One of innumerable variations of the classic Old Shale pattern, this textured lace suggests the ripples seen in ribbon chert rock formations. When left unblocked, the yarn-overs create “knuckles” that balance the bumps formed by the P2tog stitches, resulting in an undulating ridge across the fabric. This lace looks better without hard blocking, so it’s great for synthetic yarns. This beginner-friendly scarf can be made as wide and as long as you want, by adjusting the number of stitches and rows. Gauge is not important, but swatching is always a good idea to find a needle size that works with your yarn. Slipped stitches at the beginning of every row create a smooth chain-like selvedge, and a narrow column of garter stitch controls curling at the edges and sets off the lace pattern.
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