purlJam

# Asymmetrical Broken Rib Shawl

**Difficulty Level:** Intermediate

**Finished Measurements:**
Longest Side (Wingspan): Approximately 191 cm (75 inches)
Depth: Approximately 152 cm (60 inches)

**Yarn:**
Fingering weight (4-ply), approximately 1200-1500 meters (1300-1650 yards).
*Sample uses: 400m/100g yarn, 3-4 skeins.*

**Needles:**
3.75 mm (US 5) circular needle, 100-120 cm (40-47 inches) long (or size needed to obtain correct tension/gauge).

**Notions:**
Stitch markers (optional, for marking garter edges), tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

**Tension (Gauge):**
24 stitches and 40 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) in Broken Rib pattern, gently stretched and after blocking.
*Please take time to check your tension. Adjust needle size if necessary to achieve the specified tension.*

**Abbreviations:**
*   **k** - knit
*   **p** - purl
*   **M1L** - make one left (lift strand between needles from front to back, knit into back loop)
*   **M1R** - make one right (lift strand between needles from back to front, knit into front loop)
*   **RS** - right side
*   **WS** - wrong side
*   **st(s)** - stitch(es)
*   **pm** - place marker
*   **sm** - slip marker

**Pattern Notes:**
*   This shawl is worked from one narrow point outwards, increasing stitches asymmetrically to create a distinctive triangular shape.
*   The "accented clean Edge Switches" are achieved by working 3 garter stitches at each end of every row. Increases are worked *between* these garter stitches and the main body.
*   The main body of the shawl is worked in a Broken Rib pattern, which is a 2-row repeat.
*   The Broken Rib pattern for the main body (stitches *between* the 3 garter edges):
    *   **Broken Rib Row 1 (RS):** K1, *(P1, K1)* repeat to end of body stitches.
    *   **Broken Rib Row 2 (WS):** Knit all body stitches.
*   The shawl will be very large at its widest point, requiring a long circular needle to accommodate the increasing stitch count.
*   Use stitch markers to delineate the 3-stitch garter edges from the main body if desired (pm after first 3 sts, before last 3 sts).

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## Instructions

**Cast On:**
Using the long-tail cast on method (or your preferred cast on), cast on 3 stitches.

**Setup Section:**
*   **Row 1 (RS):** K3. (3 sts)
*   **Row 2 (WS):** K3. (3 sts)
*   **Row 3 (RS):** K1, M1L, K1, M1R, K1. (5 sts)
*   **Row 4 (WS):** K5. (5 sts)
*   **Row 5 (RS):** K1, M1L, K3, M1R, K1. (7 sts)
*   **Row 6 (WS):** K7. (7 sts)
*   **Row 7 (RS):** K3, M1L, K1, M1R, K3. (9 sts)
*   **Row 8 (WS):** K9. (9 sts)
*   *(After 8 setup rows, you have 9 stitches: 3 garter edge, 3 body stitches, 3 garter edge.)*

**Main Body Section:**
This section uses a 4-row repeat for asymmetrical increases and the Broken Rib pattern.

*   **Row 1 (RS - Right Edge Increase):** K3, M1L, work Broken Rib Row 1 (K1, (P1, K1) repeat) across all body stitches until 3 stitches remain, K3. (+1 st)
    *   _Stitch count check: After this row, you will have 1 stitch more than the previous row. The number of body stitches will be an odd number (3 initially, then 4, 5, etc.)._
*   **Row 2 (WS):** K3, work Broken Rib Row 2 (K all) across all body stitches until 3 stitches remain, K3. (0 st change)
    *   _Stitch count check: Stitches remain the same as after Row 1._
*   **Row 3 (RS - Right & Left Edge Increase):** K3, M1L, work Broken Rib Row 1 (K1, (P1, K1) repeat) across all body stitches until 3 stitches remain, M1R, K3. (+2 sts)
    *   _Stitch count check: After this row, you will have 2 stitches more than the previous row. The number of body stitches will again be an odd number (3+1+2=6 sts gained in 3 rows; after 3rd row total sts 9+3=12. No, body sts = (9-6)+1+2 = 6 body sts after 3 rows from setup of 3 body sts.) Let's be explicit: 9 (start) + 1 (R1) + 2 (R3) = 12 stitches after 4 rows if you count from start of the section. This will be 6 body sts. 6 is an even number. This is incorrect for `K1, (P1,K1) repeat`. I need to ensure the number of stitches *between* the garter edges is consistently odd for the broken rib pattern I chose. Let's adjust Broken Rib Row 1 to `(K1, P1) repeat, end K1` to ensure it works with an odd body stitch count, or ends `(K1, P1)` with an even count._

*Re-evaluating Broken Rib for increasing stitches:*
A more robust Broken Rib:
**Broken Rib Row A (RS):** *K1, P1*, repeat to last st, K1.
**Broken Rib Row B (WS):** Knit all stitches.

Let's use this.
Initial body stitches: 3. (K1, P1, K1)
Row 1 (RS): K3, M1L, **(K1, P1, K1)** (from 3 body sts), K3. (+1 st) = 10 sts total. Body is now 4 sts. (M1L forms a K st, so 4 body sts K1, P1, K1, K1 - no, this is not a clean broken rib with my definition).

My previous broken rib (K1, (P1, K1) repeat) needs an odd number of stitches.
The other common broken rib: (K1, P1) repeat, ending K1 (for odd sts) or P1 (for even sts).
Let's use the standard one:
**Broken Rib Row A (RS):** K1, (P1, K1) repeat to end. (Works for odd count)
**Broken Rib Row B (WS):** Knit all stitches.

Let's track body stitches between the 3 garter edges (GE):
Start: 3 GE + 3 Body + 3 GE = 9 sts total. Body stitches: 3 (odd).
**Row 1 (RS):** K3 GE, M1L, (Work Broken Rib Row A on current 3 Body sts), K3 GE. (+1 st total)
    *   `K3, M1L, K1, P1, K1, K3` -> 10 sts total. Body sts: 4 (M1L forms a stitch, let's assume K). So: 3 GE, K1 (M1L), K1, P1, K1, 3 GE. Body stitches are now K1, K1, P1, K1. This doesn't look like a clean broken rib start.

**I need a method that integrates increases seamlessly and maintains the broken rib.**
A common approach is to increase and then work the new stitch into the pattern on the *next* row. Or, work increases in garter if possible to make it simpler.
But the request is "broken rib body".
Let's change the broken rib:
**Broken Rib Pattern:**
*   **Row A (RS):** K1, P1, repeat across.
*   **Row B (WS):** Knit all stitches.
This pattern needs an even number of stitches for a `K1, P1` repeat to end on P1, or odd to end on K1.
If I increase 3 sts per 4 rows, starting with 3 body sts.
3 -> 4 (R1) -> 4 (R2) -> 6 (R3) -> 6 (R4) -> 7 (R1 again)
This makes the body stitches go 3 (odd) -> 4 (even) -> 4 (even) -> 6 (even) -> 7 (odd). This makes the K1, P1 repeat hard to maintain.

**Revised Broken Rib for dynamic stitch counts:**
*   **RS Rows:** K all stitches, *or* P all stitches, or alternating rows.
*   **Broken Rib Row 1 (RS):** K all body stitches.
*   **Broken Rib Row 2 (WS):** K1, P1 across body stitches.
This ensures a knit row and a k1, p1 row. But this is not the most common broken rib (which has textured RS).

Let's stick to the common Broken Rib (Row 1 RS: textured, Row 2 WS: plain knit).
**Broken Rib Stitch (2-row repeat):**
*   **Row 1 (RS):** (K1, P1) repeated to last stitch, K1.
*   **Row 2 (WS):** Knit all stitches.

Let's manage the stitch counts to keep body stitches always odd.
Initial body stitches: 3.
Increases: 3 sts per 4 rows.
If body starts at 3, after 4 rows it will be 3+3=6 body stitches.
Then 6+1=7 body, 7 (no change), 7+2=9 body.
So it goes: 3 (odd) -> 4 (even) -> 4 (even) -> 6 (even) -> 7 (odd) -> 8 (even) -> 8 (even) -> 10 (even) -> 11 (odd).
This alternating odd/even makes maintaining (K1, P1) to K1 impossible.

**Crucial Correction: The Broken Rib Pattern needs to be defined to handle the stitch count naturally.**
The simplest definition for a broken rib to work with increasing stitch counts is this:
**Broken Rib Pattern:**
*   **Row 1 (RS):** K across all body stitches.
*   **Row 2 (WS):** K1, P1 across all body stitches, ending with K1 (if odd count) or P1 (if even count).
This creates the texture on the WS. The RS will be primarily knit. This is a common form of "seed stitch rib" or "broken rib".

Let's use this definition for the pattern.

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**Main Body Section (Revised for Broken Rib adaptation):**
*This section increases 3 stitches every 4 rows. You will gain a total of 450 stitches over 600 rows (150 repeats).*

*   **Row 1 (RS - Right Edge Increase):** K3, M1L, Knit to last 3 stitches, K3. (+1 st)
    *   _Stitch count check: Total sts = (Previous Row Total) + 1. Body sts = (Previous Body Total) + 1._
*   **Row 2 (WS):** K3, *K1, P1* repeat to last stitch of body section, K1 (if body stitches are odd) or P1 (if body stitches are even), K3. (0 st change)
    *   _Stitch count check: Total sts = same as after Row 1. Body sts = same as after Row 1._
*   **Row 3 (RS - Right & Left Edge Increase):** K3, M1L, Knit to last 3 stitches, M1R, K3. (+2 sts)
    *   _Stitch count check: Total sts = (Previous Row Total) + 2. Body sts = (Previous Body Total) + 2._
*   **Row 4 (WS):** K3, *K1, P1* repeat to last stitch of body section, K1 (if body stitches are odd) or P1 (if body stitches are even), K3. (0 st change)
    *   _Stitch count check: Total sts = same as after Row 3. Body sts = same as after Row 3._

Repeat Rows 1-4 a total of 150 times.
*   *(After 150 repeats of Rows 1-4, you will have increased 450 stitches in the main body section.)*
*   *(Total stitches: 9 (from setup) + 450 (gained) = 459 stitches.)*
*   *(Total rows worked: 8 (setup) + 600 (main body) = 608 rows.)*

**Final Row:**
Work Row 1 of the Main Body Section one last time to end on a RS row. (Total 460 sts)
*No, the last repeat *is* Row 4. So the shawl ends on a WS row. It's fine. 459 stitches is correct if it ends after a Row 4 repeat.*

**Bind Off:**
Bind off all stitches loosely in pattern on a RS row. (E.g., K3, P1, K1 etc for the pattern)
*Since the last row knit was a WS row (Row 4), the next row is a RS row. So bind off on a RS row by knitting/purling as they appear, loosely.*

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## Finishing

**Blocking:**
Blocking is crucial for opening up the stitch pattern, showcasing the drape of the yarn, and achieving the final dimensions.
1.  Gently hand wash your shawl in lukewarm water with a wool-friendly detergent.
2.  Rinse thoroughly, then carefully squeeze out excess water, supporting the weight of the wet fabric. Do not wring or twist.
3.  Roll the shawl in a clean towel and gently press to remove more moisture.
4.  Lay the damp shawl on a clean, dry, flat surface or a foam blocking mat.
5.  Gently stretch the shawl to its finished dimensions (Wingspan 191 cm, Depth 152 cm). Use T-pins to secure the edges in place, paying attention to the asymmetrical shape.
6.  Allow the shawl to dry completely, which may take 24-48 hours depending on humidity.
7.  Once dry, remove the pins and enjoy your beautifully finished shawl.