Artyarns I Great Lakes Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

Artyarns I Great Lakes Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Great Lakes Shawl is a triangular lace shawl designed by Iris Schreier. This knitted wrap measures 75 inches wide by 19 inches deep at its widest point after blocking, making it a generous accessory suitable for layering or wearing as a statement piece. The shawl is worked flat using circular needles, allowing for the construction of this large, elegant garment.

Techniques Used

This shawl employs lace knitting and short row shaping as primary construction techniques. The pattern incorporates short rows to create the triangular silhouette and add dimension to the finished piece. The designer notes that German Short Rows are recommended throughout the pattern as an alternative to traditional wrap-and-turn methods, as they require no wraps and offer a cleaner finish. The shawl is worked flat on circular needles, which provides stability for managing the increasing number of stitches as the piece grows wider.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The Great Lakes Shawl utilizes several key stitches and abbreviations:

• Yarn Over (YO): Creates the lace pattern by adding decorative eyelets and increasing stitch count
• Inc2: A specialized increase worked as K1, yarn over, K1 into a single stitch, producing 3 stitches from 1 stitch for a 2-stitch increase
• Centered Double Decrease (CDD): A symmetrical decrease worked by slipping 2 stitches knitwise with yarn in back, knitting the next stitch, then passing the 2 slipped stitches over the knit stitch, reducing 2 stitches
• Cable Stitches: The pattern includes both C2R (right-leaning cable) and C2L (left-leaning cable), worked over 2 stitches using a cable needle to create textured cable details within the lace design
• Stitch Markers and Slip Stitches: Used to track pattern repeats and manage shaping throughout the construction

The pattern also employs wrap and turn techniques for short-row shaping, with detailed instructions provided for both traditional W&T (wrap and turn) and German Short Row methods.

Materials and Tools

The Great Lakes Shawl is worked in Artyarns Merino Cloud Gradients yarn, shown in the Great Lakes colorway. The pattern notes that colors can be worked in any order, allowing crafters to customize their version. Construction requires US Size 7 circular needles (or the size needed to obtain gauge), along with stitch markers and a cable needle for the cable stitch elements. The recommended gauge is 4 stitches and 6 rows per 1 inch in stockinette stitch.

This pattern is available as a downloadable PDF from Artyarns and is suitable for knitters with intermediate to advanced skills due to the lace work, cable techniques, and short-row shaping involved.