Saudade, an elusive word for the presence of absence, is not easily translatable to other languages; it is a Portuguese concept of deep emotional longing, nostalgia, and melancholy.

Much like its sister pattern, Hiraeth, Saudade combines all of the things I love about shawl knitting: lace, beads, and cables. The pattern is charted and includes full row-by-row instructions as well.

The short rows are worked in garter stitch, which means that the wraps can be left in place, hidden in the stitch texture.

The lace pattern uses basic lace stitches combined with cables and pretty texture, all worked on the right side only, while the wrong side rows are simply purled.

There are beads added throughout the lace and three different beading options are charted, but the project will work just as well without any beads.

All sizes of the shawl can be worked in lace or fingering, as well as sport, DK, and worsted weight yarns, (heavier yarns may require extra yardage and larger needles). Solid, tonal, and gradient yarns will work with this project beautifully.

Finished Measurements:
Large: 33” / 84 cm (center depth) x 70” / 178 cm (wingspan)
Medium: 24” / 61 cm (center depth) x 52” / 132 cm (wingspan)
Small: 20” / 51 cm (center depth) x 46” / 117 cm (wingspan)
Note: Measurements taken after blocking.

Yarn (gradient, solid, or tonal colors):
Large: Miss Babs Katahdin (100% Superwash Bluefaced Leicester Wool; 1750 yards / 1600 m / 439 grams); color: Quicksilver; or any lace or fingering weight yarn, approx 1265 - 1340 yards.
Medium: Miss Babs Dulcinea (70% Merino Wool, 15% Cashmere, 15% Silk; 800 yards / 730 m / 120 grams); color: Spiny; or any lace or fingering weight yarn, approx 645 - 720 yards.
Small: Miss Babs Yowza (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 560 yards / 512 m / 225 grams); color: Dusk; or any lace to DK weight yarn, approx 495 - 560 yards.

Gauge:
22 sts / 32 rows = 4” / 10 cm in garter stitch, blocked, using fingering yarn and US 6 / 4.00 mm needles
Note: Correct gauge is not critical for this project, but your final measurements and yardage requirements may vary if your gauge is different.

Needles:
All sizes: US 5 / 3.75 mm, US 6 / 4.00 mm, US 7 / 4.50 mm, and US 8 / 5.00 mm circular needle, 32” or longer
(Small DK weight sample was worked on needles one size larger)

Notions:
Crochet hook size 0.75mm (or smaller as needed to fit through holes of beads, optional)
Cable needle, Stitch markers, Yarn needle, Blocking pins

Beads (optional):
lots of beads / fewer beads / just edges
Large 1142 / 512 / 386
Medium 711 / 366 / 276
Small 466 / 268 / 202
Note: These are exact numbers, purchasing a few extra beads is recommended.
Bead size depends on the weight of your yarn. Because of the relatively large number of beads in the “lots of beads” option, the large or medium lace weight shawl would probably work best with 8/0 3.00 mm beads to avoid straining the yarn too much, but the same shawl worked in fingering or sport weight could easily support 6/0 4.00 mm beads.

Saudade Mystery Knit-Along in the Susanna IC group.

Saudade MKAL is my fifteenth Mystery KAL shawl (previous MKALs include Hiraeth, Jadis, Mina, Calendula, Meristem, and Diantha).

Project Tag:
SaudadeMKAL2021

Questions or comments about my designs?
Interested in KALs & MKALs?
Join Susanna IC group on Ravelry:
http://www.ravelry.com/groups/susanna-ic