Fosse Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

Fosse Shawl in Berroco Mirelle

What is Being Made

The Fosse is a triangular shawl designed by Alison Green, available in four graduated sizes. This intermediate-level knitting project produces a finished garment with dimensions ranging from 26" to 32" in width and 28" to 31" in length when worn, making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or wrapping. The shawl showcases a two-color construction using contrasting yarn shades that create visual interest through strategic color placement and stitch manipulation.

Construction Technique

The Fosse shawl is constructed using a sideways knitting method, worked from the center of the body outward. The pattern begins with the Right Back and Front sections, which are knitted together in a single piece. After completing this section, new stitches are cast on for the Left Front, while stitches for the Left Back are picked up along the edge of the Right Back. This construction approach creates a symmetrical design where the colors for the two halves of the shawl are intentionally mirrored, producing a balanced and cohesive finished piece. The sideways construction method allows knitters to easily adjust length and manage shaping throughout the project.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Fosse employs a multi-row pattern stitch that repeats over a multiple of 4 stitches plus 9 additional stitches. The pattern stitch sequence includes:

• Rows 1–2: Garter stitch worked in the first color (C1), creating a textured foundation
• Row 3: Worked in the second color (C2), featuring slip stitches worked with yarn in back (wyib) alternating with knit stitches to create a slipped-stitch texture
• Row 4: Worked in C2, combining knit stitches at the edges with slip stitches worked with yarn in front (wyif) and purl stitches in the middle sections

Garter stitch forms the base texture throughout the shawl, providing a dense, reversible fabric with excellent drape. The slipped-stitch pattern adds visual texture and helps create the color-work effects without requiring complex colorwork techniques. Knitters may follow either written row-by-row instructions or accompanying charts, depending on personal preference.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Fosse shawl is designed to be knitted using Berroco Mirelle yarn, a premium fiber option available in 100-gram hanks. Depending on the size selected, the project requires between 4 and 6 hanks each of two coordinating colorways: #11804 Poppy Seed (C1) and #11803 Swiss Coffee (C2). These two colors are used throughout the pattern to create the mirrored, two-tone design.

Knitting is performed on a 32-inch circular needle in size 9 (5.5 mm) or a needle size adjusted to achieve the specified gauge. The circular needle length accommodates the increasing stitch count as the shawl expands during construction. Additional notions required include a stitch marker, a removable stitch marker for tracking pattern repeats, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends during finishing.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches and 36 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch, measured after blocking. Accurate gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions, and knitters are advised to knit and measure a gauge swatch before beginning the project. Blocking is a required finishing step to set the stitches and achieve the precise measurements indicated in the pattern.