Gardiner Yarn Works Kiwassa Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

Gardiner Yarn Works Kiwassa Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Kiwassa Shawl is a triangular lace shawl designed by Chrissy Gardiner. This elegant wrap features a fountain lace design that flows gracefully from the shoulders, creating a finished size of 72 inches by 40 inches after blocking. The shawl is named after a weight yarn family and represents an intermediate-level knitting project suitable for crafters with some lace-knitting experience.

Construction Method and Techniques

This shawl is constructed using a top-down, seamless, worked-flat approach. The design begins with a small cast-on of just 5 stitches and expands outward through strategic yarn-over increases, creating the triangular silhouette without requiring seaming. The lace pattern is worked flat on circular needles rather than in the round, making it accessible for knitters who prefer flat construction methods.

The pattern uses lace as its primary decorative technique, featuring a fountain lace motif that repeats throughout the body of the shawl. This lace design creates an airy, flowing aesthetic while maintaining structural integrity through the use of decreases paired with yarn-overs. The pattern includes a setup section (Rows 1–28) that establishes the lace foundation and stitch markers to guide increases, followed by repeating body rows (Rows 1–32) that are worked until the shawl reaches the desired finished dimensions.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The Kiwassa Shawl employs fundamental and intermediate knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit (k) and purl (p) stitches form the base structure
• Yarn-overs (YO) create the lace openings and contribute to shaping increases
• Knit 2 together (k2tog) for right-leaning decreases
• Slip, slip, knit (SSK) for left-leaning decreases
• Slip 2 stitches together as if to knit, knit next stitch, pass two slipped stitches over (S2KP) for centered double decreases
• Slip stitch as if to purl (sl) for edge management
• Stitch markers (pm) to track pattern repeats and shaping sections

The pattern is presented in both chart and written-instruction formats, allowing knitters to choose their preferred method of following the lace pattern. Gauge for the lace pattern is listed as approximately 20 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches, though the pattern notes that gauge is not critical for this project, making it forgiving for variations in tension.

Materials and Tools

The Kiwassa Shawl requires approximately 700 yards of yarn in laceweight or fingering-weight fiber. The sample shown was knitted using Schaefer Yarn Co. Andrea in the Greenjeans colorway, demonstrating how the lace pattern showcases color beautifully.

Knitting tools needed include:

• US size 5 (3.75mm) circular needle in a 24-inch to 36-inch length to accommodate the expanding stitch count
• A yarn needle for weaving in ends
• Stitch markers to track pattern sections and increases

The downloadable PDF pattern includes complete written instructions, abbreviations, lace charts, and guidance for working the setup and body sections, making it a comprehensive resource for completing this intermediate-level shawl project.