Do you ever have gorgeous skein of yarn in your stash that you can never quite find the perfect use for? I recently got my hands on a small skein of pink yarn with a yellow/green gradient section. After sitting with it for a couple weeks, I realized it would be fun to design a square shawl with it to highlight the shape of the garment and how the colors change as you knit.
Constructed from the center out, you add stitches at the edges and evenly across each quarter of the shawl. Increasing the stitches in this way creates a perfectly square shape, with an opening along one edge from the center to accomodate the wearer’s head. I love how the color change “turns” each corner of the square, highlighting the shawl’s bold, geometric shape!
The yarn I used for this comes from Bijou Basin Ranch, and it’s a specially dyed gradient yarn using their 50% yak/50% silk blend yarn, Shangri-La. So soft and light! This shawl is like wearing butterfly wings and is perfect for keeping the breeze off your skin as temperatures change in fall and spring.
Top Notched Shawl – the free pattern
Supplies
US size 3 knitting needles – long circular needles recommended
1 skein yarn, any size – lace or fingering weight recommended
3 stitch markers
scissors
crochet hook or tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Abbreviations
CO – cast on
WS – wrong side
RS – right side
k – knit
p – purl
yo – yarn over
pm – place marker
m- marker
sts – stitches
sl m – slip marker
BO – bind off
Pattern
CO 9 sts
garter ridge stripes
odd rows 1-19. (WS) k across.
2. (RS) k1, (yo, k1, yo, k1, pm) 3 times, (yo, k1) 2 times.
even rows 4-20. k1, (yo, k to 1 st before m, yo, k1, sl m) 3 times, yo, k to last st, yo, k1.stockinette stripes
odd rows 21-39. (WS) k1, (p to m, sl m, k1) 3 times, p to last st, k1.
even rows 22-40. (RS) repeat rows 4-20.Continue alternating rows 1-20 and rows 21-40 until you are nearly to the end of your skein. BO in pattern, weave in ends and block to finish.
The yarn pictured was provided by Bijou Basin Ranch.
Catherine
November 8, 2015 at 8:26 amThis is lovely – would it be possible to see a photo of it worn, from the front? I’m having trouble envisioning how the fronts drape. From the back it looks a lot like a triangular shawl. Thank you for the free pattern!
Heidi
November 9, 2015 at 8:48 amSure! I just added a couple of the outtakes to the post for reference.
Krista
May 11, 2016 at 4:00 amI like this pattern so much! But — I think you are missing a YO at the end of the row 4-20 section, after you slip the last marker.
Thank you for the pattern, and I am enjoying your blog.
Heidi
May 13, 2016 at 8:13 amYou’re right! Thank you, Krista! It’s been fixed.
Jane Snyder
September 10, 2016 at 9:28 amCan’t wait to make the shawl thank you have a good day
Heidi
September 10, 2016 at 5:33 pmYou too!
Fran
July 8, 2017 at 9:53 amCould not find yarn with the gradient stripes.
Heidi
July 8, 2017 at 3:35 pmYou can find gradient or variegated yarn at JoAnn’s & Michaels, as well as many local yarn shops. The selection can vary at local stores, so you may want to call ahead to confirm before making the trip.
Jeannie
July 11, 2017 at 4:07 amThis is beautiful! Perhaps this one will stay on my shoulders without a clip or me hanging onto it :-) Just hoping mine turns out as pretty as yours!
Heidi
July 11, 2017 at 4:56 pmWell, thanks! :) It’s a fun one to knit too! I gave the one pictured to one of my grandmothers, and she loved it. I might have to make another soon!
Lena Samuelsson
July 16, 2017 at 5:03 amWow what a beautiful shawl. And a nice shape. I have some yarn that I had bought on Wish and now I know what to do with it. I have been printed out the pattern and will try to translate it to swedish for my own personal use, if I don’t managed to read it on english. Thanks for sharing your work
Toni
July 18, 2017 at 9:11 amI can not find the yarn for the top notch shawl that you used from the web site that is with the task. I really like that color.
Heidi
July 18, 2017 at 9:42 amBijou Basin Ranch does a series of yarns with indie dyers, and I believe there’s a limited quantity of each color. Here’s the section of their website featuring the various indie dyers: http://www.bijoubasinranch.com/indie-dyers/. If you’re looking for something specific, the folks who run that yarn company are very nice. You could reach out to them in their “contact us” section to see if they’re getting more of this pretty color!
lilla
November 8, 2017 at 2:27 amHi Heidi! I used your pattern to knit a baby blanket and I translated it in Italian. Hope you agree. If not so please let me know and I’ll delete my post.
http://spaziolilla.blogspot.it
Heidi
November 8, 2017 at 4:11 pmGreat! I just emailed you. :)