Blue Sky Fibers Tivoli Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

Blue Sky Fibers Tivoli Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Tivoli Shawl is a light and airy knitted wrap designed by Mary Pranica. This classic pattern creates a wingspan shawl measuring 62 inches across with a 22-inch depth at center, making it an elegant layering piece suitable for various occasions. The shawl is described as light-as-a-feather, emphasizing its delicate construction and drape.

Knitting Techniques

This intermediate-level project employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive appearance and structure:

• Top-Down Construction: The shawl is worked from the top down, beginning with a small cast-on of 8 stitches and expanding outward through strategic increases
• Seamless Knitting: The wrap is worked back and forth without joining, creating a seamless garment despite using a circular needle to accommodate the increasing stitch count
• Worked Flat: Although constructed on a circular needle, the piece is worked flat in rows rather than in the round, allowing for the traditional shawl shape
• Stripes and Color Work: Bold graphic stripes are created using two contrast colors combined with slipped stitches, allowing crafters to choose their favorite color combination for the accent sections
• Slipped Stitch Colorwork: The pattern utilizes slipped stitches to create visual interest and graphic patterns without the complexity of traditional stranded colorwork

Stitches Used

The Tivoli Shawl incorporates fundamental knitting stitches combined in strategic patterns:

• Knit and Purl Stitches: Basic knit (k) and purl (p) stitches form the foundation of the pattern
• Yarn Overs (yo): Used to create decorative increases and lacy elements throughout the design
• Slipped Stitches (sl): Employed to create the bold graphic effects and color transitions without cutting yarn
• Decreases: Knit-slip-knit (ksk) and slip-knit-slip (sks) decreases maintain shaping and create clean edges
• Staggered Columns Pattern: A primary stitch pattern repeated throughout the shawl, worked over 20 rows and repeated twice in Section 3, creating the main textural and visual interest
• Knit Front and Back (kfb): Used for increases during the expansion rows

Materials and Tools

The Tivoli Shawl is designed specifically for Blue Sky Fibers' Woolstok Light yarn in fingering weight. The project requires three colors of yarn: Midnight Sea (Color No. 2317) for the main color A at 3 hanks, Driftwood (Color No. 2312) for color B at 2 hanks, and Ember Glow (Color No. 2323) for color C at 1 hank. Each hank contains 50 grams and 218 yards of 100% Fine Highland Wool, providing a total of approximately 1,308 yards of fingering-weight yarn for the complete project.

Knitting is worked on a Size 7 (4.5mm) circular needle measuring 32 inches in length, chosen to accommodate the large number of stitches as the shawl expands. The circular needle format is essential for managing the increasing stitch count, though the piece remains worked flat rather than in the round. Additional tools required include stitch markers for tracking pattern sections and a tapestry needle for finishing.

Pattern Notes and Gauge

The Tivoli Shawl is rated as an intermediate-level project, suitable for knitters with basic technique experience. Gauge is measured in the Staggered Columns pattern at 28 stitches and 50 rows over 4 inches. While exact gauge is noted as not critical for this project, variations will affect both the finished size and the drape of the completed shawl, making it worth checking before committing to the full project.