Berroco Alexa Wrap Knitting Pattern

Berroco Alexa Knitted Shawl

What is Being Made

The Alexa is a sophisticated knitted shawl designed by Amy Christoffers. This intermediate-level project creates a rectangular wrap measuring approximately 23 inches wide by 76 inches long, making it an elegant accessory suitable for layering or draping. The shawl features a symmetrical construction with a defined center point, allowing knitters to work from one end through the middle and then mirror the pattern back out to the opposite end.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its finished design. The shawl begins with a cast-on of 133 stitches worked flat (not joined in the round), establishing a foundation for the rectangular shape. Garter stitch is used strategically at both edges—6 stitches on each side—to create a neat, finished border that frames the central patterned sections. Stitch markers are essential to this project, with four markers placed to divide the working area into distinct sections: edge stitches, a charted pattern repeat section, a single center stitch, a mirror charted pattern repeat section, and opposite edge stitches. The pattern uses a charted design that repeats in 20-row cycles, with the chart worked three times in each color section before transitioning to the next yarn color. The shawl's symmetry is achieved by working rows 1–20 of the chart multiple times in the first half, then switching to rows 21–40 of the chart for the second half, creating a mirror image effect around the center point.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Alexa pattern incorporates the following stitches and stitch work:

• Garter stitch—knit every row—used for the 6-stitch borders on each edge and the initial 12-row (6 garter ridge) setup
• Charted pattern stitches—worked in the central sections according to a provided chart with two distinct sections (Section 1 and Section 2) that are mirrored around the center stitch
• Center stitch—a single stitch that serves as the focal point of symmetry in the shawl's design
• Purl stitches—used in the wrong-side setup row to establish the charted pattern sections

The charted pattern repeats in 20-row cycles, and knitters work through rows 1–20 three times in each color before advancing to rows 21–40 for the second half of the shawl.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Alexa pattern calls for Berroco Cambria yarn, a 50-gram skein weight. The design uses four coordinating colorways of this yarn, with 3 hanks of each color required:

• #7902 Snowdrop (C1)
• #7904 Ash (C2)
• #7942 Oak (C3)
• #7960 Sycamore (C4)

The color progression creates a beautiful gradient effect as the shawl transitions through these four neutral tones from the first edge to the center point and back out again.

For needles and notions, the pattern requires a 32-inch circular needle in size 6 (4 mm) or the size needed to obtain the correct gauge. Circular needles are used here for their length to accommodate the 133 cast-on stitches, though the work is done flat rather than in the round. Additionally, 4 stitch markers are needed to divide the pattern sections as established in the setup row.

Gauge and Finishing Details

The pattern specifies a gauge of 21 stitches and 26 rows equal 4 inches (10 cm) in the charted pattern. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the finished shawl meets the intended dimensions of 23 inches wide by 76 inches long. The pattern notes that the center point of the shawl is reached after completing all color sections and transitioning to rows 21–40 of the chart, at which point the pattern begins to mirror back toward the opposite end, creating the symmetrical rectangular wrap.