Apple Blossom

By Kai Mistry

With the end of winter comes the beginning of spring. My most treasured memories of spring are of blossoming apple trees in the school playground, informing us that summer is just round the corner and the apples will be plentiful! This stole reminds me of lying beneath the trees and seeing the sunlight filter through the leaves and blossom, viewed through half-closed eyes.

Photographs: Oliver Rochford
Model: Kai Mistry

Size
Stole measures 195 x 58 cm (78 x 23 inches) after blocking

Requirements
Yarn: 1 skein Natural Dye Studio Venus Alpaca Lace (100% alpaca, 549m/100g) in colour: Apple
Hook: 4mm/G or size needed to obtain correct tension
Notions: Row counter

Tension
2 x 2 motifs = 9cm/3.5inches x 8cm/3.14inches after blocking.

Pattern Notes
This stole is worked in two halves from the centre out, with the second half being worked up from the cast on of the first half.

The Trellis Pattern is worked over a multiple of 2 + 6 sts and the lace pattern over a multiple of 8 + 9. Add or subtract pattern repeats if you choose to alter the width of the stole.

Abbreviations
Please note: English terms and abbreviations are used in this pattern. Abbreviations and equivalent US terms may be found here.

Instructions
Using 4mm crochet hook make 78 ch.

Trellis Pattern:
Row 1: Work 1 tr into 6th ch from hook, *1ch, skip 1 ch, 1 tr in next ch; rep from * to end. Turn.

Row 2: make 4 ch, skip first tr and 1 ch, * 1 tr in next tr, 1 ch, skip 1 ch, rep from *, finish with 1 tr in 2nd ch of turning chain below. Turn.

Work row 2 a further 14 times.

Now move on to the lace pattern below.

Lace Pattern:
Row 1: make 4 ch, 1 tr into last tr of row below, * 3 ch, skip 2 sts, 1 dc into each of the next 3 sts, 3 ch, skip 2 sts, [1 tr, 3 ch, 1 tr] into next st; repeat from *, finish with 3 ch, skip 2 sts, 1 dc into each of the next 3 sts, skip 2 sts, [1 tr, 1 ch, 1 tr] into final ch space. Turn.

Row 2: make 3 ch, 3 tr into sp between 1st and 2nd tr of row below, * 3 ch, 1 dc into 2nd dc of group, 3 ch, skip next ch sp, 7 tr into next ch sp, rep from *, finish with 3 ch, 1 dc into 2nd dc of last group, 3 ch, skip next ch sp, 4 tr into sp between last tr of row below and turning chain space. Turn.

Row 3: make 1 ch, 1 dc into each of next 4 tr, * 5 ch, 1 dc into each of next 7 tr; rep from *, finish with 5 ch, 1 dc into each of last 3 tr, 1 dc into top of turning chain. Turn.

Row 4: make 1 ch, 1 dc into each of next 2 dc, skip 2 dc, * 3 ch, [1 tr, 3 ch, 1 tr] into 3rd ch of next ch sp, 3 ch, skip 2 dc of group, 1 dc into each of next 3 dc, rep from *, finish with 3 ch, [1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr] into 3rd ch of last ch sp, 3 ch, skip 2 dc of last group, 1 dc into each of last 2 dc. Turn.

Row 5: make 1 ch, 1 dc into 1st dc, 3 ch, skip 1 ch sp, 7 tr into next ch sp, * 3 ch, 1 dc in 2nd dc of group, 3 ch, skip next ch sp, 7 tr in next ch sp, rep from *, finish with 3 ch, skip last ch sp, 1 dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 6: make 3 ch, * 1 dc into each of next 7 tr, 5 ch, rep from *, finish with 3 ch, 1 dc into last dc. Turn.

Row 7: make 5 ch, 1 tr into first dc, * 3 ch, skip 2 dc, 1 dc into each of next 3 dc, 3 ch, [1 tr, 3 ch, 1 tr] into 3rd ch of next ch sp, rep from *, finish with 3 ch, skip 2 dc, 1 dc into each of next 3 dc, 3 ch, [1 tr, 3 ch, 1 tr] in 1st ch of turning ch of row below. Turn.

Work rows 2 to 7 until you have worked 9 repeats of the pattern. Work a further repeat ending with either row 3 or 6, depending on how much yarn you have left at this point.

For the second half of the shawl, begin at the initial cast on chain. With RS facing start from Row 1 of Trellis pattern, sl st into first ch and then ch 3 (counts as 1 tr) and work the tr into the same sp as the sl st. Carry on from the first *. Once you have completed the Trellis pattern, work Lace pattern as you did for the first half of the stole.

Finishing
Weave in all ends and block to measurements.

About the Yarn
Venus is one of many gorgeous yarns available from The Natural Dye Studio, an independent British company specialising in beautiful hand-dyed yarns.

About the Designer
Kai is a Brit living in Germany. Her time is spent knitting, crocheting, spinning and now designing. Any remaining time is spent ogling all things fibre-y. You can read about her fibre exploits on her blog, Yarn Mistrys.

Contact Kai