The ancient fields of Cumbria are scattered with fragments of time-worn buildings and monuments. Many layers of history have been laid down here, and these remnants hint at the stories of the people who lived here long ago. Some of the most mysterious ruins of all are Cumbria’s prehistoric stone circles. Whether they were once used as ritual sites, waymarkers, or for some other purpose we can never know, today they are places of wonder.

The Little Meg is named after one of Cumbria’s smallest circles, which lies just a few miles from the village where we gather for Curious Handmade Country House Retreats. Humble as Little Meg may be, she has endured since the Bronze Age, and her magic is intact. One of her stones is carved with graceful symbols: spirals and circles within circles.

This triangular shawl was created for the Curious Handmade Country House Retreat in March 2018, using the magical Canopy Fingering from The Fibre Co. Designed to be ideal retreat knitting, the design is simple: eyelets dotted across a field of stockinette stitch, just like the standing stones of Cumbria’s moors. Wrap the shawl around your shoulders, and the circle is complete. A crisp garter border provides an elegant finishing touch.

Size
Small, (Large)

Finished Measurements
Small:
Approximately 137cm (54”) across straight top edge 46cm (18”) neck to bottom edge
Large:
Approximately 203cm (80”) across straight top edge
71cm (28”) neck to bottom edge

Yarn
Small:
The Fibre Co. Canopy Fingering
50% baby alpaca, 30% Merino wool, 20% rayon from bamboo; 183m/200 yds per 50g hank, 2 x 50g hanks,
Colourway: Crocus

Large:
The Fibre Co. Canopy Fingering
50% baby alpaca, 30% Merino wool, 20% rayon
from bamboo; 183m/200 yds per 50g hank,
5 x 50g hanks,
Colourway: Dolphin
o r ,
100g, (250g) of fingering or sock weight yarn totaling approximately 360m/400yds, (915m/1000yds)

Needles
4mm (US 6), 80/100cm (32/40”) long circular needles (or size to obtain gauge)

Notions
Tapestry needle

Gauge
18 sts/32 rows = 10cm (4”) in garter stitch after
blocking