Up there is the beginnings of a very simple shawl – once you get past the fiddly cast on, it’s the definition of mindless. Stockinette in the round, with very occasional increase rounds, to make a huge circle out of any yarn you want.
I chose a cashmere laceweight yarn for mine, but you can use whatever you like if you want to join me in the glorious mindless knitting.
CAST-ON
Using Emily Ocker’s beginning or Magic Circle, cast on 9 sts. Distribute on 3 DPNs.
Knit 1 round.
Increase row 1: k, yo to end of round. 18 sts. Knit 3 rounds.
Increase row 2: k, yo to end of round. 36 sts. Knit 6 rounds.
Increase row 3: k, yo to end of round. 72 sts. Knit 12 rounds.
Increase row 4: k, yo to end of round. 144 sts. Knit 24 rounds.
Increase row 5: k, yo to end of round. 288 sts. Knit 48 rounds.
Increase row 6: k, yo to end of round. 576 sts. Knit 96 rounds.
If you’re working something huge:
Increase row 7: k, yo to end of round. 1152 sts. Knit up to 192 rounds.
WHEN IT’S ALMOST BIG ENOUGH
When you have about 20-30% of your yarn left, or if knitting one more round in stockinette makes you want to scream, it’s time to think about your border.
You can finish with seed stitch, garter in the round, a lace border like old shale, a knitted on lace border (and if you do that, you can ignore the bind-off), or an I-cord bind off.
WHEN YOU DECIDE TO STOP
You can stop where you would do an increase round, or when your circle is big enough. Have enough yarn for 4 more rounds of knitting when you stop, because it’s a doozy:
Penultimate round: k1, kfb.
Final round: bind off. The increases will keep the edge from puckering.
