Berroco Mayenne Wrap Knitting Pattern

Berroco Mayenne Knit Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Berroco Mayenne is a rectangular knit shawl designed by Amy Christoffers. This intermediate-level project creates a finished piece measuring approximately 19 inches wide by 56 inches long (not including fringe after blocking). The shawl is worked as a flat rectangular wrap suitable for layering or draping.

Knitting Techniques

This shawl is constructed using bottom-up construction, meaning it is worked from the cast-on edge upward to the final bind-off. The design features horizontal stripes created by alternating yarn colors throughout the piece. The shawl is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for a traditional rectangular shape with clean edges.

Color work is managed by carrying yarn not in use loosely up the side of the work. The pattern includes a specific technique instruction to wrap colors around each other at the beginning of every right-side row to prevent long loops from forming, ensuring a neat and professional appearance.

Stitches Used

The Mayenne employs a pattern stitch that combines knit stitches with slipped stitches. The pattern stitch is established with repeating sequences of knit 5 stitches followed by slip 2 stitches, with variations in stitch count across the row (including k12 sections). Slipped stitches are worked with yarn in back on right-side rows and yarn in front on wrong-side rows (wyib and wyif), creating a textured, dimensional surface. Between pattern rows, plain knit rows in the main color provide visual breaks and structure to the striping.

Materials

This project uses Berroco Brielle yarn in three colorways: 5 hanks of #6540 Vert (main color), 1 hank of #6527 Bleu (contrast color 1), and 1 hank of #6534 Noir (contrast color 2). Each hank weighs 50 grams. The pattern calls for size 9 (5.50 mm) knitting needles and a crochet hook approximately size 5.50 mm (I) for finishing details such as fringe application. The recommended gauge is 17 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches in pattern stitch.

Pattern Details

The shawl begins with 82 cast-on stitches and an 11-row garter stitch foundation in the main color before the pattern stitch is introduced. The color sequence progresses through the contrast colors in a planned striping arrangement, with the pattern stitch repeated multiple times before transitioning to new colors. Knitters are advised to check gauge before beginning to ensure the finished measurements match the intended dimensions of approximately 19 inches wide by 56 inches long.