I love a good play-on-words, and this modular shawl offered up a gem of a pun.

In fashion, “tipping” refers to an article with an end or edging in a different color from the body. Made up of motifs inspired by fish scales with neutral tipping, what else could I call it but “Tipping the Scales”?

Worked outwards and up from the center back, each row of scales builds on the row before. Knit entirely in garter stitch, the curved shaping of the scales is formed by simple decreases. The crochet cast on technique is used to add motifs as the shawl grows.

The result is a stunning interplay of colors within a network of neutral edging, with a unique shape and a flattering fluted edge.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Skills Needed: Knit, decrease (k2tog, ssk), pick up and knit stitches, crochet cast-on.

Finished Size: 9 inches / 23 cm deep, measured vertically across three scales; 76 inches / 198cm long, measured tip to tip.

Yarn: Infinite Twist Helix, 67 g / 200 yds for tipping color; 8 g / 25 yards for each scale (33 scales comprise the shawl as written;)1025 y in total.

Needles: U.S. size 5 / 3.75 mm needles (7 inches or longer, straight, circular, or dpns), or any size yielding correct gauge.

Gauge: 19 stitches / 40 rows over 4 inches / 10 cm in garter stitch.

Notions: 3.75 mm crochet hook (or size to match needles,8 small stitch holders (or 8 large safety pins / diaper pins or waste yarn), stitch markers (optional), yarn needle