Malabrigo Macrophylla Wrap Knitting Pattern

Malabrigo Macrophylla Lace Shawl Pattern

What Is Being Made

The Macrophylla is a top-down, seamless lace shawl designed by Mia Rinde and worked in Malabrigo Susurro yarn. This triangular wrap features an organic growth pattern that develops from a hidden center spine, inspired by the botanical term "Macrophylla," which means "containing large leaves" in Latin. The shawl is available in two sizes: Small with finished measurements of 45″ width and 20″ length at center, or Large with 59″ width and 24″ length at center.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several advanced knitting techniques to create its elegant structure. The shawl is worked flat on circular needles despite being a shawl rather than a circular project, allowing for easier stitch management. The top-down construction method means knitters begin at the top and work downward, building the shawl organically as they progress. The seamless nature of the design eliminates the need for seaming, creating a unified, flowing garment. The lace technique is central to the pattern, featuring yarn-overs and decreases that create decorative openwork throughout the shawl. The pattern uses charts that show only right-side rows, with specific instructions for working wrong-side rows to properly expand the yarn-overs and maintain the lace structure.

Stitches and Abbreviations Used

The Macrophylla pattern incorporates a range of fundamental and intermediate knitting stitches:

• Knit (k) and purl (p) stitches form the foundation
• Yarn-overs (yo) create the openwork lace elements; these are worked differently on wrong-side rows, with single yarn-overs expanded to (p1, k1) pairs and larger yarn-overs expanded to (k1, p1) twice or (k1, p1) twice, k1 combinations
• Knit two together (k2tog) and purl two together (p2tog) for basic decreases
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) for left-leaning decreases
• Slip, slip, slip, knit (sssk) for triple decreases
• Knit three together (k3tog) for additional decrease options
• Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, k2tog, psso) for centered decreases
• Slip markers (sm) to track pattern sections

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Macrophylla pattern calls for 2 hanks of Malabrigo Susurro, a luxury blend yarn composed of linen, mulberry silk, and merino. This fiber combination creates a fabric with excellent drape and lustrous appearance, ideal for lace shawls. The pattern is shown in two colorways: #033 Cereza and #415 Matisse Blue. Knitters will need US 4 / 3.5mm circular needles measuring 40″ / 100cm in length, or the size necessary to achieve the specified gauge of 15 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Additional notions include scrap yarn for the provisional cast-on method, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends.