This pattern was knit with one cake of Caron Cakes yarn. The pattern, as written, takes advantage of the long colour changes and (here is a caution) may need to be adjusted by a row or two if the colour changes don’t match the cake that I used. I have found that most of the cakes have similar starting points and the pattern, as is, will be close to what you have. I have added notes to make the differences easier to manage.
The shawl has eight different designs in lace or textured stitches to showcase your knitting skills. None of the patterns are difficult but you will start with a basic stitch and become more challenged by the design at each change.
Size: 163cm x 74cm or 64″ x 29″ blocked
Tools: 6mm or US 10 circular needle, 60cm (24″) or longer to hold all of the stitches when you reach the final rows, two stitch markers (more if you like to marker each pattern repeat), tapestry needle to weave in the ends.
Materials: one cake of Caron Cakes yarn or the equivalent number of metres or yards (350m or 384 yds) in any worsted weight yarn.
Gauge: 14 stitches x 24 rows in garter stitch, lightly blocked. Gauge is not critical as this is a shawl but if you want to have a similar finished size you need to swatch.
Abbreviations: K = knit P = purl
YO = yarn over K2tog = knit two stitches together
Note: The first two and last two stitches of the row are always worked the same way. You can place stitch markers at these points if you need to be reminded when you reach the end of the row. The first stitch is always slipped purlwise with the yarn in front. The second stitch is knit with the yarn wrapped over to make the stitch. The second to last stitch is knit and the last stitch is knit with both the slipped stitch and the yarn over together. This will make a pretty braid like edging to the top edge and one long side of your triangle.
Another Note: The side of your work with the yarn over near the beginning of the row is the wrong side. The yarn over feature will form the top edge of your shawl with the pretty braid.
Shawl, Garter Section: Cast on 4 stitches.
Row 1: K all stitches
Row 2 (wrong side): slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, place marker, K to last two stitches, place marker, K2.
Row 3 (right side): slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, place marker, K to last three stitches, place marker, K3.
Row 4: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, K to last marker, slip marker, K2.
Row 5: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, k to last marker, slip marker, K3.
Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until you reach the end of your first colour. You should have 64 to 70 rows of garter stitch and need to be on the right side (no YO) to start the next section. The exact number of rows of garter stitch is not important but you can count the ridges and multiply by two if you want to make notes as you go. If you have some of the first colour left (not enough for two rows of garter stitch), start the next section with the old colour and let the transition fall where ever it lands.
Mesh Lace Section: Make sure that you are starting on the right side.
Row 1 (right side): slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, k1, slip marker, (YO, K2tog), repeat * to * to the marker at the last marker, slip marker, K2. You may have an odd number of stitches left which you can knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side until they can be worked into the pattern.
Row 2 (wrong side): slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, k1, YO, slip marker, P to the last marker, slip marker and K last two stitches.
Row 3: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, k1, slip marker, (K2tog, YO), repeat * to * to the last marker, slip marker, K2. Again, you may have an odd number of stitches left which you can knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side until they can be worked into the pattern.
Row 4: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, k1, YO, slip marker, P to the last marker, slip marker and K last two stitches.
Repeat Rows 1 to 4 until you reach the end of this colour making sure that you still have enough yarn to work the last wrong side row and you start the next colour on the right side (no YO at the beginning). You don’t need to worry about completing all four rows of the lace as long as you end by completing either row 2 or 4.
Work two rows of stocking stitch with the new colour or a combination of the old and new colour if the change comes in the middle of a row.
Zigzag Stitch Section: make sure that you are starting on the right side.
Row 1 (right side): slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (K8, P2), repeat * to * across to the last marker, slip marker, K3. On every right side row, if you don’t have enough stitches to complete the ten stitch pattern, knit the remaining stitches and work them into the pattern as the total stitch count increases.
Row 2(wrong side): slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P until you reach the first stitch that looks knit from the wrong side, P that stitch, (K2, P8) to last pattern repeat, K2, P7, slip marker K2.
Row 3: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K6, P2, (K8, P2), repeat * to * across to the last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 4: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P until you reach the first stitch that looks knit from the wrong side, P that stitch, (K2, P8) to last pattern repeat, K2, P5, slip marker K2.
Row 5: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K4, P2, (K8, P2), repeat * to * across to the last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 6: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P until you reach the first stitch that looks knit from the wrong side, P that stitch, (K2, P8) to last pattern repeat, K2, P3, slip marker K2.
Row 7: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K2, P2, (K8, P2), repeat * to * across to the last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 8: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P until you reach the first stitch that looks knit from the wrong side, P that stitch, (K2, P8) to last pattern repeat, K1, P1, slip marker K2.
Row 9: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, P2, (K8, P2), repeat * to * across to the last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 10: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P until you reach the first stitch that looks knit from the wrong side, P that stitch, (K2, P8) to last pattern repeat, K2, P3, slip marker K2.
Row 11: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K4, P2, (K8, P2), repeat * to * across to the last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 12: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P until you reach the first stitch that looks knit from the wrong side, P that stitch, (K2, P8) to last pattern repeat, K2, P5, slip marker K2.
Row 13: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K6, P2, (K8, P2), repeat * to * across to the last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 14: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P until you reach the first stitch that looks knit from the wrong side, P that stitch, (K2, P8) to last pattern repeat, K2, P7, slip marker K2.
Row 15: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (K8, P2), repeat * to * across to the last marker, slip marker, K3 .
Repeat these 15 rows or repeat as many as you can until the next colour change. You will end working on a wrong side row to start the next section. If your colour change is going to be in the middle of the next row, that’s okay as this will be a transition row between the two stitch patterns.
Next Row: (wrong side) slip 1 purlwise with the yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P to last marker, slip marker, K2.
Garter Rib Section: Make sure that you are starting on the right side.
Row 1: (right side) slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (K3, P2) across to the last marker, slip marker, K3. If you have extra stitches, work them in knit until you have increased enough to work another pattern repeat.
Row 2: (wrong side) slip 1 purlwise with the yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P to last marker, K2.
Repeat these two rows until you reach the next colour change. You need to end on Row 2 so that your next row is worked on the right side. If your colour change is going to happen part way through the next repeat, stop now and go to the next section.
Modified Leaf Lace Section:
Rows 1 to 4: Work the border stitches before and after the markers as usual. Knit all stitches in between the markers.
Row 5: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (YO, K3, S2K1P2SSO, K3, YO, K1), repeat * to * across to the last marker, working a K2tog instead of the centered decrease if you can’t complete the whole lace sequence. Work remaining stitches in knit to marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 6: slip 1 purlwise with the yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P to last marker, slip marker, K2.
Row 7: repeat Row 5.
Row 8: repeat Row 6.
Row 9: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (K1, YO, K2, S2K1P2SSO, K2, YO, K2), repeat * to * across working a K2tog instead of the centered decrease if you can’t complete the whole lace sequence. Work remaining stiches in knit to last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 10: repeat Row 6.
Row 11: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (K2, YO, K1, S2K1P2SSO, K1, YO, K3), repeat * to * across working a K2tog instead of the centered decrease if you can’t complete the whole lace sequence. Work remaining stiches in knit to last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 12: repeat Row 6.
Row 13: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (K3, YO, S2K1P2SSO, YO, K4), repeat * to * across working a K2tog instead of the centered decrease if you can’t complete the whole lace sequence. Work remaining stitches in knit to last marker, slip marker, K3.
Rows 14 to 17: Work the border stitches before and after the markers as usual. Knit all stitches in between the markers.
Repeat Rows 5 to 17 one more time. Your next colour change should happen in the four garter rows at the end of the second pattern repeat.
Double Seed or Moss Stitch Section:
Row 1: (right side) slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (K2, P2) across to last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row2: (wrong side) slip 1 purlwise with the yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, K the knit stitches as they are facing you and P the purl stitches across to last marker, slip marker, K2. (knit the V’s and purl the bumps).
Row 3: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (P2, K2) across to last marker, slip marker, K3.
Row 4: slip 1 purlwise with the yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, K the knit stitches as they are facing you and P the purl stitches across to last marker, slip marker, K2. (knit the V’s and purl the bumps).
Repeat Rows 1 to 4 four more times. Your next colour change should come in the last one or two rows that you work. If you have a small amount to use before the next change, go on to the next section.
Diagonal Lace Section:
Row 1: (right side) slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (YO, SSK, K3), repeat * to * across to last marker, knitting any remaining stitches that can’t be worked in pattern, slip marker, K3.
Row 2 and every even numbered row: (wrong side) slip 1 purlwise with the yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P to last marker, slip marker, K2.
Row 3: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K1, (YO, SSK, K3), repeat * to * across to last marker, knitting any remaining stitches that can’t be worked in pattern, slip marker, K3.
Row 5: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K2, (YO, SSK, K3), repeat * to * across to last marker, knitting any remaining stitches that can’t be worked in pattern, slip marker, K3.
Row 7: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K3, (YO, SSK, K3), repeat * to * across to last marker, knitting any remaining stitches that can’t be worked in pattern, slip marker, K3.
Row 9: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K4, (YO, SSK, K3), repeat * to * across to last marker, knitting any remaining stitches that can’t be worked in pattern, slip marker, K3.
Row 11: slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, K5, (YO, SSK, K3), repeat * to * across to last marker, knitting any remaining stitches that can’t be worked in pattern, slip marker, K3.
Row 12: slip 1 purlwise with the yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P to last marker, slip marker, K2.
Repeat Rows 1 to 12 once more. You should have reached the next colour change. If not, continue with the diagonal lace pattern until you can finish with a wrong side row so the you start the next pattern on the right side. If you reach the colour change before you complete the second repeat, just go on to the next section as long as can start with a right side row.
Feather and Fan or Old Shale Lace:
Row 1 and 2: Work the border stitches before and after the markers as usual. Knit all stitches in between the markers.
Row 3: (right side) slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, K1, slip marker, (K2tog twice, (YO, K1) four times, K2tog twice). Repeat across to last marker, knitting any extra stitches at the end that can’t be worked into the pattern, slip marker, K3.
Row 4: slip 1 purlwise with the yarn in front, K1, YO, slip marker, P to last marker, slip marker, K2.
Repeat these four rows twice more. You need to leave enough yarn to cast off with so you might only have two repeats and cast off after Row 2 of the third repeat. Cast off loosely. Weave in your ends, block and you are done!
This is the most beautiful shawl I’ve seen for the cakes! I’m going to attempt it…the lace section makes me nervous..the leaf section 5, but I’ll give it a go! Thank you so much
Thank you, I hope you enjoy knitting my pattern. Don’t be afraid of the lace, it really is not a difficult pattern. All of the work is on the right side only; you only have to purl on the wrong side. If you run into problems, write to me and I will try to help you out. I have put some notes in the comments section of the pattern on Ravelry that may help you out.
Thanks again, Barb
What a great pattern. Have you tried using Premier Sweet Roll yarn (sold at Joann’s) which is similar to Caron Cakes? I was wondering if this yarn would also work well with your pattern? Thank you.
I have not used this yarn as, sadly, I am not able to buy it. I am in Canada and the shipping from the US is greater than the yarn cost. I imagine it would work if you watched the colour changes carefully and adjusted for that.
This yarn is available at Michaels (Canada).
It’s beautiful 🙂 I’m very new to knitting, but I think I’d like to give it a go
If you have confidence in your ability to read patterns and make the basic knit stitches, I say give it a go. The pattern with all of the latest updates is free to download on Ravelry (free to join if you are not already a member) in a printable pdf. I have posted a few comments on the pattern page to help others through some of the trickier bits and am always, always available on Ravelry to help you out. If you message me, bluechicken, I try to answer the same day but it may take up to 24 hours. Thank you for having a look at my blog.
Oh please help! I really want to knit this scarf but can’t work out the first 5 rows. I know the individual stitches but just can’t work them together. Do you perhaps have a video of these rows lying around somewhere?
I don’t have a video but here is a more in depth explanation of the starting of the shawl. I hope that this helps you.
Cast on 4 stitches. Forget the stitch markers as I think that this is part of your confusion. You can make the whole shawl with out stitch markers as long as you remember to work the first and last stitches the same way throughout.
Right side: Knit 4 stitches.
Wrong side: Slip the first stitch purlwise with the yarn in front. Bring your yarn over the slipped stitch and knit the next stitch. Yarn Over and knit the next 2 stitches. You now have 5 stitches on your needle.
Right side: Slip the first stitch purlwise with the yarn in front. Bring your yarn over the slipped stitch and knit the next stitch. Knit the Yarn Over, knit the next stitch and knit the slipped stitch together with the yarn loop that you brought over when you slipped that first stitch. 5 stitches made.
Wrong side: Slip the first stitch purlwise with the yarn in front. bring your yarn over the slipped stitch and knit the next stitch. Place a marker here. Yarn over and knit the next stitch. Place a marker here. Knit the next 2 stitches, make sure that you include the yarn around loop with the last stitch. You now have 6 stitches.
You will have yarn over increases at the beginning of every wrong side row. This will make an increase of 1 stitch every 2 rows. This will form a line of eyelets at this edge even though you can’t see it in the photo. The edge without the eyelets is the top edge of your shawl. The eyelet edge is the left side of the triangle and the last Feather and Fan section is the right side of the triangle when it is laid out facing you.
Row 2 doesn’t make sense to me. There are only 4 stitches so the 2 markers end up at the same place. Is this right?
I should have had the knitter place the markers in rows 4 and 5. I think that if you overlook the marker placement in the first couple of rows you will be okay. You could knit the whole garter section without markers if it is easier for you. They really only have a use in the pattern sections to remind you to knit the last three stitches (yarn over and the last two stitches on the right side rows and the last two stitches on the wrong side rows.
Thank you so much for this! I’ve not seen such a sophisticated way to work with the abrupt color changes. This is just lovely. And you gave us all your hard work for free! Thank you!
Thank you for your kind words. I have actually made this shawl with several different textured and lace patterns as the mood takes me but this is still my favourite. I hope that you enjoy it.
On the modified leaf lace section on row 5 after slip marker what do you do instruction are mixed together between the brackets
I am sorry but I am away at the moment and won’t be able to help you until I get back home on the 26th. I will look up the section that you are having problem with and see if I can help you then.
I am having a hard time understanding your notes @ beginning and end of each row. My piece does not seem to be increasing. There is only 1 yo in every other row and you say to knit it tog. Do I slip st and yo st the beginning and end of every row and are those 2 stitches not count d, I am confused, pleas help because U love the looks of the shawl.
The note explains how to make the first YO at the edge of your work to make the braided look. The second YO is in the instructions, after you slip the first stitch with the yarn in front (first YO) bringing it over and knit the next stitch, you make a YO. When you knit back, you will knit the YO, which will increase your stitch count, knit the next stitch (second to last) and knit the last stitch, which was slipped, together with the loop (YO) that was made when you slipped that first stitch with the yarn in front. This is at the very end. You have already knit the YO increase and are knitting the edge stitch.
So excited to make this! I want to use Lionbrand’s Shawl In A Cake and wanted to check with you about it. I made a swatch in stockinette and it’s about 18 stitches by 23 rows (4 in swatch)
I am so bad a math! Do you think I need to make any adjustments?
Thanks so much!!
I am so happy that you like my pattern, thank you. My gauge is close to what you have so I think that you will be fine. Because it is a shawl fit is not huge concern. I can’t wait to see how my pattern looks in another yarn!
Thanks so much for your encouragement! However, I’ve already hit a snag regarding the beginning and ending of each row. I’ve read your explanations to other readers, but still not sure I’ve got it right. I took a couple of close up photographs and annotated my questions; easier in pictures than words. Can I send them to you?
Thanks again!
Thanks much! I’ve hit a snag, though. I’ve read your explanations about those first couple of rows and the beginning and end of rows, and still not sure about it. I took a couple of close up photos that I’d like to send to you; it’s easier to show in pictures than words. Can I send them to you?
Thanks again!
If you look at my blog post of July 19th, you will see an example of how the edge should look. This is a different shawl that I am designing and sharing the pattern in weekly installments. It is a different shape from Another Cake but the edge treatment is the same. Your edge should have a braidlike look to it.
Hi, Iris Rose! I am wild about this pattern, can’t wait to share the finished project and make it with other yarns!
In the Modified Leaf Lace section, Row 9, I count 11 stitches instead of 10 like all the other rows.
Am I missing something? What do you think?
Thanks much!
Thanks for contacting me and I am happy that you like my pattern. This is taken from the manuscript, Row 9: *(K1, YO, K2, S2K1P2SSO, K2, YO, K2)* and I count ten here. I made a few modifications a long time ago, a year maybe, but I don’t recall making any changes to this section. You may not have the most recent version of the pattern. If you are a member of ravelry.com you can download the latest version for free there.
*(K1, YO, K2, S2K1P2SSO, K2, YO, K2)*
1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9,10
I have the numbers formatted so that they lie under each stitch direction but the program that I use for my website changes them to remove my spacing, sorry. I hope that this helps you and thanks again, Barb
Got it! I found the source of confusion: the text on THIS page says “(K1, YO, K2, S2K1P2SSO, K3, YO, K2)”
That K3 should be K2. The PDF is correct, but I create my own Word doc to keep track of stuff easier, so I use the text on this page to create that.
Barb, I can’t imagine all the tiny plates you have spinning and all the time it takes to keep track of everything.
Thanks for everything!
Celeste
Thanks for pointing that out. I have gone back and edited my page for the error.
Happy knitting!
Barb
Hi, Barb! Coming down the home track!
I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way to gauge when to stop. I know it wants to end up as an isosceles triangle or thereabouts. I want to end with the scalloped edge, but I don’t want to start it too soon, i.e. have that band be way too wide.
Does that make sense? Any suggestions?
Thanks, as ever!
The shawl is designed to use a whole Caron Cake at 350m so, given that you are using a different yarn, Shawl in a Ball at 473m, I guess a little math is involved. To make this a whole lot easier for both of us, my shawl tested at 252 rows several times. The last section is 12 rows plus the bind off; starting the final section at row 240 will give you the right shape. I hope that this helps a little. Another way to calculate when to start would be to figure out how much yarn you have used so far and how much you have left to reach 350m, etc. Well, that’s enough to give me a brain cramp so I suggest counting the rows. Barb
Help! I have a mess in the zigzag section. The pattern was fine till row 8. Then at the end of the rows the pattern didn’t make sense. For instance row 13 (rs) begins with k6 p2 after the marker. When I do row 14 (ws), after I complete the k2 p8 Pattern repeats, I only have 7 stitches left before the marker. In order to do k2p7 I have to either cut the last pattern repeat short by two purls or end by only doing k2p5 before the end of row marker.
Also, I am supposed to repeat rows 1-15 for the pattern. If it begins on the right side, repeating row 1 after row 15 will mean I’m doing two right side rows back to back without a wrong side row in between. Can that be correct?
I have frogged rows so many times trying to see if I’ve read the pattern wrong, I’m about to give up! Please help!!
Thanks,
Susan
PS I’m using Caron Cakes yarn and love your pattern! Now, if only I can do it!!
It is really hard to help you without seeing your work. My best advise would be to use the chart to determine where you have gone wrong. If you can’t get back on track, you can substitute any textured pattern for this section.