Farm & Fiber Knits · Pattern
| Type | Pattern |
|---|---|
| From | Farm & Fiber Knits |
| Author | Mirva Scivola |
| Published | September 9, 2025 |
| Format |
The Gelso Shawl combines delicate lace and soothing garter stitch, growing from a slim tip into a warm, woolen triangle.
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When the heat of the summer gives no mercy, the Italians gather on their piazzas and stay in the shade. The trees used in these “public living rooms” always have leaves, often big ones. In certain cases, the selected trees have more decorative aspects, like big flowers or a special scent. Gelso, the Italian name for the mulberry tree, has rather small flowers, but later in the summer, colorful fruit fills the branches. This shawl was inspired by the leaves and berries of this familiar tree and the easy comfort it provides.
According to some accounts, Italian monks returning from their evangelizing trips to Asia brought home the white mulberry tree (Morus alba) together with its famous grazers—silkworms. The white mulberry tree has been cultivated mostly for the use of its leaves in sericulture, serving as food for silkworms creating fine, white silk. By the fifteenth century, the seeds of what would become the famous Italian silk industry were planted.
The Gelso Shawl is a triangular shawl, worked from the narrow tip to full width and knitted in Tibetan wool spun in Italy. First, the lace section is established, and then a garter-stitch section expands to form the body of the shawl.
YARN mYak Tibetan Cloud (100% Tibetan sheep wool; 328 yd [300 m]/3½ oz [100 g]; sportweight): Salice Grigio, 2 skeins.
NEEDLES Size 6 (4 mm): 32" (80 cm) circular (cir). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
NOTIONS Marker (m); cable needle (cn); tapestry needle.
GAUGE 20 sts and 35 rows = 4" (10 cm) in garter st, blocked.
FINISHED SIZE 61½" (156 cm) wide at longest edge and 24" (61 cm) tall at point.
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