Berroco Papavero Wrap Knitting Pattern

Berroco Papavero Knitted Lace Shawl

What is Being Made

The Papavero is an elegant triangular shawl designed by Brenda York, featuring finished measurements of approximately 70 inches across the top and 27 inches down the center after blocking. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a sophisticated wrap suitable for various occasions, with decorative fringe adding a refined finishing touch.

Craft and Project Type

This is a knitting project classified as a shawl and wrap. The design is worked seamlessly and worked flat, meaning it is constructed as a single piece without seaming and worked back and forth on straight needles rather than in the round. The pattern comes as a downloadable PDF format for easy access and printing.

Techniques Used

The Papavero employs lace knitting as its primary decorative technique. The shawl is constructed using an elegant two-section approach: an Increase Section that builds the shawl from a small cast-on to its widest point, followed by a Decrease Section that tapers the piece back down to a narrow edge. This symmetrical construction creates the characteristic triangular silhouette of a traditional lace shawl.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined into a repeating lace motif. Key stitches include:

• Yarn overs (yo) — creates the openwork and lace characteristics
• Knit two together (k2tog) — a right-leaning decrease
• Slip, slip, knit (SSK) — a left-leaning decrease
• Slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, k2tog, psso) — a double decrease used in the decrease section

The pattern stitch alternates between two different row sequences (Inc Row 1/Dec Row 1 and Inc Row 3/Dec Row 3) depending on whether an even or odd number of stitches is on the needle. This thoughtful construction ensures the lace pattern remains balanced throughout the shawl.

Materials and Gauge

The Papavero is designed to be worked with Berroco Coco yarn, requiring 5 balls of the 100-gram size in colorway #4908 Tundra. The project calls for size 15 (10.00 mm) knitting needles for the main construction and a size 9.00 mm (M-13) crochet hook, likely for finishing details such as the fringe.

The recommended gauge is 9 stitches and 13 rows equals 4 inches in the pattern stitch before blocking. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the finished shawl meets the specified dimensions. Blocking is an important finishing step for this lace project, as it helps open up the lace pattern and achieve the intended measurements.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with some experience beyond basic techniques. The lace construction, gauge management, and understanding of increase and decrease sections require intermediate-level skills.