Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Free Pattern: Basic Triangle Shawl - Non-Lacy, Very Easy


I love a top-down triangle shawl, but I don't always want to knit lace. A plainer shawl is much more suited to wearing with a parka in the depths of winter, and is much easier to knit.

This is an ideal first shawl project for a newer knitter, or a relaxing knit for an experienced knitter. Shaped from the top down, it uses the "kfb" increase and markers to help you on your way, and it's a great introduction to the top-down triangle construction.

If you're not sure about yarnovers - or just not wanting lace - this is the shawl for you!

A PDF version is available on Ravelry.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Approximately 136 cm/54 inches wide x 21 inches/54 cm long after blocking.

MATERIALS
2 x 50gm balls Rowan Felted Tweed (50% Merino, 25% Alpaca, 25% Viscose, 175m/ball) -sample uses colour 150
-substitute 350m of any worsted weight yarn - e.g. Cascade 220 or Noro Kureyon
4.5mm needles - a 24 inch/60 cm circular is easiest, butyou can use straight needles if you prefer
a single 6mm needle for casting off
a stitch marker

GAUGE
approximately 16 sts and 26 rows = 4 ins by 4 ins/10 cm by 10 cm in stocking stitch
it's not critical for this project - what's most important is that you like how the fabric looks & feels

METHOD
Top Edge
The top edge is established in garter stitch.

With 4.5mm needle, cast on 9 sts. Use the long tail or the cable cast on. (These are links to videos on knittinghelp.com for these cast-on methods.)

Row 1 (RS): Kfb, k2, kfb twice, k2, kfb, k1. 13 sts.
Row 2 (WS): Knit.
Row 3 (RS): Kfb, k4, kfb twice, k4, kfb, k1. 17 sts.
Row 4 (WS): Knit.
Row 5 (RS): Kfb, k6, kfb twice, k6, kfb, k1. 21 sts.
Row 6 (WS): K11, place marker on the right-hand needle, k10.

To work the kfb increase: Knit into the front of the stitch as normal, pulling the yarn through, but leave the stitch on the left-hand needle. Put the point of the right-hand needle into the back loop of the stitch, and knit that. Pull the yarn through and slip the stitch off the left needle. 2 sts where there used to be one.
Knittinghelp.com has a great video here.

Body
The body is worked in a 8-row pattern. On each RS row, 4 increases are worked - one at each end, and two in the middle. The placement of the increases is what makes the shape - the increases in the middle push the rows out sideways, on an angle. The marker helps you keep track of where to do those increases.

Row 1 (RS): K3, kfb, k to 1 st before centre marker, kfb, slip marker, kfb, k until 5 sts rem, kfb, k4.
Row 2 (WS): K4, p to last 4 sts, k4.
Repeat rows 1 & 2 twice more.
Row 7 (RS): K3, kfb, k to 1 st before centre marker, kfb, slip marker, kfb, k until 5 sts rem, kfb, k4.
Row 8 (WS): K all sts.

Repeat the above 8 rows until you're almost out of yarn, ending after a Row 8.

Lower Edge
You'll work a few rows of garter stitch and then cast off.
Ensure RS is facing. Knit 5 rows. WS will be facing. Using the 6mm needle in your right hand, cast off knitways.
Tip: Using the larger needle for the cast-on ensures your stiches are loose and even. It's actually very hard to get a loose cast-on using the same size needles you knit with. This is actually a good idea for all your knitting.

Finishing
Soak the finished shawl in lukewarm water for 10 or 15 minutes. Roll in a towel or if the yarn is machine washable, run through the spin cycle of your washing machine to wring it out. Stretch it out and pin the three corners to your laundry rack, or a mattress, or blocking mats, or towels on the floor and leave to air dry. This step is important to make your shawl look its best!

5 comments:

curlysheep said...

Thanks, Kate for sharing your pattern. I'm sure a lot of people are looking for a "relaxing knit" or just something simple and small-ish to gift.

As a side note, I find it rather odd that "top down" triangular shawls are called "top down" when they actually worn down-top if you see what I mean..! The term is very logical to me for socks and sweaters, but for triangular shawls...--who would wear a shawl pointy end at the top?? :o)

(I actually found this term confusing when I did my very first top-down triangular shawl last summer and after the beginning few rows couldn't quite figure out how it would look on me "top down" compared to the picture of the finished item..and where I'd gone wrong! :P

Heathar said...

Love this shawl! Thanks for posting the pattern.

Anonymous said...

Nice easy knit shawl......got to knit this in pure qiviut using hand painted yarns. By the way the little scarf you made from our Angora yarns would look lovely knit from qiviut ! contact me if you would like to design some items from our qiviut yarns ! regards Lorraine

Pamela said...

I enjoyed this pattern very much. It was exactly what I was looking for, easy, relaxing, stylish, no yarn overs and no lace, I'm not the lace type. Now I'm making a second shawl out of my own handspun. Thank you for offering this awesome pattern for free. I love your style.

purrlgurrl said...

I made two of these so far. I use big shawls to wrap up in at home instead of sweaters, and this pattern can be easily extended to the humongousness I crave. Love it because it practically knits itself. Thanks for giving the world this great pattern.