Berroco Oroshi Wrap Knitting Pattern

Berroco Oroshi Knit Shawl

What is Being Made

The Berroco Oroshi is an intermediate-level triangular shawl designed by Alison Green. This knit wrap measures approximately 62 inches across the top and 31 inches down the center, making it a generous accessory suitable for layering or draping. The shawl is worked flat on circular needles using a provisional cast-on method, allowing for a finished edge along the top.

Techniques Used

This shawl employs lace knitting as its primary technique, combined with garter stitch edging for structure and definition. The construction begins with a small provisional cast-on of 8 stitches, which is then increased strategically throughout the pattern to create the triangular silhouette. The design uses yarn overs and decreases to form the lace motifs, with increases worked in a balanced manner to maintain shaping. The shawl features a center stitch worked in stockinette stitch that runs vertically down the middle, flanked by two-stitch garter stitch borders on each side that provide stability to the edges. The pattern is worked flat rather than in the round, allowing knitters to easily read and follow the charted lace instructions.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Oroshi incorporates several fundamental knitting stitches and techniques:

• Garter stitch: Used for the 2-stitch borders at each end of the shawl, creating a finished, textured edge
• Stockinette stitch: Applied to the center stitch for visual contrast
• Yarn overs (yo): Essential for creating the lace openings and increasing stitches
• Knit two together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used throughout the lace pattern
• Slip, slip, knit (SSK): A left-leaning decrease that balances the k2tog decreases
• Purl stitches: Incorporated in the pattern for texture variation
• Slip stitches: Used at the beginning of rows for a neat edge finish

The shawl is constructed using charted lace patterns, with Chart 1 providing the primary lace motif that is repeated both vertically and horizontally as the shawl expands. Chart 2 introduces additional pattern complexity in the later stages of construction. Knitters follow row-by-row instructions while maintaining the established stitch pattern repeats, increasing from 7 stitches after the set-up row to 151 stitches by the completion of the charted sections.

Materials and Gauge

The Oroshi is designed to be worked with Berroco Remix Light yarn, a fingering-weight option requiring 2 balls (200 grams total) in colorway #6991 Juniper. A 29-inch circular needle in size 6 (4.00 mm) is used to accommodate the expanding stitch count, with the circular needle providing adequate space for the growing number of stitches without requiring a needle change. The pattern calls for 4 stitch markers to denote key sections of the pattern, waste yarn for the provisional cast-on, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

The recommended gauge is 16 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches when worked in the charted lace pattern. Checking gauge before beginning is essential, as even small variations can significantly affect the finished dimensions of the shawl. The pattern emphasizes that taking time to verify gauge will prevent potential sizing issues and ensure the shawl reaches its intended measurements.