Sixth Degree Shawl

In case this isn’t incredibly obvious by now, I love knitting shawls. I’m obsessed with playing with the geometry possibilities, the outfit possibilities, and the chance to show off some beautiful yarn on the canvas that is a big, flat piece of knitting. This new shawl pattern began as a wee experiment with making a shawl featuring increases along one side of the work every few rows, which forms a right triangle. I love the fact that the yarn over increases are hidden in this piece’s chain edge, and I love that its wide, diagonal ribs are formed by simply alternating groups of 6 knit and purl stitches, hence the name Sixth Degree Shawl. I hope you enjoy knitting this as much as I did!

This is knit with exactly two skeins of Cestari Monticello yarn, a 75% cotton / 25% flax blend that’s great for warm weather knitting. I got this yarn from Yarnthology, a site specializing in eco-friendly, ethically sourced, cruelty free, and/or American made yarns. (I’ll have more on Yarnthology, including a giveaway, later this week!)

The shallow slope of the Sixth Degree Shawl’s increases make for a super wearable shawl. The short leg is long enough to reach past the hips, covering the torso when worn as a wrap. The pointy end, so to speak, hangs in place nicely when you wear it. I can’t wait to cuddle up with this shawl all summer in hyper air conditioned spaces and stash it in my bag when venturing out into hot temps!

Sixth Degree Shawl – the free pattern

Finished dimensions: 27.5 inches wide by 72 inches long

Gauge: 16 sts x 32 rows over 4″ in stockinette stitch on US 7 needles after wet blocking

Supplies

US size 7 circular needles with 32 inch cords
2 skeins (approx. 500 yds)  Cestari Monticello in Partridge Blue – 75% cotton/25% flax, comes in 100g, 250 yd skeins
stitch markers (optional but recommended)
scissors
blocking supplies

Abbreviations 

CO – cast on
sts – stitches
k – knit
yo – yarn over
pm – place marker
m – marker
p – purl
sl – slip
rpt – repeat
wyif – with yarn in front
tbl – through the back loop
BO – bind off
RS  – right side
WS – wrong side
(X sts) – X is the number of sts that are now in the row

Pattern

As you work on this shawl, place and slip markers as you prefer to keep track of k and p sections.

Set up section
CO 3 sts.
1-3. sl 1 wyif, k1, k1 tbl.
4. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl.
5-7. sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.

Repeat rows 4-7 until there are 12 sts.

Body of shawl – adding first stockinette stripe
8. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (13 sts).
9. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p1, k to last st, k1 tbl.
10. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
11. rpt 9.

12. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (14 sts).
13. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p2, k to last st, k1 tbl.
14. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
15. rpt 13.

16. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (15 sts).
17. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p3, k to last st, k1 tbl.
18. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
19. rpt 17.

20. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (16 sts).
21. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p4, k to last st, k1 tbl.
22. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
23. rpt 21.

24. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (17 sts).
25. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p5, k to last st, k1 tbl.
26. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
27. rpt 25.

28. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (18 sts).
29. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p6, k to last st, k1 tbl.
30. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
31. rpt 29.

Body of shawl – adding garter stripe
32. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (19 sts).
33. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k1, p6, k to last st, k1 tbl.
34. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
35. rpt 33.

36. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (20 sts).
37. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k2, p6, k to last st, k1 tbl.
38. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
39. rpt 37.

40. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (21 sts).
41. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k3, p6, k to last st, k1 tbl.
42. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
43. rpt 41.

44. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (22 sts).
45. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k4, p6, k to last st, k1 tbl.
46. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
47. rpt 45.

48. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (23 sts).
49. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k5, p6, k to last st, k1 tbl.
50. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
51. rpt 49.

52. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (24 sts).
53. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k6, p6, k to last st, k1 tbl.
54. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
55. rpt 53.

Body of shawl – adding subsequent stockinette stripes
56. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (25 sts for first stockinette stripe).
57. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p1, (k6, p6) to last 6 sts, k5, k1 tbl.
58. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
59. rpt 57.

60. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (26 sts for first stockinette stripe).
61. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p2, (k6, p6) to last 6 sts, k5, k1 tbl.
62. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
63. rpt 61.

64. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (27 sts for first stockinette stripe).
65. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p3, (k6, p6) to last 6 sts, k5, k1 tbl.
66. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
67. rpt 65.

68. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (28 sts for first stockinette stripe).
69. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p4, (k6, p6) to last 6 sts, k5, k1 tbl.
70. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
71. rpt 69.

72. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (29 sts for first stockinette stripe).
73. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p5, (k6, p6) to last 6 sts, k5, k1 tbl.
74. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
75. rpt 73.

76. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (30 sts for first stockinette stripe).
77. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, p6, (k6, p6) to last 6 sts, k5, k1 tbl.
78. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
79. rpt 77.

Body of shawl – adding subsequent garter stripes
80. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (31 sts for first garter stripe).
81. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k1, (p6, k6) to last 12 sts, p6, k5, k1 tbl.
82. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
83. rpt 81.

84. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (32 sts for first garter stripe).
85. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k2, (p6, k6) to last 12 sts, p6, k5, k1 tbl.
86. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
87. rpt 85.

88. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (33 sts for first garter stripe).
89. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k3, (p6, k6) to last 12 sts, p6, k5, k1 tbl.
90. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
91. rpt 89.

92. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (34 sts for first garter stripe).
93. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k4, (p6, k6) to last 12 sts, p6, k5, k1 tbl.
94. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
95. rpt 93.

96. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (35 sts for first garter stripe).
97. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k5, (p6, k6) to last 12 sts, p6, k5, k1 tbl.
98. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
99. rpt 97.

100. (RS) sl 1 wyif, yo, k to last st, k1 tbl (36 sts for first garter stripe).
101. (WS) sl 1 wyif, k5, k6, (p6, k6) to last 12 sts, p6, k5, k1 tbl.
102. (RS) sl 1 wyif, k to last st, k1 tbl.
103. rpt 101.

Repeat adding subsequent stockinette and subsequent garter stripe sections (rows 56-103) until there are 8 stockinette stripes or until you are nearly through your second skein of yarn.

Finishing

End by knitting across 6 rows (both right and wrong sides), binding off (BO) last WS row. Weave in all ends and block to finish.

The yarn used for this pattern was provided by Yarnthology. Tune in Wednesday, May 11 for a review & giveaway of their service and the yarn used to make this shawl!