Berroco Teeter Totter Shawl- Portfolio Knitting Pattern

Berroco Teeter Totter Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Berroco Teeter Totter Shawl is a triangular wrap designed by Julia Farwell-Clay. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a generous shawl measuring approximately 84 inches at its widest point with a depth of 21 inches, making it an elegant accessory suitable for layering or draping.

Techniques Used

This shawl is constructed using intarsia colorwork and is worked flat on straight or circular knitting needles. Intarsia is a large-scale colorwork technique in which different colored yarn strands are exchanged for one another along each row according to stitch count, rather than carrying yarn across the back of the work. This method creates distinct blocks of solid color without the bulk of stranded colorwork.

The intarsia technique requires careful yarn management: when changing colors, the new yarn is brought up from underneath the old yarn, which is then left aside. This twisting action prevents holes from forming at color transitions. The pattern emphasizes twisting yarns on the wrong side of the work—behind the knitting on the right side and in front on the wrong side.

The shawl begins with a provisional cast-on method, which allows stitches to be picked up later for additional construction. A garter stitch tab is worked at the beginning before the main colorwork sections commence.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch used throughout the Teeter Totter Shawl is stockinette stitch (St st), which creates a smooth, classic fabric. Garter stitch is used for the initial tab section at the cast-on edge, providing a textured, reversible border.

Materials and Specifications

This pattern requires five coordinating colors of Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine yarn, with one hank (100 grams) of each color:

• #12178 Grapefruit Mix (CC1)
• #12177 Lime Mix (CC2)
• #12180 Grove Mix (CC3)
• #1294 Turquoise Mix (CC4)
• #12171 Berry Pie Mix (CC5)

Needles required include straight or circular knitting needles in size 3 (3.25 mm), sized to achieve the specified gauge. A size 3.25 mm (D-3) crochet hook is also needed for finishing work. Additional supplies include waste yarn for the provisional cast-on method, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats, and a yarn needle for weaving in ends.

The recommended gauge is 20 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch after blocking. The pattern emphasizes checking gauge before beginning to ensure proper finished dimensions.

Design Details

The Teeter Totter Shawl features a striking color-blocked design created through the intarsia method, allowing the five distinct yarn colors to create bold geometric sections. The use of Ultra Alpaca Fine—a blend of alpaca and wool—provides softness and warmth while maintaining the stitch definition necessary for displaying the colorwork clearly.