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Syrian Squares

The document provides a detailed knitting pattern for creating lacy squares inspired by a historical design, which can be assembled into various items like shawls or blankets. It includes specific instructions on yarn selection, tension, and step-by-step guidance for knitting and blocking the squares. Additionally, it outlines the process for joining the squares and finishing the shawl, emphasizing the importance of blocking for uniformity.

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sarabasualdo
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43 views8 pages

Syrian Squares

The document provides a detailed knitting pattern for creating lacy squares inspired by a historical design, which can be assembled into various items like shawls or blankets. It includes specific instructions on yarn selection, tension, and step-by-step guidance for knitting and blocking the squares. Additionally, it outlines the process for joining the squares and finishing the shawl, emphasizing the importance of blocking for uniformity.

Uploaded by

sarabasualdo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Frankie’s Knitted Stuff

Syrian Squares
These lacy squares were
inspired by a pattern in the
sixteenth series of ‘Weldon’s
Practical Knitter’, published
in 1891.

They are knitted diagonally


and are a simple combination
of garter stitch and eyelets.

The squares can be sewn together to


make blankets, scarves or a shawl as I
have done. There are 36 squares in my
shawl which measures 38 × 145 cm /
15 × 65".

Yarn and Needles Marzipan Stonehenge Azure

I used this lovely Shetland


yarn from the Women’s
Institute for my shawl.

It is called Unique Shetland


and it has 215 m in a 50g ball
so the wool goes a long way.

Duck Egg Cottage Olive Green


I knitted six squares in each of my six colours which used just over
half of each of the balls. I also used a small amount of a natural
colour (Tusk) to knit joining strips to edge the shawl.

Tension

13 stitches and 26 rows = 5 cm / 2"², working in garter stitch on


3.75 mm / US size 5 needles.

Having said that ... I find that diagonal squares can turn out rather
an odd shape so I worked the first half of each square on bigger
needles (4 mm), changing to 3.75 mm for the second half. Whether
you do this or not is up to you.

In any case, your finished square will still be decidedly wonky so


blocking is essential. More on this later ...

Knitting a Square

Cast on one stitch and knit into the front and back of it (2 sts).

Row 1: Kf&b, K1 (3 sts).


Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: K1, m1, K to last st, m1, K1.

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 twice more, you should now have nine
stitches on your needle.
The instructions start to look complicated from now on but it’s
easier to knit than to write out; a key to the abbreviations is at the
end of the pattern.

Work the first line of eyelets:

Row 1: K2, K2tog, yf, K1, yf, SSK, K2.


Row 2: (and all even numbered rows) K1, m1, K to last st, m1, K1.
Row 3: K2, K2tog, yf, K3, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 5: K2, K2tog, yf, K5, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 7: K2, K2tog, yf, K7, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 9: K2, K2tog, yf, K9, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 10: K1, m1, K to last st, m1, K1 (19 sts).

Now add in the second line of eyelets:

Row 1: K2, K2tog, yf, K3, K2tog yf, K1, yf, SSK, K3, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 2: (and all even numbered rows) K1, m1, K to last st, m1, K1.
Row 3: K2, K2tog, yf, K3, K2tog, yf, K3, yf, SSK, K3, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 5: K2, K2tog, yf, K3, K2tog, yf, K5, yf, SSK, K3, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 7: K2, K2tog, yf, K3, K2tog, yf, K7, yf, SSK, K3, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 9: K2, K2tog, yf, K3, K2tog, yf, K9, yf, SSK, K3, yf, SSK, K2.
Row 10: K1, m1, K to last st, m1, K1 (29 sts).

The last line of eyelets is shorter than the others:

Row 1: K2, K2tog, (yf, K3, K2tog) twice, yf, K1, yf,
(SSK, K3, yf) twice, SSK, K2.
Row 2: (and all even numbered rows) K1, m1, K to last st, m1, K1.
Row 3: K2, K2tog, (yf, K3, K2tog) twice, yf, K3, yf
(SSK, K3, yf) twice, SSK, K2.
Row 5: K2, K2tog, (yf, K3, K2tog) twice, yf, K5, yf
(SSK, K3, yf) twice, SSK, K2.
Row 6: K1, m1, K to last st, m1, K1 (35 sts).
That’s the first half of the square knitted. To keep the eyelets open,
the decreases are reversed on the second half.

Row 1: (K3, SSK, yf) three times, K5, (yf, K2tog, K3) three times.
Row 2: (& all even numbered rows) K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Row 3: (K3, SSK, yf) three times, K3, (yf, K2tog, K3) three times.
Row 5: (K3, SSK, yf) three times, K1, (yf, K2tog, K3) three times.
Row 6: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 (29 sts).

Row 1: (K3, SSK, yf) twice, K9, (yf, K2tog, K3) twice.
Row 2: (& all even numbered rows) K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Row 3: (K3, SSK, yf) twice, K7, (yf, K2tog, K3) twice.
Row 5: (K3, SSK, yf) twice, K5, (yf, K2tog, K3) twice.
Row 7: (K3, SSK, yf) twice, K3, (yf, K2tog, K3) twice.
Row 9: (K3, SSK, yf) twice, K1, (yf, K2tog, K3) twice.
Row 10: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 (19 sts).

Row 1: K3, SSK, yf, K9, yf, K2tog, K3.


Row 2: (& all even numbered rows) K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Row 3: K3, SSK, yf, K7, yf, K2tog, K3.
Row 5: K3, SSK, yf, K5, yf, K2tog, K3.
Row 7: K3, SSK, yf, K3, yf, K2tog, K3.
Row 9: K3, SSK, yf, K1, yf, K2tog, K3.
Row 10: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 (9 sts).

These last few rows finish the square:

Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 (7 sts).
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 (5 sts).
Row 5: K3, K2tog (4 sts).
Row 6: K2, K2tog (3 sts).
Cast off with the double decrease cast off: slip the first stitch knitwise,
knit two stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over and fasten off.

Blocking the Squares

Sewing the squares together will be much easier if they are


blocked first. I developed this method to make sure that they all
came out the same size.

For this you will need some Ultra Stiff plastic canvas, 7 bars to the
inch, 24 T pins and a blocking mat.

 Cut a piece of plastic canvas 45 bars square and put this on


the blocking mat.
 Run your knitted square under the tap and then blot it in a
towel to get the excess water out.
 Put the knitting on the plastic and pin the four corners. Count
five holes diagonally from each corner of the plastic to see
where to put the pins.
 Now you can ease the knitted square out and pin the sides in
line with the corners. Use five pins on each side.

When all the pins are in place, use the plastic to push the knitting
to the top of the pins. Push the plastic back down again and the
knitting will be left to dry in the air. If you block each square as
you finish it, you will be ready to sew the shawl together when you
have knitted all 36 squares.
Joining the Squares

First arrange your squares in twelve rows


of three. On the right is the colour
sequence I used; this was repeated for the
second half of the shawl.

The squares will be sewn together in four


blocks of nine; this avoids long seams.
Narrow garter stitch strips will be added
between the blocks.

Shetland wool is prone to breaking when


long lengths are used for sewing so I
started a separate length for each
individual square. This also means that
you can use a colour that blends with the
two that you are joining; I chose the darker
of the two colours each time.

Keep the two squares flat while joining and work through the
garter stitch bumps on the sides. The picture below shows the seam
pulled open so that you can see the stitches, you should tighten
each stitch gently as you sew. Gently is the key word here, this
sewing needs to be done with a light hand for soft, supple seams.

When you have joined the squares into four blocks of nine, you are
ready to knit the joining strips.
The Joining Strips

I knitted five of these, three to go in between each block of squares


and two more for the short ends of the shawl.

Using the long tail method and 3.75 mm needles cast on six
stitches.

Knit 60 rows, then mark this length with a safety pin.


Knit another 60 rows and, again, mark the length.
Knit 60 more rows and cast off.

I slipped the first stitch of every row knitwise (after the very first
row) but you don’t have to do this if you prefer not to.

As you can see, those markers help you to sew the strip on evenly
as you can line them up with the ends of the squares. Sew the strips
to the blocks of squares in the same way as before. Use a separate
length of yarn along each square, matching it to the colour of the
square each time.

I found that the shawl benefited from a further light blocking after
the sewing, to even out all those seams.
The finished shawl is light and colourful, just the right size to
drape round your shoulders on a summer evening - a fitting use for
a pattern from Victorian England.

Abbreviations

st / sts stitch / stitches


K knit
kf&b knit into the front and back of the stitch
m1 make 1 by lifting the thread before the next stitch and knitting
into the back of it
yf yarn forward, as if to purl
K2tog knit two stitches together
SSK slip, slip, knit (see below)

slip, slip, knit

Slip two stitches knitwise (or knitwise followed by purlwise) one at a time,
insert tip of left needle into stitches from above, put yarn round right needle
and knit both stitches together.

© Frankie Brown, 2015.


My patterns are for personal use only and should not be used to knit items for sale.
Please do not use them for teaching purposes without my permission.

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