Peppercorn Shawl in Berroco Ultra Wool Handpaint & Berroco Ultra Wool

Peppercorn Shawl in Berroco Ultra Wool Handpaint & Berroco Ultra Wool

What Is Being Made

The Peppercorn Shawl is a knitted wrap designed by Amy Christoffers. This intermediate-level shawl measures approximately 64 inches (162.5 cm) long by 23 inches (58.5 cm) wide after blocking, not including the fringe detail. The finished piece is a substantial accessory suitable for layering or draping across the shoulders.

Knitting Techniques Used

This shawl employs charted colorwork knitting, working with two colors in a single-color-per-row method. The pattern uses slipped stitches as a key design element, with specific yarn positioning instructions to create clean stitch definition. Knitters work from detailed charts that include a Set Up Chart (Rows 1–48), an Increase Chart (Rows 49–72), and a Decrease Chart. The shawl construction allows for customization—knitters can add or subtract repeats of the Increase and Decrease Repeat Charts to adjust the finished size. Seven stitches are intentionally left unraveled at the end to create fringe detailing.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

• Charted pattern stitches worked from provided charts
• Slipped stitches with yarn held in back (RS) and yarn held to the side (WS) for textural definition
• Increases and decreases worked as part of the shaping repeats
• Fringe created by unraveling seven stitches

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: The shawl uses two Berroco yarn products. The main color (MC) is Berroco Ultra Wool Handpaint in colorway #33301 Sangria, requiring 2 balls of 100 grams each. The contrast color (CC) is Berroco Ultra Wool in colorway #33159 Hollyhock, also requiring 2 balls of 100 grams each. Both yarns are wool-based, providing warmth and elasticity suitable for a shawl garment.

Needles and Notions: The pattern calls for a 32-inch (80 cm) circular needle in size 8 (5 mm), or whatever size is needed to obtain the correct gauge. Two stitch markers are required for pattern management.

Gauge

The required gauge is 20 stitches and 27 rows equals 4 inches (10 cm) in the charted pattern. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the finished shawl meets the specified dimensions.

Pattern Structure

The shawl begins with a cast-on of 10 stitches and a knit setup row. Knitters then join the contrast color and work from the Set Up Chart for 48 rows, reaching 34 stitches. The Increase Chart (Rows 49–72) is repeated 7 times, completing a total of 216 rows and resulting in 118 stitches at the midpoint of construction. The pattern is designed to be adaptable, allowing crafters to customize the final size by adjusting the number of increase and decrease repeats, though additional yarn may be required for larger versions.