String Michelle Cabled Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

String Michelle Cabled Shawl

What Is Being Made

The String Michelle Cabled Shawl is a one-size-fits-all triangular shawl designed by Lidia Karabinech. This elegant wrap features a finished depth of 27 inches (68.5 cm) and a wingspan of 70 inches (178 cm), making it a generous accessory suitable for layering or wrapping. The shawl is constructed as a single seamless piece worked from the back neck downward to the bottom border, creating a flattering silhouette that works for various body types and styling preferences.

Construction and Techniques

The Michelle Cabled Shawl employs a top-down, seamless construction method, meaning the piece is worked in one continuous section without requiring seaming. The shawl is worked flat on circular needles, which provides stability and ease of handling as stitches accumulate during the expansion process. This top-down approach allows knitters to try on the garment as it develops and adjust the final length to personal preference.

The design utilizes strategic yarn-over increases positioned on right-side rows to create the triangular shaping characteristic of modern shawl design. After the initial set-up row, the stitch count increases by 4 stitches on every right-side row, resulting in a gradual, symmetrical expansion. This increase pattern is balanced on both sides of the central cable panel, ensuring even proportions throughout the finished piece.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Michelle Cabled Shawl features two primary stitch patterns:

• Garter Stitch: This fundamental knitting stitch is created by knitting every row. Garter stitch produces a reversible fabric with horizontal ridges and provides excellent drape and stability. It serves as the main body of the shawl, framing the central cable panel and creating a classic, elegant appearance.
• 16-Stitch Cable: The centerpiece of the shawl's design, this cable pattern is worked over 16 stitches and repeats every 24 rows. The cable is created using a cable needle to manipulate stitch order, producing the characteristic twisted rope effect. The pattern includes both front-cable crosses (where stitches are held to the front before knitting) and back-cable crosses (where stitches are held to the back), creating visual interest and texture. The cable rows alternate with knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side, maintaining the cable's definition against the garter-stitch background.

The combination of garter stitch and cabled stitches creates a balanced design where the structured cable provides a focal point while the surrounding garter stitch maintains the shawl's elegant simplicity and drape.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The String Michelle Cabled Shawl pattern calls for two distinct yarns, each contributing unique qualities to the finished piece:

• String Classica Bulky (Yarn A): The primary yarn is a luxurious 100% cashmere in the color 200003 mushroom heather. Nine balls are required, with each ball containing 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and 82 yards (75 meters). This premium fiber provides exceptional softness, warmth, and a refined drape essential to the shawl's sophisticated appearance.
• Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Crystal (Yarn B): A complementary accent yarn composed of 85% polyester and 15% cotton in color 64 quartz. One ball is needed, measuring 0.88 ounces (25 grams) with 144 yards (131 meters). This yarn is used sparingly in the fringe finishing, adding subtle texture and visual interest to the shawl's lower edge.

Needles, Tools, and Gauge

The pattern specifies the following equipment:

• Size 11 (8mm) circular needle, 32 inches (80 cm) long, or the size necessary to achieve proper gauge
• Stitch markers for tracking pattern sections and increases
• Cable needle for executing cable crosses
• Size H-8 (5mm) crochet hook for attaching fringe to the finished shawl
• Yarn needle for weaving in ends

The pattern specifies a gauge of 10 stitches and 20 rows equals 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch after blocking. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements and ensuring the shaw