Remugient

Remugient Shawlette by Barbara Benson

What is Being Made

Remugient is a knitted shawlette designed by independent designer Barbara Benson. The name, meaning "ringing, resounding, reverberating," reflects the visual impact of this intermediate-level accessory. The shawlette showcases a dynamic striped design that creates the illusion of complex colorwork through strategic use of color dominance and visual interplay, making it appear more intricate than the straightforward techniques required to construct it.

Design Concept and Visual Impact

This shawlette employs a clever design philosophy: using simple stitch techniques to achieve sophisticated visual results. The pattern features alternating stripes that fan outward across the shawl, with colors switching dominance as the stripes progress. By executing a special bunch stitch in one color, the designer causes the alternate color to recede into the background. Subsequent stockinette stripes then reverse this color dominance, creating a dynamic interplay of hues across the expanding panels. The result is a garment that appears to showcase intricate colorwork while remaining accessible to intermediate knitters.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches Used

The Remugient shawlette employs several key knitting techniques:

• Bunch Stitch: A special stitch that creates bunching characteristics, manipulating how colors appear in the finished fabric. This stitch is detailed on page 2 of the pattern and is central to the color dominance effect.
• Knit (k): The fundamental knit stitch forms the basis of the construction.
• Knit into front and back (kfb): An increase technique used to expand the shawlette as it fans outward.
• Knit-yarn over-knit (kYOk): A decorative stitch worked into the same stitch, creating textural interest.
• Purl (p): Used to create stockinette sections that alternate with bunch stitch stripes.
• Slip stitch with yarn in front (s-wyif): Employed in the bind-off technique, which combines with stretchy yarn to create what appears to be a fancy picot edge.
• Yarn over: Used for lace elements and decorative increases throughout the pattern.

Stripe Construction and Color Play

The shawlette's most distinctive feature is how it manipulates color perception through stripe placement and stitch selection. Stripes executed in the bunch stitch emphasize one color while allowing the other to fade into the background. When the pattern switches to stockinette stripes, the color dominance reverses, creating visual movement and complexity. As these stripes fan outward across the expanding shawl, the alternating color emphasis creates a dynamic, almost three-dimensional effect despite the straightforward construction.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Remugient shawlette is worked in chunky weight yarn, which allows the stitches and color effects to be clearly visible and makes for relatively quick knitting. The pattern accommodates the stretchy nature of yarn in the bind-off technique, where the combination of slip stitches and yarn-over elements creates a decorative edge that appears more complex than its execution. Appropriate needles for chunky yarn should be selected according to the pattern's gauge requirements.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this shawlette is accessible to knitters with foundational skills who are ready to explore stitch variations and color techniques. While the special bunch stitch requires attention to the detailed instructions on page 2, the overall construction remains straightforward, making it an excellent project for building confidence with decorative techniques.