Berroco Winstead Wrap Knitting Pattern

Berroco Winstead Knit Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Berroco Winstead is a large, elegant knit shawl designed as an intermediate-level project. This seamless, worked-flat wrap measures approximately 96 inches long and 28 inches wide at its widest point after blocking, making it a generous accessory suitable for layering or draping.

Construction Method and Design Features

The Winstead shawl employs a distinctive two-part construction technique. A long decorative band featuring an eyelet pattern is worked first and left on the circular needle. Stitches are then cast on for the main body of the shawl, which is seamlessly attached to this band using an SSK (slip, slip, knit) decrease at the end of each right-side row. This method creates a unified, seamless garment without the need for seaming.

Techniques Used

• Lace work: The eyelet pattern creates an openwork decorative edge along the shawl
• Seamless construction: The shawl is worked as one continuous piece without seams
• Worked flat: Despite using a circular needle, the shawl is knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round
• Cable cast-on: Used to add stitches for the main body section
• Decreases: SSK decreases integrate the eyelet band with the main shawl body
• Blocking: Essential finishing step to achieve final measurements and open up the lace pattern

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (St st): Foundational stitch used in gauge calculations
• Garter stitch: Provides texture and structure in the main body section
• Eyelet pattern: A six-row repeat featuring yarn overs and knit-two-together decreases (K2tog, yo) that create decorative holes, alternating with knit and purl rows for dimensional texture
• Yarn overs (yo): Create the openwork characteristic of the lace edging
• Decreases: K2tog and SSK used to maintain stitch count and shape

Materials

Yarn: Berroco Millefiori Light Luxe, a luxury yarn requiring 4 balls (400 grams total) in colorway #8839 Ultramarine. This yarn weight and fiber content provide the drape and elegance appropriate for a shawl.

Needles: A 32-inch (or longer) circular needle in size 5 / 3.75 mm, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. Circular needles are used for their length to accommodate the large number of stitches, even though the shawl is worked flat.

Notions: One removable stitch marker to track the connection point between the eyelet band and main body.

Gauge and Finishing

Accurate gauge is critical for this project and must be checked after blocking. The pattern specifies three different gauges depending on the stitch pattern: 18 stitches and 26 rows in stockinette stitch, 18 stitches and 52 rows in garter stitch, and 15 stitches and 42 rows in the eyelet pattern, all measured over 4 inches. Blocking is essential to achieve the finished measurements and to properly open and display the lace eyelet pattern.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate, suitable for knitters with experience in basic stitches and comfortable working with larger projects and lace techniques.