Pattern Help Needed on Seraphim Shawl

#1

I have just started knitting the Seraphim Shawl and maybe I’m not in the right frame of mind, but the directions after the 1st 6 rows have totally perplexed me. It says to repeat rows 5 & 6 (which each are 15 stitches) for a total of 247 stitches. Has anyone out there knit this? Help!

#2

There should be a set of sts that you repeat within the row so that will use up the 247 sts. If you want to copy and paste just rows 5 and 6, we can help point them out to you.

#3

Yes, I understand that, however, if you saw the pattern you would know that it is difficult to tell which direction you are going and the math doesn’t add up. A 15 stitch repeated 58 times doesn’t total to 247 stitches. I was hoping that someone who had actually knit this shawl might be able to set me straight because apparently I’m missing something. Anyone?

#4

There are probably edge stitches that don’t get repeated and probably a single center stitch. 15 sts repeated 16 times is 240, so that gives you 3 sts on each edge and a single one in the middle.

#5

OK, Suzeeq, Here’s the section I am confused by (can’t tell what part of the shawl this is–directions say this is a top down knit but the rest of it doesn’t appear to be so) :

Row 5: k2, slip 1st marker, yo, k to marker,
yo, sl 2nd marker, k1, slip 3rd marker, yo, knit
to marker, yo, sl 4th marker, k2 (15 sts).
Row 6: K2, purl to last 2 sts, k2.

-Repeat rows 5 & 6 fifty-eight (58) times
for a total of 247 sts. 2 garter edge
stitches on each side, and one center
stitch, plus 121 sts in each wedge.

Any help will be appreciated!

#6

Okay, that’s just a simple stockinette st with increases. You have markers at the edge sts, the k2, and 2 markers in the center between them. You YO at each edge and on either side of the ‘center’ st. It starts out with 15 sts on row 5, but every RS row will add 4 more sts, so by the time you do 116 rows you’ll have the 247 sts. Don’t over think it, after 3 or 4 rows you’ll see how it grows if you just follow the instructions. This is right after the beginning setup rows and it will begin to look like a small shawl after a while.

You may want to replace the 2nd and 3rd markers with just a single marker around the center stitch and move it up every few rows. Use a safety pin or paper clip if you don’t have a removeable marker use another piece of yarn. The markers tend to slide under the YOs and people end up getting confused as to where they should do the YOs.

#7

This is actually starting to make sense now but do you really end the RS row with a YO? or does the YO come just before the last knit stitch?

I’m not normally this dense, honestly.

#8

You’re not ending the row with a yarn over. Read it again, slower - you’ve got a yarn over, then knit 2 at the end of the right side rows.

#9

There’s 2 knit sts at the beg and end of the RS rows; the YOs are between them and the body of the shawl.

#10

Thanks so much–I am going strong on the knitting now. I was overthinking it in a big way. I started by looking at the math the wrong way and that led me down rabbit trails. I am enjoying it so far and think it will be lovely!

#11

Be careful the White Rabbit doesn’t take you through the looking glass…

#12

LOL–I think I’ve been there before.

The Seraphim Shawl is going rather nicely–I’ll let ya’ll know when it’s done!

Thanks to all who helped this silly knitter out of a very simple dilemma. I still can’t believe I just didn’t do what the pattern said instead of second guessing the math.

#13

Trust the pattern, Luke…