Aubergine Surprise is the second shawl in the Dinner Party Collection: a collection of shawls inspired by different dishes, which together would create a yummy meal for a dinner party. Each shawl is named after a different course and each pattern includes the recipe for the dish which inspired the design. My husband loves to cook and we have decided to combine our respective talents in this collection: I create the knitting patterns and he the recipes.

Our second course is Aubergine Surprise, an asymmetrical, striped shawl in garter stitch. A bit of increasing on each row, some decreasing and last but not least some lovely short rows and voilà! An eye-catching shape with eight points sticking out on one side and a smooth edge on the other. The tight top edge creates a slightly ruffled fabric, which can be smoothed out during the blocking process, as shown in the photos, or could be kept for a lovely ruffled shawl if you’d prefer. Worked from side to side, Aubergine Surprise is an easy knit in a fingering weight.
The accompanying recipe is Brandon’s Aubergine Eggplant Appetizer recipe.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length along top edge after blocking: 65 inches or 165cm.
Depth from top edge to bottom edge at deepest point after blocking: 16 inches or 40.5cm.

YARN USED TO MAKE SHAWL PICTURED
MC: Shalimar Yarns Breathless 75% merino wool, 15% cashmere, 10% silk; 420yds/384m per 4oz/113g; color: Byzantium; 1 skein.
CC: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi 80% wool, 20% nylon; 435yds/398m per 100g; color: Tahoe; 1 skein.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Fingering weight yarn, amount similar to amount listed above for the shawl pictured.
Approximate yardage:
MC: 410yds or 375m.
CC: 400yds or 366m.
29-inch (or larger) US #5/3.75mm circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge.
Darning needle.

GAUGE
18 sts/34 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 it is best to obtain gauge.

TECHNIQUES
Casting on stitches.
Binding off stitches.
Increasing.
Decreasing.
Short rows.

PATTERN NOTES
The shawl is worked from side to side. The shape is created by increasing stitches on one side using the “make 1” increase and decreasing stitches on the other side. The stripes in the contrasting color are shaped with short rows.

Instructions are given on how to work the short rows and how to block the shawl.