La Belle Dame sans Mercy is based upon a medieval love debate poem; the three panels of this semi-circular shawl represent the three main players in the poem. The middle panel is the narrator who is an unwilling eyewitness to the debate between the lover and the lady. Because he has recently lost his own lady through death, his thoughts are in turmoil with no place to rest. The outer two panels represent the lover and lady, starting off with a somewhat relaxed conversation that turns into a much more serious debate.
The pattern instructions use one main color and three accent colors; however, this shawl is easily adaptable to other color options from one solid color to a main body and border color to gradients. Pattern includes charts as well as fully written instructions, so you can use whichever instruction type you prefer.
Yarn
Frabjous Fibers Cheshire Cat (100% superwash Merino, 512 yds/468 m per 110 g): 1 skein for Color A; 1 mini skein each for Colors B, C, and D (sample uses 1 full skein of Cabbages & Kings and the three lightest skeins in the Down the Rabbit Hole Phantomwise mini skein pack)
or another fingering weight yarn: approximately 500 yds/457 m of Color A; 90 yds/82 m each for Colors B and C; and 128 yds/117 m for Color D
Materials
US 6 (4.0 mm) 32” (80 cm) circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge
4 stitch markers
Tapestry needle
Gauge
22 stitches and 34 rows over 4” (10 cm) in stockinette, blocked
Finished Measurements
66” (168 cm) across the straight edge; 29” (74 cm) radius