Berroco Peppercorn Wrap Knitting Pattern

Berroco Peppercorn Knit Shawl

What is Being Made

The Berroco Peppercorn is an intermediate-level knit shawl designed by Amy Christoffers. This elegant wrap measures approximately 64 inches long by 23 inches wide (not including fringe) after blocking, making it a generous accessory suitable for layering or draping. The finished piece features decorative fringe created from unraveled stitches, adding movement and visual interest to the edges.

Techniques Used

This shawl is worked using several key knitting techniques that create its distinctive appearance and structure:

• Seamless construction: The shawl is worked flat on circular needles without seaming, ensuring a smooth, unified fabric
• Striped pattern: The design incorporates stripes created by working rows with alternating colors—each row uses only one color yarn at a time
• Charted pattern: The shawl is worked from detailed stitch charts, including a Set Up Chart (Rows 1–48), an Increase Chart (Rows 49–72, repeated 7 times), and a Decrease Chart
• Slipped stitch technique: Slipped stitches are used strategically throughout, with specific yarn positioning instructions to maintain proper tension and appearance on both right and wrong sides
• Modular sizing: The pattern allows customization by adding or subtracting repeats of the Increase and Decrease Charts, making it adaptable to different finished sizes
• Fringe creation: Seven stitches are intentionally left unraveled at the end to form decorative fringe

Stitches Used

The Peppercorn shawl employs fundamental knitting stitches worked according to charted instructions. The pattern relies on basic knit and purl stitches combined with slipped stitches to create the textured, striped appearance. Stitch markers are used to help track pattern repeats and increases throughout the construction.

Materials Required

This project uses premium yarn from Berroco's Ultra Wool collection:

• Berroco Ultra Wool Handpaint (100 grams per ball): 2 balls in color #33301 Sangria, used as the main color (MC)
• Berroco Ultra Wool (100 grams per ball): 2 balls in color #33159 Hollyhock, used as the contrasting color (CC)
• Needles: One 32-inch circular needle in size 8 (5 mm) or the size needed to achieve proper gauge
• Notions: Two stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats

Gauge and Construction Details

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this project. The pattern calls for a gauge of 20 stitches and 27 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in the charted pattern. Knitters should take time to swatch and verify gauge before beginning to ensure accurate finished measurements. The shawl begins with a cast-on of 10 stitches and increases through repeated chart rows to reach 118 stitches, with a total of 216 rows worked during the increase phase alone. The use of circular needles accommodates the growing stitch count as the shawl expands.