Koigu Jollie Waves Wrap Knitting Pattern

Koigu Jollie Waves Knit Shawl

What is Being Made

The Koigu Jollie Waves is a rectangular knit shawl designed by Maie Landra for Koigu Wool Designs in Chatsworth, Canada. This finished shawl measures 26 inches (66 centimeters) in width and 81 inches (205 centimeters) in length, making it a generous wrap suitable for layering or draping. The design combines lace work with bold horizontal stripes created through strategic color changes, resulting in a sophisticated accessory that balances delicate openwork with vibrant visual interest.

Techniques Used

The Koigu Jollie Waves employs multiple knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive appearance. The shawl is worked flat from one end to the other, allowing for straightforward construction without the complexity of circular shaping. Lace knitting forms the primary stitch pattern, incorporating yarn overs and decreases to create openwork sections that provide drape and elegance. Striping is achieved through color changes worked every two rows, allowing knitters to paint with yarn by alternating between different hues of Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino. The pattern includes finishing techniques such as crochet edging on both ends and fringe application to enhance the shawl's visual appeal and add movement to the edges.

Stitches Used

The lace pattern repeats over a multiple of 10 stitches plus 1 and is worked across 6 rows before the color stripe changes. The stitch pattern combines fundamental lace techniques:

• Knit stitches (K) form the structural foundation and edge stitches
• Knit two together (K2tog) decreases worked on the right side to shape the lace openings
• Knit two together through the back loop (K2tog tbl) decreases that slant in the opposite direction, creating balanced decreases
• Yarn overs (YO) create the characteristic holes and openwork of lace knitting, adding airiness to the fabric
• Purl stitches (P) worked on wrong-side rows between the edge stitches

The lace motif creates an elegant repeating pattern with paired yarn overs and decreases that form small eyelets and flowing lines throughout the shawl. The edge stitches (knit on all rows) provide clean, finished borders that frame the lace pattern.

Materials and Yarn

The Koigu Jollie Waves is knit using Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino (KPPPM) yarn, a high-quality merino wool that offers softness and beautiful color saturation. The pattern calls for 2 skeins of 50 grams each in four coordinating colors: P133A, P725, P118L, and P882B. The pattern includes a helpful tip for color selection, recommending that knitters choose three colors with similar color compounds and add one contrasting color for visual zest, such as the P133A, to create a cohesive and striking palette.

Needles and Tools

Construction requires US size 3 (3 millimeter) straight needles for the main knitting, along with a size D crochet hook for finishing the edges with crochet work. The gauge is 26 stitches in stockinette stitch over 4 inches, which is important for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Construction Details

The shawl begins with casting on 110 stitches using the first color (P133A). The lace pattern is then worked in two-row repeats while colors are changed every two rows, creating horizontal stripes of varying widths. This methodical color rotation continues until the desired length is achieved. Once knitting is complete, both ends receive crochet edging for a polished finish. A 12-inch fringe is added using 6 strands per fringe section, adding movement and texture to the shawl's edges. Final finishing involves blocking the shawl by soaking it in water and pinning it to a blocking board to set the lace pattern and achieve the desired final dimensions.