Malabrigo Bleeker Wrap Knitting Pattern

Malabrigo Bleeker Asymmetrical Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Bleeker is an asymmetrical knitted shawl designed by Anniken Allis. This intermediate-level project creates a large triangular wrap with a finished width of 76 inches (193 cm) at the top edge and a depth of 21 inches (53 cm) at its widest angle. The shawl is worked flat from a single point, expanding outward to create an elegant asymmetrical silhouette suitable for layering or draping.

Techniques Used

This shawl employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive design:

• Lace knitting: The shawl incorporates lace patterning through charted sections that create openwork details and visual interest throughout the garment.
• Striping: Color changes between Aniversario and Teal Feather create distinct horizontal stripes as the shawl expands, alternating between garter stitch sections and lace chart sections.
• Flat construction: The piece is worked flat on circular needles rather than in the round, allowing for the asymmetrical shaping and directional stitch patterns.
• Increases: Strategic increases, including the kfb (knit into front, back, and front) technique that increases two stitches in one stitch, shape the expanding triangular form.
• Russian bind-off: A specialized bind-off method creates a firm yet flexible edge finish appropriate for a shawl's drape.

Stitches Used

Garter stitch forms the foundation sections of this shawl, created by knitting every row. This reversible, textured stitch provides structure and contrast to the lace sections. The pattern alternates between garter stitch sections and charted lace patterns (Chart 1, Chart 2, and Chart 3), with specific stitch repeats worked across increasing stitch counts as the shawl grows. The kfb increase (knit into front, back, and front of stitch) and Russian bind-off complete the technical stitch vocabulary, with the bind-off providing both firmness and flexibility essential to shawl construction.

Materials

This shawl is knitted using Mechita by Malabrigo, a superwash merino wool yarn. The pattern requires one 3½-ounce (100-gram) hank each in two colorways: #005 Aniversario (color A) and #412 Teal Feather (color B). Each hank contains approximately 420 yards (384 meters), providing ample yardage for the finished shawl. Knitting is worked on a size 6 (4mm) circular needle measuring 32 inches (80 cm) long, which accommodates the expanding stitch count. The gauge is 16½ stitches and 18½ rows over 4 inches (10 cm) when measured over the Chart 2 pattern after blocking. A tapestry needle is used for weaving in ends and finishing.

Finishing

After completing all chart sections and binding off using the Russian bind-off method, ends are woven in on the wrong side using a tapestry needle. The finished shawl is steam blocked to the specified measurements to even out the lace patterning and set the final shape and drape.