Malabrigo Coney Island Wrap Crochet Pattern

Malabrigo Coney Island Mesh Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Malabrigo Coney Island is an elegant mesh shawl designed by Lori Steinberg, featured in Malabrigo Book 7: Rasta in Brooklyn. This intermediate-level wrap is worked from the neck edge downward in a flat construction, creating an open, airy garment with a finished width of 55 inches (139.5 centimeters) at the upper edge and a length of 22 inches (56 centimeters). The shawl showcases a distinctive knotted mesh pattern that creates visual texture and drape.

Craft and Construction Method

This design utilizes both knitting and crochet techniques. The shawl is primarily constructed using knitting needles and features a top-down worked-flat construction method. The piece begins with a small cast-on at the neck and expands through strategic increases worked at regular intervals, allowing the shawl to grow into its triangular or crescent shape. Crochet finishing is incorporated along the upper and side edges for a polished border detail.

Stitches and Techniques

The Coney Island shawl features several key stitch techniques:

• Knot-Stitch Mesh: The primary pattern stitch that defines this design. This specialty stitch is worked over any number of stitches and creates an open, lacy fabric with a knotted appearance. Row 1 (right side) consists of yarn overs worked twice followed by knit stitches. Row 2 features knit stitches, double yarn overs worked as knit-purl combinations, and pass-over decreases that create the characteristic knot effect. These two rows repeat throughout the pattern section.
• Stockinette Stitch: Used in the initial shaping rows before the mesh pattern begins, providing a smooth foundation for the lace transition.
• Yarn Overs and Increases: Strategic yarn overs and increase rows are spaced throughout the pattern to expand the shawl width progressively. The pattern includes specific increase rows where yarn overs are doubled and worked into single stitches to create multiple new stitches simultaneously.
• Backward Single Crochet: Applied as a finishing technique along the upper and side edges, worked from left to right for a decorative border.

Materials and Tools

The Malabrigo Coney Island is worked using Malabrigo Rasta yarn in colorway #862 Piedra. The project requires 3 hanks of yarn, with each hank weighing 5.25 ounces (150 grams) and containing approximately 90 yards (83 meters), providing ample yardage for the complete shawl. Knitting needles in size 19 (15 millimeters) are used for the main construction, with a size N/15 (10 millimeter) crochet hook employed for the finishing border. The recommended gauge is 3 stitches and 6 rows measuring 4 inches (10 centimeters) over the knotted mesh pattern using the size 19 needles, measured after the second row of the pattern has been completed. Knitters are advised to take time to check their gauge before beginning the project to ensure proper finished dimensions.