The design has been created specifically for La Bien Aimée’s first visit to Shanghai as a part of Favorite Knitting Studio’s (织觉工作室) pop up event in the city.

La Bien Aimée has also prepared yarn bundles for this design. You can get yours HERE

Lilong Shawl is a symmetrical shallow triangular shawl worked top down with Garter Tab Cast-On and regular increases along the edges and central spine to obtain its final shape. Its main body comprises of twisted knit double rib in MC interrupted by textured colourwork, knit on both sides of the project and enclosed by grid lace, creating a floating colourwork effect. The shawl edge features a panel of simple eyelet lace in CC, enclosed by extended sections of textured colourwork and ending with twisted knit double rib. The shawl is bound off in Stretchy Ribbing Bind-Off to ensure a controlled stretch.

The shawl is inspired by the colours and textures reminiscent of the Shanghai lilongtangs (里弄堂) - traditional city dwelling complexes - in the onset of the autumn, when the golden ginkgo leaves pool at the street corners, creating a jarring contrast against the grey brick walls of laneway houses off the quieter city streets, hidden and secluded from the eyes of a regular passerby.
The geometry of the lines mirrors the architectural precision and density of these compounds, while floating colourwork calls to mind window grids and an occasional art deco floor tiling, specific to these historic housing complexes.

The pattern includes full written instructions, and is also fully charted which means you do not have to consult written instructions if you wish to work from charts only.

The pattern has been thoroughly tech edited and test knitted.

SKILL LEVEL Intermediate: twisted stiches, corrugated two colour ribbing worked on RS and WS of the project, extensive section sequence change.

SIZE
Wingspan - 80” (203 cm)
Depth – 31.5” (80 cm)
Side Edge - 52” (132 cm)

YARN & YARDAGE
Sample uses:
La Bien Aimeé Merino Singles
100% Superwash Merino; 400 yards / 366 m, 100g.
MC: Tokki, 800 yds (732 m) – 2 skeins
CC: Yellow Brick Road Graffiti, 400 yds (366 m) – 1 skein
OR
Fingering weight yarn in
MC: appox 800 yds (732 m)
CC: approx 400 yds (366 m)

NEEDLES
US 2.5 (3 mm) circulars with 40” (100 cm) cable. (or size to obtain a close gauge)
Please note, that the needle size is only a suggestion, since the gauge depends on your personal knitting tension.

GAUGE
28 sts x 36 rows = 4” (10 cm) worked flat in twisted knit st double ribbing, after wet blocking.
Due to the generous size of the shawl, gauge is not extremely crucial and having a tighter gauge will still result in a large sample. It is more desirable to have denser than looser fabric to maintain the intended texture of the motifs.
Important:** Project consumes almost all MC. Please, use CC or other similar weight & fiber content yarn for swatching.*

NOTIONS
Cable needle (optional, if you prefer using it for 2 st cabling twists), stitch markers, tapestry needle, scissors, blocking tools.