Three colors, two stripe patterns and one little bit of lace! Alvar is a long, squishy shawl in garter stitch that is easy to knit and easy to drape. It’s knit sideways from point to point and features stripes that change color mid-row, for which instructions are provided in the pattern, as well as regular stripes. Simple increases and decreases create the shape and a small strip of lace provides a bit of a textural contrast on one edge. Alvar is named after Finnish designer and architect Alvar Aalto, whose designs inspired the lines in the shawl.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length along top edge after blocking: 74 inches or 188cm.
Depth from top edge to bottom edge at deepest point after blocking: 14 inches or 35.5cm.

YARN USED TO MAKE SHAWL PICTURED
MC: Wollmeise Blend 70% merino wool, 20% cashmere, 10% polyamide; 546yds/499m per 150g; color: 29 CU; 1 skein.
Contrasting color CC1: Malabrigo Sock 100% merino wool; 440yds/402m per 100g; color: Eggplant; 1 skein.
Contrasting color CC2: Shibui Knits Staccato with nylon 65% merino wool, 30% silk, 5% nylon; 191yds/175m per 50g; color: Dijon; 1 skein.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Fingering weight yarn, approximate yardage:
MC: 260yds or 235m, CC1: 280yds or 255m, CC2: 110yds or 100m.
29-inch (or larger) US #6/4mm circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge.
Darning needle.

GAUGE
18 sts/32 rows = 4 x 4 inches in garter stitch AFTER BLOCKING. Gauge is not crucial for this project, however, to get the dimensions of the shawl pictured and to match yarn requirements it is best to obtain gauge.

TECHNIQUES
Casting on stitches.
Binding off stitches.
Increasing.
Decreasing.
Simple lace knitting.
Color changing, including color changing mid-row (detailed instructions are provided in the pattern).

PATTERN NOTES
The shawl is worked from side to side, beginning at the far right point. The shape is created by increasing stitches on the outer edge using the “knit front and back” (KFB) increase and decreasing stitches on the top edge using the “knit 2 stitches together” (k2tog) decrease. After binding off all stitches the shawl is blocked into shape.