitches. Or pick up 50 along each edge and when you meet in the center, pick up one stitch from diamond #7. Either way works.
Row 1 is the picked up row.
Row 2 k
Row 3 Add color two, k the first stitch, k2tog, knit to the center three stitches and work a cdd, k to the last three stitches, k2tog, p.
Row 4 k
Row 5 and following rows, decrease at both edges and center until 5 stitches remain. Bind off on the wrong side and cut yarn.
Borders. Here the shawl is folded in half to show the border along the right side of finished diamonds and bottom triangle.
Right Border
Stitches are picked up along the edge with 26 stitches for each of the diamonds and the bottom triangle. 104 stitches. Increases (kfb) are made only on the front edge of the border, one stitch in from the edge, as usual. The left edge is knit without decreases. If that is confusing, the picture shows the edge where the increases are made.
Counting two rows as a ridge, knit 25 ridges to complete the border.
At the end of both borders, a triangle will be added to join the borders with stitches picked up again from both edges.
Here is the folded shawl showing the left border.
The end is near!
Left border stitches are picked up as for right border, 104 stitches and 25 ridges are knit. Increases are made on the left side edge, second to last stitch, kfb, p.
After both borders are knit the last triangle or diamond ( your choice) is knit.
In this version above, the bottom triangle is knit as in Triangle #8, but in this case with 25 stitches along one border, 1 stitch picked up in the center and 25 along the next border.
Alternately, a 51 stitch diamond can be knit to form a pointed bottom. Decreases are one stitch in from each edge and a cdd in the center three stitches.
Also you may note that I used a different center decrease, which is quite fiddly (slipping 2 stitches off the right needle, rearranging them, and putting them back and then knitting the next stitch, passing those first two stitches over the 3rd so the one stitch sits on top. Arrgghh!) and hard to figure out how to write it in the pattern. You may use any variation of a center double decrease that suits you.
Weave in ends and block. Wear with pride.
