nupped waterlily shawl -...

Nupped Waterlily Shawl 1

Nupped Waterlily Shawl or Scarf

My Nupped Waterlilies is an Estonian-inspired rectangular lace shawl. The design follows the traditional Estonian construction method with a central lace center and a border knitted in one piece, both surrounded by a garter stitch frame. A lace edge is knitted lengthwise (and bottom-up) in two sections and sewn on afterwards. Alternatively, edge stitches can be knitted up on circular needles all around the center section and a different lace edge knitted (top-down, not charted). Directions are given for several shawl sizes and shapes: (x-small) small (medium) large referring to four different widths. The length can be varied at will. The sample shawl measures 180 x 66 cm.

Sample shawl Yarn: Gepard Cashmere Lace (2-ply), 350 m/25 g, 4 skeins. Color: brownish/grey/green/blue. Needles: 3 mm (US 2½) circular needles, 80 cm wire, or single pointed needles with sharp ends. 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needles, 80 cm wire for lace edge cast on.


Lace patterns The shawl pattern uses several Estonian stitches and lace patterns. For instructions, see below.

Vesiroosikiri (Waterlily pattern) from Haapsalu sall by Siiri Reimann (slightly modified; inspiration for the nupps in the middle is from a shawl project on ravelry.com), Pattern No. 59 from Pitsilised Koekirjad by Leili Reimann (unknown edition), Äärepitsi No. 3 from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush (with an unintended modification in one half of the sample shawl edge, NOT charted ☺) Charts were done in Excel, using the Stitchmastery Dot and Stitchmastery Dot Cable knitting fonts (purchased online from Cathy Scott at www.stitchmastery.com). All sections are charted separately: Chart A: lower and upper horizontal Waterlily border. Chart B: center lace section and right side border repeats (size XS/S) Chart C: center lace section and right side border repeats (size M/L) Chart D: lace edge All garter stitch frames are 8 rows (4 garter ridges) for horizontal parts, 4 stitches wide for vertical parts. Garter stitch frames are generally not charted, see text and/or overview. Warning: changing the number of horizontal repeats will require adjustments to fit in the lace pattern repeats and garter stitch frames. To plan the number of vertical repeats, leave about 25% of the yarn for the lace edge. For the sample shawl, the center section weighed 73 g, the lace edge 20 g (22%) before sewing.

Waterlily with nupps Pattern no. 59 Äärepitsi No. 3


Estonian stitches in this pattern Nupps (“buds”), small knobs, similar to bobbles. On RS, (k1,yo,k1,yo,k1,yo,k1,yo,k1),all in the same stitch, creating 9 sts out of one. On the return row, purl all 9 stitches together. Be careful to catch all 9 sts – it is easy (and not so good) to miss a loop or two, or to include a neighboring stitch by accident. To avoid this, knit the 9 loops very loosely on the RS (pull each loop at least 6-8 mm long), and on the WS, find the neighboring stitches and push them out of the way, then pinch the base of all the nupp sts together and pull them downwards, then wriggle the right needle in along the left one. To check if all loops are there, pull the right needle down a bit, twist it slightly and check the space between the needles for any missed stitches. If all is well, purl the stitches together, and make sure that the new stitch has only one thread when it begins to emerge – missed stitches will usually be caught on the needle. Count the stitches in the pattern repeat after purling – it is much easier to correct mistakes at once. 7- or 5-loop nupps are somewhat easier and can be substituted if desired, or the nupps can be omitted entirely if you don’t like them. Gathered stitches (star stitches) The shawl uses a 3-to-3 (star) stitch, maintaining stitch count, and a 3-to-7 (star) stitch, increasing from 3 sts to 7. On RS, k3tog, leave the 3 sts on left needle, *yo, knit the same three sts together again* (3-to-3 star), or repeat ** two more times for a 3-to-7 star. On the return row, purl all stitches individually. Be sure to purl them in the right sequence or it will look sloppy. Crossed stitches (5-stitch cable) This may not be a particularly Estonian stitch pattern, but at least I have not come across it before (perhaps because I don’t really like cables). It is used in the center lace pattern. Slip 2 sts onto a cable needle, hold it at the back of the work and knit the next 3 sts, then knit the 2 slipped stitches and proceed. Instead of a regular cable needle, I prefer to use a shorter, straight needle, made by breaking a worn wooden or bamboo needle in two (6-8 cm long) and sanding the splintered ends smooth and pointed. It may not work so well if your tension is looser than mine. k4tog Knit 4 sts together: not an Estonian specialty at all, but can be an awful nuisance to knit, if your tension is tight. Do be careful to catch all 4 stitches, and rescue any drop-outs immediately!

3-to-7 star


Center piece: border and center sections (Chart A, B/C) Cast on (99) 117 (135) 153 stitches with single yarn on 3 mm needles, using the stretchy knitted cast on method (for instructions, see appendix). Outer garter frame, right and left side (not charted): Slip the first stitch purlwise on all rows, then knit the next 3 and the last 4 stitches for the outer garter frame. Lower horizontal border: Waterlily pattern, Chart A Knit the first 8 rows (4 garter ridges), followed by 2 rows of stockinette (row 9: knit, row 10: purl). Knit all 32 rows of Chart A once, doing (4) 5 (6) 7 pattern repeats + first and last repeats (corresponding to (4) 6 (7) 8 waterlilies). Mid section: Waterlily side borders and central lace section (Chart B or C) Continue with either Chart B (for size XS/S ) or Chart C (for size M/L), showing the right side border (19 pattern stitches), 4 inner frame stitches, and pattern repeats for the central lace section. The left side border is not charted, knit it exactly like the right border, end with 4 frame sts. The lace pattern repeats have either a multiple of 10 sts + 4 (Chart B) or 10 sts + 9 (Chart C). The stitch count between the side borders should be (53) 71 (89) 107 for size (XS) S (M) L when starting the center section.

Row 1 (Chart B/C): Knit right side border according to the chart, place a stitch marker, k4, place marker, knit the next stitches, adjusting he stitch number as follows: Size XS: decrease 1 (k2tog in the middle) to 44 sts, size S: increase 1 (M1) in the middle to 64 sts, Size M: decrease 2 (k2tog in both ends of the inner frame) to 79 sts, Size L: no adjustment required.


Continue knitting until 4 stitches before the left side border (27 remaining stitches), place marker, k4, place marker, knit left side border. Row 2-8: Knit the right and left side borders according to the chart, but skip the central lace pattern and knit all stitches between the markers to finish the horizontal part of the inner garter frame (4 ridges). Note: the number of stitches per row is variable in the border section. The Waterlily pattern repeat has 18 sts (+1 at the end) on most rows, but is decreased to 16 sts at the end of row 7, increased to 20 sts on row 9, and decreased back to 18 sts on row 13. Row 9-32 and all subsequent repeats: Begin the center lace pattern on row 9 and continue knitting according to the chart for the desired number of repeats. End the center lace section after row 23 of the last side border Waterlily and switch to the upper horizontal part of the inner garter frame (8 rows, 4 ridges), beginning with a WS row. On the last row, restore the original stitch number (for size M, increase 2 stitches just inside the inner garter frame, for size S, decrease 1 and for size XS increase 1 stitch in the middle. Total stitch count = cast on stitches at the end of this row (all sizes). Knit the upper horizontal Waterlily border like the lower one, but in reverse sequence, beginning with Chart A, all 32 rows), followed by 9 knit rows (4 garter ridges + 1 row). Bind off on WS using Russian bind off (k2, insert tip of left needle as if to return the stitches and knit the same 2 sts together through the back loop (tbl), *k1, knit both stitches from right needle together tbl*, repeat ** until all sts are bound off, pull yarn through last loop to finish.


Lace edge (Chart D) The lace edge is knitted separately in two parts and sewn on later (see below). The pattern has 15 rows and a 10 sts + 11 pattern repeat. It has a garter stitch ground, so all WS rows are knitted, not purled. The lace edge is not ruched, so the length should correspond to the circumference of the center section, except for extra ease at the corners (see sewing instructions, page 6). Briefly, between the corners, the cast on/bound off stitches of the horizontal sides are sewn on 1:1 to the cast on stitches from the lace edge (one stitch from the lace edge is joined to one stitch from the center section). Since there is only half as many selvedge stitches as rows along the vertical sides, sewing this way would result in a too tight seam. The lace edge stitches between the corners are therefore joined to the selvedge stitches 1:1 two times, then 2:1 once (two stitches from the lace edge to one selvedge stitch from the center secion) - that is, three selvedge stitches takes four lace edge stitches. Calculate the number of stitches to cast on for each half of the edge as follows: A: For each horizontal side: number of cast on stitches in center section + 18 extra edge stitches. Round up (or down) to the closest stitch number divisible by 10 (for full pattern repeats). B: For each vertical side: (number of rows in center section x 2/3) - 4 + 18 extra edge stitches. Round up (or down) to the closest stitch number divisible by 10. Total stitch count = A + B + 1. You can also use the StitchCalculator.xlsx to calculate the distribution of stitches and pattern repeats. Example: the sample shawl is size M with 16 Waterlilies in length. Number of cast on sts = 135. Number of rows in center section = (2 x 8 outer frame rows) + (3 stockinette rows inside the outer frame) + (16 x 32 Waterlily pattern rows) = 531. Calculated stitch number: A: 135 + 18 = 153 (rounds down to 150) B: (531 x 2/3) - 4 + 18 = 368 (rounds up to 370). A + B + 1 = 521. Cast on the calculated number of sts on 3.5 mm needles and with double yarn, using the stretchy knitted cast-on method. Tip: I prefer to place a stitchmarker after the first (half) repeat and then for every 5 repeats (50 sts), after a careful control count of the stitches cast on since the last marker. This way it is not necessary to count all 500+ stitches at the end (several times because of invariable errors), and later, the stitchmarkers serve as check points to help catch any mistakes in the lace pattern early on. Those are long rows to undo…


Break one strand of yarn and continue with the other strand only. Note: RS is identified as the one with only one loose strand from the cast-on at the beginnning of the row, the WS has two strands. Knit Chart D once, knitting (not slipping) the first stitch on all rows, and knitting all WS rows. Bind off on the WS the same way as before. Knit another lace edge half exactly like the first one.

Sewing on the lace edge The traditional way to sew on the lace edge is described in Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush. Thread the needle onto the yarn, which is not cut, but left attached to the ball until the entire lace edge has been sewn into place. The yarn must gradually be pulled along while sewing. Begin at the lower left corner of the center section. Hold the center section and the lace edge together (RSs facing each other) and sew from the corner down the left side. Put the needle through the first 3 stitches of the lace edge, then 1 stitch from the side edge. Then sew the next 3 edge stitches together with the next side edge stitch and repeat once more (9 stitches have been joined to 3 stitches). Next, join 2 lace edge stitches to 1 side edge stitch three times (6 stitches have been joined to 3). Proceed along the side, joining the stitches 1:1 twice, then 2:1 once, etc. Extra stitches are distributed evenly by substituting a 1:1 join with a 2:1 join. Tip: identify and mark all lace edge 2- and 3 stitch groups with bits of yarn before you start sewing. Continue until 6 stitches from the next corner (and 15 stitches from the corresponding point of the lace edge, which should be the center of the broad base of a scallop) and repeat the sequence in


reverse order (2:1 three times, then 3:1 three times). You should now be exactly at the corner tip. Finish the other side of the corner (3:1 three times, then 2:1 three times) and continue along the top edge, joining the stitches 1:1, except for any extra stitches that need to be eased in (substitute a 2:1 join), and switch to the (2:1) x 3, (3:1) x 3 when 6 stitches remain on the top edge and 15 on the lace edge (ideally…). Sew on the second part of the lace edge the same way, either continuing with the same strand, or starting over with a new strand after breaking the yarn a good distance from the seam, leaving enough yarn at both ends to allow the shawl to be thoroughly stretched. Sew the two parts of the lace edge together at the ends, using their tail ends or a fresh length of yarn, but not the strand used to join the lace edge to the center. Gently stretch the shawl along the length of the seam and gradually ease in more yarn. Carefully distribute the edge evenly all the way around, and make sure the seam is not too tight to allow the shawl to be stretched. Soak the shawl in lukewarm water and block. Only weave in the ends after the shawl is fully dry.


After blocking…


Appendix:

Alternative border patterns I believe it would look at least as good to move the nupp groups in the side border to the center of the empty space between the waterlilies, or to substitute the nupps with eyelets in a cat’s paws pattern, like in this swatch, done in a pale green alpaca yarn. The nupps here are done with 5 loops in the

Waterlilies, 7 loops in the 4-nupp groups (as opposed to 9 loops in the sample shawl).

Charts of the alternative side borders can be downloaded at ravelry.com (only size M/L).

Stretchy knitted cast-on

Make a loop in the yarn, leaving an end just long enough to weave in. Insert left needle into the loop and knit one stitch into it, leaving the original stitch on the left needle and moving the new stitch onto the left needle as well (insert the tip of the needle from the front to twist the stitch correctly). Knit on all following stitches the same way.

Nupped Waterlily Shawl, Chart A: Horizontal Waterlily border (bottom and top)

no stitch V s1 - k1 - psso z nupp stitch ÂÉÏ 3-to-7 star

- knit (in pattern rows) U k2tog 04 k4tog ÂÅÏ 3-to-3 star

o yarn over t s1 - k2tog - psso purl (WS rows)

Knitting font: Stitchmastery Dot (www.stitchmastery.com)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31

- - - - - - - - o t o - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - o t o - - - - - - - - 29

- - - - - - - o U - - V o - - - - - - - - - - - - - o U - V o - - - - - - - 27

- z - - - - o U - - - V o - - - - z - z-- - - - o U - - - V o - - - - z - 25

z - - - - o U - - - - - V o - - - - z - - - - o U - - - - - V o - - - - z 23

- - - - o U - - - - - - - V o - - - - - - - o U - - - - - - - V o - - - - 21

- - - o U - - - - z - - - - V o - - - - - o U - - - - z - - - - V o - - - 19

- - o U - - - z - - - z - - - V o - - - o U - - - z - - - z - - - V o - - 17

- V o - - z - - o t o - - z - - o U - V o - - z - - o t o - - z - - o U - 15

- - V o 04 o - o - - - o - o 04 o U - - - V o 04 o - o - - - o - o 04 o U - - 13

- - - V o V - - o - - - o - - U o U - - - - - V o V - - o - - - o - - U o U - - - 11

- - - - V o - ÂÉÏ - o U - - - - - - - V o - ÂÉÏ - o U - - - - 9

z - - - - V o V - U o U - - - - z - - - - V o V - U o U - - - - z 7

- z - - - - V o - - - o U - - - - z - z - - - - V o - - - o U - - - - z - 5

- - - - - - - V o - o U - - - - - - - - - - - - - V o - o U - - - - - - - 3

- - - - - - - - ÂÅÏ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ÂÅÏ - - - - - - - - 1

Last repeat First repeat18 stitch pattern repeat

Nupped Waterlily shawl, Chart B: Mid section, size XS/S

no stitch V s1 - k1 - psso z nupp

- knit (in pattern rows) U k2tog ÂÉÏ 3-to-7 star

o yarn over t s1 - k2tog - psso ÂÅÏ 3-to-3 star

. purl (RS) 04 k4tog hiii]^jjj 5-stitch cable


- - - -

- - - - . - - hiii]^jjj - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31

- - - -

- - o V . U o - - - - - o V - - - - - - - - - - - - o t o - - - - - - - - 29

- - - -

- o - V . U - o - - - o - V - - - - - - - - - - - o U - V o - - - - - - - 27

- - - -

o - - V . U - - o - o - - V - - - - - z - - - - o U - - - V o - - - - z - 25

- - - -

- - hiii]^jjj - - . - - - - - - - - z - - - - o U - - - - - V o - - - - z 23

- - - -

U o - - - - - o V . U o - - - - - - - - - - o U - - - - - - - V o - - - - 21

- - - -

U - o - - - o - V . U - o - - - - - - - - o U - - - - z - - - - V o - - - 19

- - - -

U - - o - o - - V . U - - o - - - - - - o U - - - z - - - z - - - V o - - 17

- - - -

- - - - . - - hiii]^jjj - - - - - - - V o - - z - - o t o - - z - - o U - 15

- - - -

- - o V . U o - - - - - o V - - - - - - V o 04 o - o - - - o - o 04 o U - - 13

- - - -

- o - V . U - o - - - o - V - - - - - - - V o V - - o - - - o - - U o U - - - 11

- - - -

o - - V . U - - o - o - - V - - - - - - - - V o - ÂÉÏ - o U - - - - 9

- - - -

- - hiii]^jjj - - . - - - - - - - - z - - - - V o V - U o U - - - - z 7

- - - -

U o - - - - - o V . U o - - - - - - - z - - - - V o - - - o U - - - - z - 5

- - - -

U - o - - - o - V . U - o - - - - - - - - - - - - V o - o U - - - - - - - 3

- - - -

U - - o - o - - V . U - - o - - - - - - - - - - - - ÂÅÏ - - - - - - - - 1

pattern repeat

Nupped Waterlily Shawl, Chart C: Mid section, size M/L

no stitch V s1 - k1 - psso z nupp

- knit (in pattern rows) U k2tog ÂÉÏ 3-to-7 star

o yarn over t s1 - k2tog - psso ÂÅÏ 3-to-3 star

. purl (RS) 04 k4tog hiii]^jjj 5-stitch cable


- - - -

- - hiii]^jjj - - . - - hiii]^jjj - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31

- - - -

U o - - - - - o V . U o - - - - - o V - - - - - - - - - - - - o t o - - - - - - - - 29

- - - -

U - o - - - o - V . U - o - - - o - V - - - - - - - - - - - o U - - V o - - - - - - - 27

- - - -

U - - o - o - - V . U - - o - o - - V - - - - - z - - - - o U - - - V o - - - - z - 25

- - - -

- - - - . - - hiii]^jjj - - . - - - - - - - - z - - - - o U - - - - - V o - - - - z 23

- - - -

- - o V . U o - - - - - o V . U o - - - - - - - - - - o U - - - - - - - V o - - - - 21

- - - -

- o - V . U - o - - - o - V . U - o - - - - - - - - o U - - - - z - - - - V o - - - 19

- - - -

o - - V . U - - o - o - - V . U - - o - - - - - - o U - - - z - - - z - - - V o - - 17

- - - -

- - hiii]^jjj - - . - - hiii]^jjj - - - - - - - V o - - z - - o t o - - z - - o U - 15

- - - -

U o - - - - - o V . U o - - - - - o V - - - - - - V o 04 o - o - - - o - o 04 o U - - 13

- - - -

U - o - - - o - V . U - o - - - o - V - - - - - - - V o V - - o - - - o - - U o U - - - 11

- - - -

U - - o - o - - V . U - - o - o - - V - - - - - - - - V o - ÂÉÏ - o U - - - - 9

- - - -

- - - - . - - hiii]^jjj - - . - - - - - - - - z - - - - V o V - U o U - - - - z 7

- - - -

- - o V . U o - - - - - o V . U o - - - - - - - z - - - - V o - - - o U - - - - z - 5

- - - -

- o - V . U - o - - - o - V . U - o - - - - - - - - - - - - V o - o U - - - - - - - 3

- - - -

o - - V . U - - o - o - - V . U - - o - - - - - - - - - - - - ÂÅÏ - - - - - - - - 1

pattern repeat

Nupped Waterlily Shawl, Chart D: Lace Edge

Multiple of 10 sts + 11, 15 rows

- knit (in pattern rows) V s1 - k1 - psso

o yarn over U k2tog


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

U o U o U o U o U o U o U o U o U o U o - 13

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

- - - - o t o - - - - - - - o t o - - - - 11

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

U o - o U - V o - o t o - o U - V o - o V 9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

U - o - - - - - o - t - o - - - - - o - V 7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

U - - o - - - o - - t - - o - - - o - - V 5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

U - - - o - o - - - t - - - o - o - - - V 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1

pattern repeat

Äärepitsi Kiri 3 (from Knitted Lace of Estonia, Nancy Bush)

nupped waterlily shawl -...

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