Royal Arches Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

Royal Arches Shawl in Juniper Moon Farm Herriot

What Is Being Made

The Royal Arches shawl is a cozy, wearable wrap designed to provide warmth and style for everyday occasions, from casual outings to relaxing by a campfire. Named after the Royal Arches boulder formation in Yosemite National Park, this intermediate-level knitting project combines natural inspiration with functional design. The finished shawl measures 63 inches wide by 22 inches deep, making it a substantial accessory suitable for layering and draping.

Design Inspiration and Features

The shawl's aesthetic draws directly from geological formations, with lace panels that echo the natural curvatures found in rock formations. The two-color construction—using both a main color and contrast color—represents the striations and shadows naturally occurring in stone, bringing landscape-inspired artistry into wearable form.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Garter stitch as the foundational fabric, providing a dense, reversible texture
• Lace panel construction created through strategic yarn overs and decreases to form openwork patterns
• Striped colorwork using alternating rows of main color and contrast color to build visual depth and dimension
• Pickup and knit method for establishing the initial shawl structure from a small cast-on tab
• Rotation technique to pick up stitches from different edges of the tab, creating the shawl's foundational base
• Increases worked at regular intervals to shape the triangular or crescent form typical of shawl construction

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

• Knit stitch (k) as the primary stitch throughout the fabric
• Purl stitch (p) for specific sections as indicated in pattern instructions
• Yarn over (yo) to create the lace openings and decorative increases
• Make one (m1) increase worked by inserting the left needle under the strand between stitches and knitting into the back loop, creating an invisible increase
• Slip 2 knit pass (s2kp2) a double decrease that slips 2 stitches together as if to knit, knits 1 stitch, then passes both slipped stitches over the knit stitch and off the needle, reducing 2 stitches
• Purl three together (p3tog) a decrease worked on wrong-side rows that reduces 2 stitches
• Cast on (CO) to establish the initial 2 stitches for the tab

Materials and Tools

Yarn: The Royal Arches shawl is worked in Juniper Moon Farm Herriot, a yarn specifically selected for its color qualities and drape characteristics. The pattern requires 2 hanks of Herriot in color #1010 Plum Heather for the main color and 2 hanks of Herriot in color #1014 Yellow Heather for the contrast color, providing approximately 4 hanks of yarn total for the complete project.

Needles and Notions: Construction uses a US 6 (4mm) circular needle measuring 40 inches in length, which accommodates the expanding stitch count as the shawl grows. Additional notions include 6 stitch markers to denote pattern repeats and increases, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends during finishing.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 14 stitches and 12 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch. This gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements of 63 inches in width and 22 inches in depth. The shawl is offered in one size, with the two-color striping and lace panels creating visual interest across the entire piece.

Pattern Structure

The Royal Arches shawl begins with a small tab worked in garter stitch, which is then rotated and picked up to establish the foundational stitches. The pattern progresses through a stripe section where main color and contrast color alternate in a rhythmic sequence. Yarn overs and strategic increases are worked at marked intervals to expand the shawl from its narrow beginning to its full width, while the lace panels develop through the interplay of yarn overs and decreases that create the openwork patterns evoking natural