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| Photo above © Mary E |
Seascape Stole by Kieran Foley is a beautifully light lace wrap inspired by the movement of the sea.
Flowing yarn-over motifs create long, shifting lines across the fabric, giving the stole the appearance of ocean waves and strings of pearls. The result is delicate and dramatic without relying on colorwork.
Originally published in Knitty, Summer 2008, Seascape has become a modern lace-knitting classic with thousands of completed projects.
Best of all, the original pattern is still officially available for free.
✓ Free Pattern Availability
Seascape Stole is currently available free from authorized sources. The original charted version remains on Knitty, while Kieran Foley also provides free downloadable versions through his own pattern resources and Ravelry.
Seascape Stole at a Glance
Pattern: Seascape Stole
Designer: Kieran Foley
Original Publication: Knitty, Summer 2008
Category: Lace stole / rectangular wrap
Size: One size
Original Finished Size: Approx. 63 × 15 in
Suggested Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze
Fiber: Mohair / silk blend
Original Yarn Requirement: 3 balls
Needles: US 4 / 3.5 mm
Gauge: 22 sts × 26 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in stockinette after blocking
Construction: One piece, rectangular
Technique: Lace with yarn overs and decreases
Availability: Free
About the Seascape Stole
Seascape is a featherweight rectangular wrap built around flowing lace motifs.
The design uses shifting yarn overs and decreases to create long wave-like lines rather than isolated floral or geometric lace motifs.
That movement is what gives the stole its unmistakable ocean-inspired appearance.
A Modern Lace Classic
Seascape was first published in 2008, but it remains widely knitted many years later.
Its appeal comes from the combination of a dramatic finished appearance and a relatively logical repeating structure once the lace rhythm becomes familiar.
Ravelry records nearly two thousand completed projects, giving knitters a large gallery of yarn substitutions, color choices and size modifications to explore.
Original Finished Size
The original Knitty version gives finished measurements of approximately:
63 inches long × 15 inches wide
Because a stole is a rectangular accessory rather than a fitted garment, there is more flexibility for adjusting the final proportions than there would be with a sweater.
Original Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze
The original sample uses Rowan Kidsilk Haze, a lightweight blend of super kid mohair and silk.
This type of yarn contributes significantly to the appearance of the finished stole.
Mohair creates a soft halo, while silk adds lightness and subtle shine. Together they allow the open lace to look airy rather than heavy.
How Much Yarn Does Seascape Need?
The Knitty materials list calls for:
3 balls of Rowan Kidsilk Haze
Knitty also notes that the photographed stole actually used about 515 yards / 473 meters.
Having the full recommended quantity gives you useful margin for gauge differences, swatching and any length adjustment you decide to make.
Needles and Gauge
The original Knitty version recommends:
US 4 / 3.5 mm needles
The published gauge after blocking is:
22 stitches × 26 rows = 4 inches / 10 cm in stockinette
As always, use the needle size that gives you the fabric and gauge required by the particular version you are following.
Blocking Is Essential for Lace
Seascape can look surprisingly compressed while it is still on the needles.
Blocking opens the yarn-over holes, straightens the long flowing lines and allows the stole to reach its intended dimensions.
This is one of those projects where the transformation after blocking can be dramatic.
The Lace Is Built from Yarn Overs and Decreases
Much of the pattern's movement comes from the relationship between increases and decreases.
Yarn overs create the open spaces, while directional and centered decreases shape the lines that travel through the fabric.
The original Knitty instructions include techniques such as:
- Yarn overs
- M1L and M1R increases
- Single decreases
- Centered double decreases
- Chart reading
Is Seascape Suitable for a First Lace Project?
Knitty describes the lace as straightforward for experienced knitters and learnable for beginners.
That does not mean the entire stole will feel effortless to someone completely new to lace.
The charts are large and the project contains many repeated lace rows, so careful row tracking is extremely helpful.
Use a Lifeline
A lifeline is one of the most useful tools you can add to a lace project like Seascape.
After completing a section that you know is correct, run a contrasting smooth thread through the live stitches.
If a later mistake requires unraveling several rows, the lifeline gives you a safe place to stop.
Count Stitches Frequently
Lace patterns depend on balancing yarn overs with decreases.
Missing a single yarn over or decrease can shift the motif and make later rows increasingly difficult to understand.
Check stitch counts periodically instead of waiting until the end of a long chart section.
Use Markers Carefully
Stitch markers can help divide long repeats into manageable sections.
However, lace stitches can move across repeat boundaries depending on the chart structure.
Follow the pattern carefully rather than assuming every marker can remain permanently in the same location.
The Original Knitty Charts Are Large
Knitty specifically notes that the Seascape charts are large.
The original publication therefore divides the charts into sections for easier viewing and printing.
If you use the original 2008 version, keep each chart section clearly labeled and track the current row carefully.
There Is Also a Simplified 2015 Version
Two Free Versions
Kieran Foley later released a simplified one-page version of Seascape in 2015. The motif and edging were adjusted so the chart and written directions could fit into a much more compact format.
This simplified version should be treated as its own published version, rather than mixing its numbers casually with those from the original 2008 Knitty pattern.
The 2015 One-Page Version Uses Different Specifications
The designer's 2015 simplified version is worked on US 8 / 5 mm needles with three skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Haze.
Its blocked size is approximately:
60 × 22 inches / 157 × 56 cm
Its approximate blocked lace gauge is:
15 stitches × 21 rows = 4 inches
These numbers belong to the 2015 simplified version, not the original Knitty version.
Do Not Mix the Two Versions
The original 2008 pattern and the simplified 2015 version are both legitimate Seascape patterns, but they are not identical.
Their needle sizes, gauge, cast-on counts, motif arrangement and final proportions differ.
Choose one version and follow that version consistently from beginning to end.
Want a Longer Seascape?
One of the most common modifications is to add another repeat to the central lace section.
Both Knitty and Ravelry note that some knitters prefer an extra repeat for additional length.
If you make the stole longer, remember to allow extra yarn before beginning.
Choosing a Substitute Yarn
You do not have to use the exact Rowan yarn, but a successful substitute should create a similarly light lace fabric.
Consider:
- Yarn weight
- Halo
- Fiber content
- Meterage per skein
- Drape
- Behavior after blocking
A smooth lace yarn can produce sharper stitch definition, while a mohair-silk blend produces the soft haze seen in many Seascape projects.
Dark or Light Yarn?
Both can work beautifully, but the choice changes how the lace is seen.
Light colors can make the individual openings easy to read, while deep jewel tones can emphasize the shimmering, ocean-like quality of the finished wrap.
Highly variegated yarn may compete with the long flowing motifs, so swatching is particularly useful if your yarn contains strong color changes.
A Beautiful Special-Occasion Wrap
The light fabric and elegant rectangular shape make Seascape particularly suitable as an evening or special-occasion wrap.
It can add warmth without the visual weight of a heavy shawl and works especially well when the lace is allowed to remain the main feature.
Is Seascape Stole Still Free?
Yes.
Seascape Stole by Kieran Foley remains officially available free.
The original 2008 charted pattern is still hosted by Knitty, and free downloadable versions are also available through the designer's resources and Ravelry.
Amazing Knitting does not reproduce Kieran Foley's complete copyrighted charts or row-by-row instructions. Use one of the authorized sources below for the full pattern.
Get the Original Free Seascape Pattern
Read the original 2008 pattern on Knitty:
Get the Original Free Seascape Pattern →
Get the Simplified One-Page Version
Kieran Foley also provides a simplified 2015 version:
View the Free One-Page Seascape Pattern →
View Seascape on Ravelry
Ravelry is useful for browsing completed projects, yarn substitutions and modifications:
View Seascape Stole on Ravelry →
More Free Lace Patterns
If you enjoy elegant lace wraps and shawls, continue with these patterns already restored in Amazing Knitting:
- Begonia Swirl - Free Lace Shawl Pattern
- Birds Nest Shawl - Free Pattern
- Lamina Lace Scarf - Free Pattern
- Morning Surf Scarf - Free Pattern
Explore More Lace Knitting
Before You Cast On
First decide whether you want to knit the original 2008 Knitty version or Kieran Foley's simplified 2015 version.
Do not mix their gauges or stitch counts.
Whichever version you choose, make a swatch, keep careful track of the lace rows and consider using a lifeline before each major repeat.
After blocking, the flowing yarn-over motifs reveal why Seascape has remained such a memorable lace design for so many years.
Pattern credit: Seascape Stole was designed by Kieran Foley and first published in Knitty, Summer 2008. Amazing Knitting provides an independent project guide and does not reproduce the designer's complete copyrighted charts or knitting instructions. Please keep the existing photograph and its original credit from the old Amazing Knitting post.