Note: Here is a link to a close up of the stitch pattern.
I corrected a mistake in the Center section of the Make-up row instructions. Where it read “SSK”, it now reads: ..."K across (slipping center marker) to 1 stitch before next marker.” This is correct as we want that increase!
Row 4 of the pattern has been corrected and the missing K1s added both to the beginning and the end of the row.
I started trying to figure out a way to incorporate the Dragon Skin stitch pattern (from Barbara Walker’s second treasury) into a shawl about two years ago. It was then and is now one of my favorites, elegant and complex looking, but simple in concept and execution.
As you may recall, a friend gave me a glorious and generous gift of yarn for Christmas - Cascade 220 in a rich, deep red. At that time, I was looking at the Victorian Lace Shawl and thought it was that I was going to make. Reading the method for that shawl, however, made me giddy at the thought of being able to incorporate any pattern at all into a shawl and then I remembered Dragon Skin.
This stitch pattern is 26 stitches wide by 12 rows. The chart for it looks like this:
- Knit
M Make 1
/ K2tog
\ SSK
Both charts are worked from right to left.
The resulting shawl is, I think, very beautiful and it will certainly be nice and warm when the colder weather returns (and it was quite warm during the picture-taking session yesterday afternoon too!). It is also very wide, proportionally, to it’s depth. At first I was disappointed with this, but since blocking it, have came to appreciate that these proportions have their own charm and grace. The shawl is about 72” wide and about 48” from top to bottom. An equilateral triangle it ain’t :) It also has a notched neck though this would be easy to change should you so desire.
There is no edging - yet. I haven’t entirely given up on it, though I’m a lot happier with Dragon’s looks since it was blocked. Some little nag in the back of my head hasn’t given up annoying me about it (and I do have enough Cascade 220 remaining) so it’s still a possibility. I intend to wear it whether it’s edged or not :)
So, with your kind forbearance, I give you Dragon Wings
Cast on 30 stitches. (Note: This will create the notched neck. If you would prefer a more standard shawl top, cast on 6 stitches and work in stockinette, increasing 4 stitches every right side row until you have 30 stitches. Then start with Row 1.)
Row 1 (WS): P1, pm, P13, pm, P1, pm, P1, pm, P13, pm, P1.
Row 2: K1, M1, slip marker. Work Row 2 of Chart A, slip marker, knit into the front and back of next two stitches , slipping the marker between them.(Note: You will only increase this way - or any other way you prefer - on the center increases of Row 2 ) Slip marker. Work Row 2 of Chart B, slip marker, M1, K1.
Row 3: (and all odd numbered rows): Purl across.
Row 4: K1, M1, K1, slip marker, work Row 4 of Chart A, slip marker. K1, M1, K1, slip marker, K1, M1, K1, slip marker. Work Row 4 of Chart B, slip marker, K1, M1, K1.
The method is the same for all following pattern rows. You will always K1, M1 at the beginning of the row, knit through the increase stitches, and then work the appropriate pattern row. The center stitches will start with a K1, M1, you will knit through the increase stitches (slipping the marker in the center) and end with a M1, K1. Then the other side of the pattern will be worked, the increase stitches knitted, and you will end with a M1, K1.
Work two complete repeats of the pattern, increasing on both ends and in the center as described.
Now there is a make-up row - Myria called it a leap-row :) You should have 13 increase stitches on each end and 26 stitches in the middle. These are almost ready to be incorporated into the pattern but you also need fourmore stitches (one on each end and two in the middle) into which to start working the next set of increases. So…
Make-up row : Right hand side of shawl: K1, M1, K to marker, slip marker, *K1, M1, K2tog, K to 3 stitches before next marker, SSK, M1, K1* Repeat for each section of the pattern chart. Slip marker. Center sections: K1, M1, K across (slipping center marker) to 1 stitch before next marker. M1, K1, slip marker. Left-hand side of shawl: *K1, M1, K2tog, K to 3 stitches before next marker, SSK, M1, K1*. Repeat for each section of the pattern chart. Knit across increase stitches up to the last stitch - M1, K1.
Next row: Purl.
Now you’re ready to add your next repeat of the stitch pattern. This time you’ll start with Chart B, continuing to work Chart A as you did through the first iteration and continuing to do the increases as before. Then the first half of the center increase stitches will be Chart B as well. Add markers before, between and after the center two stitches. The second half will be Chart A, then the Chart B stitches, worked as before and Chart A again on the end increase section. You may wish to place markers between each section. I did and I would have been lost (wailing in the wilderness) without them!
Continue increasing on right-side rows as established and incorporate the appropriate half of the stitch pattern when you have enough stitches in your increase sections. Don’t forget the make-up rows between each two full repeats of the stitch pattern (every 24 rows).
Because the shawl is built from the top center out and down, the number of stitches builds up rather quickly and, once established, a section never changes - if it starts as Chart A that section of stitches will always be Chart A.
So if you take it in sections, it would look like this:
Inc - A - inc - inc - B - inc (two pattern repeats + make-up row)
then,
Inc - B - A - B - inc - inc - A - B - A - inc (two pattern repeats + make-up row)
then,
Inc - A - B - A - B - A - inc - inc - B - A - B - A - B (twice + make-up)
And,
Inc - B - A - B - A - B - A - B - inc - inc - A - B - A - B - A - B - A (twice + make-up)
And so forth.
You can make this as big or as small as you like. I went through just over four hanks of yarn - call it 900 - 950 yards. End after the purl row following a make-up row and bind off loosely. Weave in the ends and block.
Then put your shawl around your shoulders and soar!
Also, the color in the photographs is off quite a bit and I couldn’t find a way to fix it. The yarn isn’t really orangey at all but more like black cherry. However, it and the camera, abetted by the sun, seemed to do their own thing!
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Beautiful color. Thanks for sharing your pattern :)
Aija - Thanks :)
That is so gorgeous! Wowowowowowow. Where was I when this was being made? Were there previous posts?
I love love love it.
*Sigh*
Abi - I did write a bit about it but only sporadically because I was afraid to jinx myself :) Now it’s done and I can stop worrying!
Gorgeous! (The shawl is lovely too. ::wink:::) A great color on you. :)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many pics of you! At least now I’ll recognize you next week. LOL
I swear I have that same green dress too. Hmmmmm…
Thanks Bron :) - Yes, it’s definitely good that we’ll be able to recognize one another - wouldn’t it be a riot if we both wore the green dress/jumper? Heheh…
By the way - in those outdoor pics you remind me of Isadora Duncan!
Hehehe..I’ll leave the green jumper at home, just in case. But you’ll still know me - I’ll be the tall one wearing something knit!
Bron - Isdora Duncan! I should have so much grace :) 
Tall and wearing something knit? Who’d have guessed? I’ll be the one with the goofy haircut :)
Gorgeous!
oh, what a pretty shawl- that’s definitely a good color for you- i love reading about the thought process that went into the pattern-
so you’re getting to meet bron? what fun! we won’t even speak of the shade of green i am turning with envy- i’ve yet to meet another knitter in person- i think we’re all just virtual people!! i do hope a photo session will be in your plans-
stay happy-
The shawl turned out absolutely lovely.
And I think that’s the first time I’ve seen a picture of you! Now I can put a face to the “voice.”
Bliss - Thank you :)
Barb - Yes, the inimitable Bron is vacationing in my neck of the woods and we’re planning to get together. Never fear, there will be pictures :)
Colleen - I’m not photogenic so I tend to be somewhat camera shy. But I felt the shawl should be modeled to show it to its best advantage and Tyra Banks was busy yesterday :)
Well, fie on Tyra Banks. She’ll be sorry when she sees what she missed.
Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous. In fact my LYS is having a sale this weekend ....
Bragging time: my dd has just been admitted to Cambridge for grad studies. My plan is to knit Sivia Harding’s Twining Vines to keep her warm, unless someone has a better idea?
amaryllis 
Robbyn—that’s great! I am printing out the instructions as I write this. And while I definitely understand camera shy, I loved seeing you model the shawl.
Amaryllis - Thanks and congratulations to your daughter. Cambridge, no less! The Twining Vines would be just beautiful :)
Rob - Thanks kiddo :) I won’t mention falling on a rock in the garden because it might imperil my contract with the Ford agency.. 
Simply stunning...I can just envision that black cherry red..nice to see you in the photo. 
Cheryl - Thanks - this was fun to make. I’m giving some thought to a cotton, sport-weight version for a scarf too :) Nutty, I know…
That’s beautiful! Thanks for sharing the pattern. I’ll have to add that to my (very long) list of Things To Knit Someday. :)
Karen - Hey - I’ve got one of those lists too! Thanks :)
Beautiful shawl! I ran across your blog some weeks ago when I was doing a search for directions on entrelac. Your directions are so clear and sensible. It helped me make sense of entrelac. I check your blog every so often. You’re such a knitting genius, and I wish I could knit as prolifically as you do. That shawl is so gorgeous. The shaping puts it a little out of my league, but the dragon skin pattern seems doable. Maybe a rectangular shawl? Or a lap afghan? Oh, I also like the fact that you crochet, too. I am also doing the Seraphina’s shawl. I’m using Noro Silk Garden. The color changes are spectacular. I hope to get that done at some point, but I have three sweaters (neck down) that I’m in varying stages of, too. Oh, I guess this is awful long for a comment, but I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while how much I enjoy your blog.
Marcy - Wow! You’ve got a lot of projects in the fire :) I’ll bet the Silk Garden Seraphina is gorgeous! You’re right, the stitch would lend itself beautifully to a stole or a throw.
Just beautiful Robbyn.... the color is stunning. I love all the outside photos of you. That is certainly a beautiful stitch pattern.
Maureen - Why thank you kindly :) It was a nice day for outdoor picture-taking. Well, except for the whole wearing-a-wool-shawl-in-the-80ºF-heat!
I love the colour and the pattern is beautiful - great job, Robbyn (and I’m looking forward to the chat next week too!)
Natty - Nice to see you! I know you must have been crazy with moving and have missed your blog. It would be great to see you Thursday evening - well your Friday morning :)
Beautiful shawl. That is so much more lacy than I thought. You done good! I’m always so surprised how much larger a shawl looks when it’s on a person than when it’s shown by itself.
Now just to wait for some cool weather or an artic restaurant to wear it. LOL.
Aarlene - It doesn’t seem lacey to me, but could certainly be made so by using finer yarn and substituting YOs for the M1s. But I’m pleased with how it came out and will be very glad for it when the cooler weather returns :) Thanks for the nice thought!
I LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT! I can’t wait to try and make one myself. Thank you for generously sharing the pattern.
Angie - Thanks - I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did :)
I have been eyeing up the dragon scale pattern for a while.. especially since my one skein pal sent me a lovely skein of dragon scaley colours!! Hmm I wonder how far 400 yards will get me.. a nice scarf perhaps?
Hi Denise - Not knowing the weight of your yarn or what size needles you intend to use to work it with, I couldn’t say for sure - but 400 yards would probably make a nice, generous scarf :)
