Flamenco

Flamenco is a type of music known for intricate and rapid passages as well as a dance style characterized by audible footwork. It originated in the Andalusian region of Spain as a folk dance but it incorporates elements of Moorish, Sephardic and Gypsy cultures with the native Andalusian dance steps.

The Flamenco wrap curves around the wearer's shoulders in an intricate lace embrace, finished with a flirty, sweeping ruffle reminiscent of the dancer's ruffled gowns. Lace patterns echo the complex steps and swirling movements while beads catch the light and accent the overall design. Worn like a traditional rectangular stole, the crescent shaping actually makes it fit the shoulders better, making for a wrap that stays on when you wear it.

The Flamenco wrap is knit from the neck edge down to the hem of the ruffle in fingering weight yarn. Yardage amounts are given in the pattern for working the design with an alternate contrasting ruffle. (As an aside, I think it would be lovely using a smooth yarn for the main body of the wrap and working the ruffle in a fingering weight brushed mohair such as Kid Silk Haze.)

The pattern is clearly written with large, easy to read charts. The main body of the wrap is in charted form only, not in written out, line by line instructions. There are notes for enlarging the wrap if you need to.

The wrap measures 17 inches from the top of the center back neck to the lower edge of the ruffle. The wrap is 48 inches around the curve of the neck edge and measures 126 inches around the lower edge, measured just above the ruffle. This outer edge measurement sounds a bit intimidating, but since the wrap is crescent shaped instead of rectangular, it fits to the body better and doesn't end up draping all over the floor the way a 126 inch long rectangular stole would. In the first picture above, you can see the scale of the draping ends in relation to a standard sized padded hanger.

Requirements:

1000 yds/914 m fingering weight yarn (shown in Fleece Artist Suri Blue in Wine)

Approx. 450 size 6 seed beads (shown in Beadwrangler color 533)

Size 7 US (4.5 mm) circular needle

Size US 13/14 (0.9 mm) Crochet hook to place beads

stitch markers

$6.00

Click to purchase

If you purchased this pattern before June 9, 2009, Step 4 of the Instructions should read: K2, sl m, P 133, sl m, K2. I apologize for any confusion this might have caused.