Swans Island Kite Wings Shawl Scarf Knitting Pattern

Swans Island Kite Wings Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Kite Wings Shawl is a triangular lace shawl designed by Bristol Ivy and offered by Swans Island. This scarflike accessory features an intricate lace pattern inspired by the shape of old-fashioned kites arranged in a row. The finished shawl measures approximately 60 inches wide and 21 inches long after blocking, making it a generous wrap suitable for layering or draping. The design is worked in a seamless, flat construction using fingering weight merino wool.

Techniques Used

This is an experienced-level knitting project that employs several advanced techniques to create its distinctive aesthetic. The shawl uses lace construction with an unconventional approach to drop stitches, setting it apart from traditional lace patterns. The piece is worked flat on circular needles rather than in the round, and the design is seamless, meaning there are no seams to join separate pieces. The lace pattern relies on strategic yarn overs and decreases to create openwork sections that form the kite-wing motif throughout the fabric.

Stitches Used

The Kite Wings Shawl incorporates a variety of fundamental and advanced knitting stitches. The pattern includes:

• Knit and purl stitches as the foundation of the stockinette stitch sections
• Knit through back loop (k1-tbl) and purl through back loop (p1-tbl) for textural variation
• Yarn overs (yo) to create the openwork lace sections
• Knit two together (k2tog) and purl two together (p2tog) for right-leaning decreases
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) and slip, slip, purl (ssp) for left-leaning decreases
• Slip, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over (sl1-k2tog-psso) and slip, purl two together, pass slipped stitch over (sl1-p2tog-psso) for double decreases
• Slip stitches (sl) for shaping and pattern work

The spine pattern is worked in stockinette stitch, which provides structure to the triangular shawl while the body pattern creates the lace design.

Materials and Tools

The Kite Wings Shawl requires one skein of Swans Island Natural Colors yarn in 100% organic merino wool, fingering weight. Each skein contains 100 grams and 525 yards of yarn. The colorway shown in the pattern is Black Cherry (item number YF150). Knitters will need a US size 4 (3.5 mm) circular needle measuring 32 inches, or the size required to obtain proper gauge. Additional supplies include stitch markers in two different colors to track pattern repeats and a yarn needle for weaving in ends after completion.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern gauge is 4¾ stitches by 6½ rows per 1 inch when measured in the spine pattern after blocking. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for the finished dimensions. The shawl should be blocked to its finished measurements of approximately 60 inches wide and 21 inches long to fully open up the lace pattern and achieve the intended drape and shape.