Valentina’s Shawl to Knit

For much of Valentina Fedorova’s adult life, she worked in the shadow of her older sister Olga Fedorova, a lace-knitting prodigy. I first met Olga and Valentina in June 1990, during a visit to Orenburg and the Orenburg Regional Museum of Fine Arts. I had the opportunity to develop a close working relationship with Olga, and I was honored to learn from her. At that time, Valentina worked as a bookkeeper for a local gas company, though she continued to develop and foster her creative side.

My early attempts to market Orenburg knitted lace shawls in Europe did not meet with much success: Europe’s mild climate wasn’t suitable for this type of lace, and the local Orenburg women never embraced it. After a subsequent show in Paris, I traveled back to Orenburg to meet with the Fedorova sisters about the prospect of starting production of triangular Orenburg-style shawls. According to some in the local Orenburg knitting community, a triangle-shaped shawl was nothing more than a “poor women’s shawl,” which is reminiscent of an old Russian saying: “a goat is a poor man’s cow.” Nevertheless, the classical Orenburg triangle found its genesis during this period in Olga Fedorova’s creative mind.

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After Olga died in 2008, Valentina emerged from the shadows and worked tirelessly to emulate her older sister. Although it took some time for Valentina to adjust to life without Olga, she quickly became known as a talented knitter and then as a designer as well.

Olga designed this Orenburg-style lace shawl in 1991. Valentina has been knitting the pattern from memory since then. The shawl has scalloped borders on all three sides of the triangle; Olga designed it for minimal finishing. She used traditional Orenburg pattern elements—Strawberry, Diagonal, Fisheye, and Honeycomb. Olga named this design Vasilek for the flower known as bachelor’s button.

Further Resources

• Khmeleva, Galina A.. “Valentina’s Polushawl to Knit.” PieceWork, May/June 2017.
• ———. “An Orenburg Warm Shawl to Knit.” PieceWork, May/June 2013.
• ———. “A Tribute to a Lace-Knitting Legend: Olga Alexandrovna Fedorova.” PieceWork, May/June 2009.
• Nobel, Carol R., and Galina A. Khmeleva. “Orenburg Gossamer and Warm Shawls from Russia.” PieceWork, September/October 2000.

Materials

• Treenway Silks Camelot Chameau 30/2, 55% bombyx silk/45% camel yarn, laceweight, 1,630 yard (1,490.5 m)/100 gram (3.5 oz) skein, 1 skein of Tan Camel
• Needles, size 2 (3 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge
• Markers, 2 different colors
• Stitch holder or safety pin
• Blocking wires or nylon cord and T-pins
  Finished size: About 70 inches (178 cm) along diagonal side, 50 inches (127 cm) along each of the two shorter sides, and 36 inches (91 cm) from center of longest side to bottom point
  Gauge: 25 sts and 50 rows = 4 inches (10.2 cm) in blocked garter st

Detail of corner.

Instructions

Notes: Visit www.pieceworkmagazine.com/abbreviations for Abbreviations. Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise with yarn in front. Download a PDF of the charts here.

Shawl

Bottom Border

Using the long-tail method and holding two needles tog, CO 13 sts. Pull out one needle. Note: After completing the first two “teeth” of the border, slip a stitch holder into the thirteen loops of the cast-on to make it easier to pick up these stitches later.

Work Rows 1 and 2 of Bottom Border Chart once, then work Rows 3–18 a total of 34 times—14 sts; 546 total rows and 34 teeth completed.

First Corner, Body Set-Up, and Second Corner

Work Rows 1–12 of First Corner Chart to miter corner—16 sts.

Next Row (RS): Work Set-Up Row of First Corner Chart over 16 sts, pm; with WS of bottom border facing and beg at the CO end, insert a spare needle into the 273 slipped edge sts along straight edge of border (these sts are just placed on the needle, not picked up and k). Turn work so RS is facing and use the needle holding 16 first corner sts to k the 273 picked-up sts tbl to prevent large holes, pm in a different color, then pick up and k 13 sts from holder at base of CO—302 sts total; with RS facing, there are 16 first corner sts, 273 shawl body sts worked tbl, and 13 sts from CO to be used for 2nd corner.

Working on sts of 2nd corner only, work Rows 1–18 of Second Corner Chart to miter corner—303 sts total; with RS facing, there are 16 first corner sts, 273 body sts, 14 second corner sts, including unworked st on needle at start of last 2nd corner row.

Next Row (WS): Work Set-Up Row of Second Corner Chart over 14 sts (inc them to 15 sts), sl m, k273 to next m, remove m, k1, replace m, k13, k2tog—303 sts total; with RS facing, there are 14 first corner sts, 274 body sts, and 15 second corner sts.

This shawl looks lovely in a variety of yarns.

Body

Notes: The body consists of the right border worked before the first marker, a decreasing center body section to shape the triangle, and the left border worked after the second marker. The Left Border Chart is worked with short-rows (shaded in gray) to accommodate the extra length of the shaped diagonal edge.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 1 of Right Border Chart over 14 sts, sl m, work Row 1 of Body Chart 1 over 274 sts, sl m, work Row 1 of Left Border Chart over 15 sts.

Work Rows 2–5 in established patts. Work 1st set of left border short-rows as foll.

Row 6 (WS): Work WS shaded row of Left Border Chart to 1st m, turn, work RS shaded row to end, turn, work Row 6 to m, sl m, work Row 6 of Body Chart 1 to m, sl m, work Row 6 of Right Border Chart.

Work 5 rows in established patts. Work 2nd set of left border short-rows as foll.

Row 12 (WS): Work WS shaded row of Left Border chart to 1st m, turn, work RS shaded row to end, turn, work Row 12 to m, sl m, work Row 12 of Body Chart 1 to m, sl m, work Row 12 of Right Border Chart—12 rows completed for body and right border, 16 rows completed for left border, including 4 short-rows.

Working short-rows in the left border as described above, cont in established patts until Row 84 of Body Chart 1 has been completed, ending with Row 4 of Right Border Chart and Row 12 of Left Border Chart—262 sts rem; with RS facing, there are 14 right border sts, 233 body sts, and 15 left border sts.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 5 of Right Border Chart, sl m, work Row 85 of Body Chart 2 over 233 sts (dec them to 232 sts), sl m, work Row 1 of Left Border Chart to end.

Cont in established patts until Row 172 of Body Chart 2 has been completed, ending with Row 12 of Right Border Chart and Row 4 of Left Border Chart—222 sts rem; with RS facing, there are 16 right border sts, 189 body sts, and 17 left border sts.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 13 of Right Border Chart, sl m, work Row 173 of Body Chart 3 over 189 sts (dec them to 188 sts), sl m, work Row 5 of Left Border Chart to end.

Cont in established patts until Row 252 of Body Chart 3 has been completed, ending with Row 12 of Right Border Chart and Row 12 of Left Border Chart—180 sts rem; with RS facing, there are 16 right border sts, 149 body sts, and 15 left border sts.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 13 of Right Border Chart, sl m, work Row 253 of Body Chart 4 over 149 sts (dec them to 148 sts), sl m, work Row 1 of Left Border Chart to end.

Cont in established patts until Row 332 of Body Chart 4 has been completed, ending with Row 12 of Right Border Chart and Row 8 of Left Border Chart—142 sts rem; with RS facing, there are 16 right border sts, 109 body sts, and 17 left border sts.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 13 of Right Border Chart, sl m, work Row 333 of Body Chart 5 over 109 sts (dec them to 108 sts), sl m, work Row 9 of Left Border Chart to end.

Cont in established patts until Row 412 of Body Chart 5 has been completed, ending with Row 12 of Right Border Chart and Row 4 of Left Border Chart—102 sts rem; with RS facing, there are 16 right border sts, 69 body sts, and 17 left border sts.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 13 of Right Border Chart, sl m, work Row 413 of Body Chart 6 over 69 sts (dec them to 68 sts), sl m, work Row 5 of Left Border Chart to end.

Cont in established patts until Row 492 of Body Chart 6 has been completed, ending with Row 12 of Right Border Chart and Row 12 of Left Border Chart—60 sts rem; with RS facing, there are 16 right border sts, 29 body sts, and 15 left border sts.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 13 of Right Border Chart, sl m, work Row 493 of Body Chart 7 over 29 sts (dec them to 28 sts), sl m, work Row 1 of Left Border Chart to end.

Note: In order to end the left border at the correct place in the pattern, its row count will be adjusted by omitting one pair of short-rows from each of the next three teeth.

Work in established patts until Row 503 of Body Chart 7 has been completed, ending with Row 7 of Right Border Chart and Row 11 of Left Border Chart. Omit the 1st pair of short-rows as foll.

Next Row (WS): Work WS shaded row of Left Border Chart to m working last st (with red + symbol) as k1, sl m, work Row 504 of Body Chart 7 to m, sl m, work Row 8 of Right Border Chart to end.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 9 of Right Border Chart to m, sl m, work Row 505 of Body Chart 7 to m, sl m, work RS shaded row of Left Border Chart as k13, k2tog.

Work in established patts until Row 517 of Body Chart 7 has been completed, ending with Row 5 of Right Border Chart and Row 11 of Left Border Chart. Omit the 2nd pair of left border short-rows as foll.

Next Row (WS): Work WS shaded row of Left Border Chart to m working last st as k1, sl m, work Row 518 of Body Chart 7 to m, sl m, work Row 6 of Right Border Chart to end.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 7 of Right Border Chart to m, sl m, work Row 519 of Body Chart 7 to m, sl m, work RS shaded row of Left Border Chart as k13, k2tog.

Work in established patts until Row 531 of Body Chart 7 has been completed, ending with Row 3 of Right Border Chart and Row 11 of Left Border Chart. Omit the 3rd pair of left border short-rows as foll.

Next Row (WS): Work WS shaded row of Left Border Chart to m working last st as k1, sl m, work Row 532 of Body Chart 7 to m, sl m, work Row 4 of Right Border Chart to end.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 5 of Right Border Chart to m, sl m, work Row 533 of Body Chart 7 to m, sl m, work RS shaded row of Left Border Chart as k13, k2tog.

Continue in established patts until Row 545 of Body Chart 7 has been completed, ending with Row 1 of Right Border Chart and Row 11 of Left Border Chart.

Next Row (WS): Work WS shaded row of Left Border Chart to m working last st as k1, remove m, work Row 546 of Body Chart 7 to m, remove m, work Row 2 of Right Border Chart to end—30 sts rem; 13 sts from right border, 2 sts from body, and 15 sts from left border.

Third Corner

Note: The third corner is worked in two short-rowed halves that are grafted together.

Next Row (RS): Work Row 1 of Third Corner First Half Chart over first 14 sts (inc them to 15 sts); the rem 16 sts will be used for the 2nd half.

Continuing on sts of 1st half only, work Rows 2–7 of chart, ending with a RS row—18 1st half sts. With RS facing, sl last 2 sts of Row 7 to right needle pwise, and pm between the 2 halves. With RS still facing, work across next 16 sts as k2tog, k12, k2tog—14 sts after m for 2nd half. Working on sts of 2nd half only, work Rows 1–7 of Third Corner Second Half Chart, ending with a WS row—18 second half sts; 36 sts total with m in center. With WS still facing, sl last 2 sts of Row 7 to right needle pwise, and remove m—18 sts each on 2 needles. Break working yarn, leaving a long tail to weave in later. Graft corner halves together as foll.

Step 1: Sl 1 st from right needle to left needle. Insert right needle tip into 1st st on left needle and draw 2nd st on left needle through the 1st st and onto the tip of the right needle. Drop 1st st from left needle.

Step 2: Insert left needle tip into 1st st on right needle and draw the 2nd st on right needle through the 1st st and onto the tip of the left needle. Drop 1st st from right needle.

Rep Steps 1 and 2 until 1 st rem. Thread a 12-inch (30.5-cm) length of yarn on the tapestry needle, thread yarn through rem st, and tie a knot to prevent it from raveling.

Olga Fedorova’s classic pattern knitted in a variety of yarns: (from left to right) silk and camel; handspun goat; kid mohair and nylon; and handspun goat. Kim Wilson, a student of Galina A. Khmeleva, knitted the first sample; Valentina Fedorova knitted the others.

Finishing

Weave in all ends. Beginning at one corner, thread a thick nylon cord loosely from back to front through each tooth point, leaving enough slack in the cord to stretch out the shawl, then tie the ends of the cord together. Thoroughly wet the piece and squeeze out excess moisture. Using T-pins on a flat surface, place pins to indicate the three points of a triangle measuring 50 inches (127.0 cm) wide across the bottom, 50 inches (127.0 cm) high from the bottom right corner straight up the right side. Connect these points with a separate length of cord to mark the outline of the shawl. Stretch the shawl into shape by pulling the cord between each tooth out to meet the outline cord and anchor with T-pins, taking care to always pin into the loops of cord between the teeth, not into the shawl. Adjust the pins and cord as necessary until the shawl is stretched taut and even. Allow to air-dry before removing the pins and cords.

Olga Fedorova and her sister Valentina Fedorova collaborated with Galina A. Khmeleva to bring the art of knitted Orenburg lace to the world.