Get Stared on Your First Shawl
Shawls can be knit with thick yarn for cozy winter warmth or thin, airy yarn for summer accessorizing. Even though shawls come in a variety of sizes and shapes, they are all knit flat. Shawls are also great to learn new techniques such as colorwork or lacework.
In this tutorial you’ll learn the construction methods for the most common shawl shapes; triangle top-down, triangle sideways, asymmetrical triangle, crescent, and rectangular. You will be able to identify the common knitting techniques that help shape the shawls. This includes cast on methods, increases, and decreases. You’ll also be able to recognize the common edge finishes that make a shawl look more polished. Finally, you should be able to evaluate patterns so that you can pick one that matches your interest and skill level.
There are many types of shawl construction methods. These methods can apply to large, blanket size or small bandana size shawls.
The most classic shapes are:
Top-down, triangle (symmetrical)
Sideways, tip-to-tip (symmetrical)
Sideways, tip to edge triangle (asymmetrical)
Crescent
Rectangle
Top-down triangle
Top-down triangle shawls start with a small number of stitches on the needle and increase rapidly until you have 300+ for the cast off or finishing edge. You will have four increases for each right-side row, one by each edge and two at the center. This helps the shawl grow evenly, creating a symmetric shape. This means that you start in the middle center of the shawl and then rows grow out from there until your finishing edge is the two sides of the “bottom” of the triangle. Generally, you do not need to use decrease.
Top-down triangle shawls tend to feel like you make progress very quickly at first but then feels very slowly as every other row grows. If you like quick projects, then this can feel tedious. Additionally, the cast off of 300+ stitches could take a long session or multiple sessions just to finish.
Example patterns:
Sideways symmetrical triangle
Sideways symmetrical triangle shawls are knit tip-to-tip, the knit stitches run horizontally so that the knit v’s point sideways. In contrast, in the round sweater’s knit stitches run vertically so that the v’s point down. They also start with only a few stitches cast on and generally only increase one stitch on the right side of the fabric. The increases are only at the bottom edge so that the shawl does not grow on both sides, which would create a diamond shape.
Unlike top-down triangle shawls, you will need to decrease evenly after you have knit to the center point. The decreases will also be at the bottom edge. Additionally, they differ from top-down shawls in that they tend to have far fewer stitches on the needle at the widest point. You will bind-off only a few stitches at the end.
Generally, sideways symmetrical triangle shawls are smaller projects. They also feel like they progress quickly because the widest point can have between 75-200 stitches. The cast off process also is very quick because you will only need to cast off between 3-5 stitches.
Example patterns:
Sideways asymmetrical triangle
Sideways asymmetrical triangle shawls share similarities with both sideways symmetrical and top-down triangle shawls. They start with only a few stitches at the tip and then increase on one or both sides until you have 300+ stitches on your needle. You will then bind-off the 300+ stitches on the edge.
More advanced, textured will also include decreases for shaping or lace work.
Sideways asymmetrical shawls have the same pros and cons as top-down triangle shawls. You make progress quickly at first, then each row becomes long, and the cast off can take a decent amount of time.
Example patterns:
Crescent
Like the top-down triangle shawls, crescent shawls start with a few stitches cast on to begin in the center and are worked top-down. To achieve the crescent shape you will only increase on both sides, not in the middle. Some patterns include short rows for a more prominent arch. Short rows can also be used to create an asymmetrical shape where the deepest part of the arch is to the side of the center.
Additionally like the top-down triangle shawl, you will have 300+ stitches on your needles at cast off time.
Crescent shawls also have the same pros and cons as top-down triangle shawls. You make progress quickly at first, then each row becomes long, and the cast off can take a decent amount of time.
Example patterns:
Rectangle
Rectangle shawls can vary widely in their construction type even though they appear to have the most straightforward method. The most simple will have the same construction method as a scarf; a set number of stitches are cast on, the shawl is worked to the specified length, and then the same number of stitches are cast off.
More complicated construction methods can be to seam together other shapes to form a rectangle or by picking up stitches. Because of this, it is especially important to read the pattern notes before getting started.
Example patterns:
Cast on techniques
Almost all shawls can begin with any cast on method, however more advanced patterns will recommend a more complicated method for a more polished project.
Top-down triangle shawls have a set of alternative cast on methods so that the top edge of the shawl is straight, without a notch. This is accomplished with one of the tab methods; specifically the garter tab is a popular method at this time. Another popular tab method is the i-cord tab when the edges will be finished with an i-cord.
When a tab cast on or other more complicated cast on does not work, for example a sideways symmetrical, you can consider a cast on and cast off that will match for a more polished project.
Edge finish techniques
If a shawl has a right side or the visible side is made of only knit stitches, it is ideal to use an edge finishing method to keep the fabric from curling. Garter stitch, i-cord, or slip stitch add a nice way to finish for the cast off edge. With careful consideration and planning, you can implement whichever method you want even if it differs from the pattern.
Conclusion
When evaluating a pattern look for the techniques used. On Ravelry they are listed in the attributes section. Good patterns will also list the techniques in the description itself. Many patterns will also tell you the shape, so that you do not need to discern it from the attributes.
Finally, consider your interest or tolerance for number of stitches on the needle. Do you want a piece that grows exponentially with a lot of stitches to cast off or one that has a lot of length from rows that are short?
For more adventurous shawls, check out the designer Stephen West. Not only does he have many patterns for the most common shapes, he also has many interesting patterns with very unique shapes.