I love a good lacy leaf motif (I’m a Botanist in my day job!) but lately all of the lace versions of leaves have seemed very similar to me—different sizes perhaps but all having smooth (or entire) edges/margins. Ivy or trefoil shaped leaves do contribute a little variability in overall shape (which I have previously explored in shawl and sock patterns,) but this time I became focused on the margins themselves.

Smooth edged leaves are easy to create, of course, but what one doesn’t often see are representations of leaves with serrated or jagged leaves. And there certainly are a lot of those in nature: apple, box elder and elm trees all have serrations or teeth of different sizes. Thus, I set out to to create a serrated edge lacy leaf motif that was still immediately recognizable as a leaf. For impact I simply stacked the individual leaf motifs on top of each other and then doubled the pattern on a half drop arrangement so that neighboring leaves alternated with each other. As I worked through the numerous versions of my leaf motif, I realized that some well placed slipped stitches would solve issues with the the leaf design itself as well as act as separations for each column of leaves. The resulting overall design is fresh and modern while still being lacy. All of the leaves add up to a veritable tornado of leaves wrapped around the shoulders…hence the title of Leafnado Shawl.

There is one stitch pattern used throughout the piece and due to its size the pattern is given in chart form only. Final blocked size as shown is 19” x 80”. Since this shawl is a simple rectangle in shape, size can be easily altered by working fewer or more repeats in row and longer or shorter overall. Yarn usage would then be altered from what is listed below if you do that, of course.

Yarn recommendations: fingering weight yarn in a solid, lighter color. I have used a single ply yarn here but a plied sock yarn using super wash wool would work also. Color is important; variegated or speckled yarns will not work well—the colors will obscure the pattern.

Materials:
YARN: Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles (fingering) yarn, 100% merino wool, in color-way Pollen. 270 g/ 990 m or 1,080 yds (ca. 2.6 100 g. skeins).

-Size 2 (2.75 mm) needles

-Stitch markers

-Tapestry needle

Gauge:
24 ST x 44 rows in well-blocked stockinette to a 4” square. Note that this pattern really requires some vigorous lateral blocking to expand the leaves properly.