Sesia Isabella Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

Sesia Isabella Shawl Pattern Summary

What Is Being Made

The Sesia Isabella Shawl is a lightweight, elegant knitted wrap designed by Norma Jean Sternschein. This seamless, flat-worked shawl measures approximately 18 inches in width and 68 inches in length, making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or draping. The pattern is rated as Easy difficulty, making it accessible to knitters with basic to intermediate skills.

Craft and Project Type

This is a knitting project classified as a shawl and wrap. The Isabella Shawl is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, and features a seamless construction that creates a polished, professional finish without the need for seaming.

Techniques Used

The Isabella Shawl incorporates lace techniques as a primary design element. The pattern features decorative lace panels worked alongside solid stockinette sections, creating visual interest and an airy, sophisticated aesthetic. The combination of lace and solid stitches allows the wrap to maintain structure while showcasing the delicate openwork characteristic of lace knitting. The piece begins and ends with garter stitch borders, which provide stability and a finished appearance to the edges.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Isabella Shawl employs several key stitches and stitch patterns:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): Formed by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows, this creates the smooth, classic fabric that comprises the majority of the wrap
• Garter Stitch: Created by knitting every row, this stitch forms the borders at the beginning and end of the piece, providing a textured, reversible edge
• Pine Tree Lace Stitch: A 19-stitch, 12-row repeat pattern that forms the decorative lace panel. This stitch guide includes yarn overs (yo) for creating openwork and various decrease techniques to shape the lace motif
• Yarn Overs (yo): These create the characteristic holes and openness in lace knitting
• Decreases: The pattern uses multiple decrease methods including K2tog (knit 2 together), K3tog (knit 3 together), ssk (slip, slip, knit), S1k2p (slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over), and S2k1p2 (slip 2 knitwise, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over). These decreases are essential for shaping the lace pattern and maintaining stitch count

Materials

The Isabella Shawl is knitted using Sesia Bluebell yarn, a luxurious blend composed of 42% kid mohair, 40% polyester, and 18% silk. This fiber combination creates a soft, lightweight, and lustrous fabric ideal for a delicate wrap. The pattern calls for 6 balls of yarn, with each ball weighing 0.88 ounces (25 grams) and providing 136 yards (125 meters) of yardage. The recommended yarn color is #2791 blush, a soft, romantic hue.

The Isabella Shawl is worked on size 6 (4 mm) needles for the main fabric, with size 7 (4.5 mm) needles used specifically for the cast-on and bind-off edges. This needle size difference helps create neat, flexible edges. Stitch markers are required to help track pattern repeats and maintain accuracy throughout the knitting process.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 28 rows equaling 4 inches in stockinette stitch when blocked. Knitters are advised to work a gauge swatch in garter stitch for half an inch before changing to the larger needles, ensuring accurate finished measurements. Proper gauge is essential for achieving the intended wrap dimensions and drape.

Finishing involves weaving in yarn ends to the wrong side of the work and gently blocking the piece to the specified measurements of 18 inches wide by 68 inches long. Blocking helps even out the lace pattern and sets the final shape of the wrap.