Japanese Garden Shawl

Blocked measurements: approximately 64″ across the top edge and 32″ down the center back.

Donations to the American Red Cross (for their disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific) via sales of this pattern through the end of April 2011 totaled 6242.60. Thanks to everyone who donated.

I've gotten a number of questions about what cast-on is best. I used a long-tail cast-on, but you can certainly use a different one. Because you cast on with a needle 3 sizes larger than the one you are using to knit, the cast-on will be nice and stretchy.

Another recurring question is about the stitch count on Row 1 of Chart A. Note that on every odd-numbered row you are decreasing one stitch at each end of the chart. So while you start Row 1 by working 22 stitches before the pattern repeats and end working 23 stitches after the repeats, you end up with 21 stitches before and 22 stitches after because of these decreases.

Ap