Every month, we pick one from among our collection of digital patterns to feature! Here, you can find not only the pattern, but in-stock yarns that we suggest and some tools you might like as well.

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May's Pattern of the Month is the epically fun Rainbow Relay by Yarnison Designs! When I met Jane at EYF 2019 she had just finished this pattern and was SO excited to show it off. I was in love immediately, obviously - it's SO CUTE! And versatile - if I remember correctly, the first sample she showed me was a DK-weight sample, not a fingering weight one! The perfect project to prep for Pride month, n'est pas?

About The Pattern, In The Designer's Words
Rainbow Relay is an elongated crescent shape designed to show off mini skeins, gradients and lovely leftovers.

The main body is a simple and easy-to-memorise knit, then each successive row of colour gets its day in the sun in an oval of short rows, before handing on the baton to the next colour, shifted but overlapping the last, creating swells of colour across the shawl.

The pattern is a tool kit, providing an easy-to-customise formula for making your shawl, plus three specific designs for the samples pictured.

It’s an addictive and fun to knit - if you’re anything like me you’ll want to do a whole bunch of them!

Yarn
Main Colour: one 100g skein of 4ply/fingering weight yarn of at least 400m/ 437yd
Contrast Colours: a set of 3-12 mini skeins or leftovers adding up to at least 60g of 4ply/fingering weight (or 30g in laceweight, as is used in the first sample).

Gauge
The gauge isn’t important and is easily adapted to different weights of yarn.

This pattern has been tech edited by Katherine Lymer and test knitted.

Size
As a rule of thumb, a mini set and one 4ply/fingering skein (of about 400m) will get you a shawl spanning about 2m/6.5ft.

Grey sample size: depth - 30cm/11.5in, and length (of top edge) - 218cm/86in
Orange sample size: depth - 40cm/16in and length (of top edge) - 227cm/89in
Variegated purple sample size: depth - 43cm/17in, and length (of top edge) - 238cm/94in

About The Designer

I’m Jane and I am a knitwear designer based in Manchester, UK. I believe that knitting is a creative collaboration between maker, designer and yarn dyer. I have released several successful patterns which adhere to this ethos. I spend the rest of my time working as a user experience designer for charities and social enterprises.

Mystery Mini Skein! - Fingering Weight