SweetGeorgia Penna Wrap Knitting Pattern

SweetGeorgia Penna Textured Triangular Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Penna is a luxurious triangular shawl designed by Mone Dräger, featuring a sophisticated blend of textures and colors. This wrap measures 67 inches (170 cm) in wingspan and 29½ inches (75 cm) deep at the deepest point from neck to bottom, making it a generous accessory suitable for layering or draping. The shawl showcases a unique combination of two premium yarns that create visual interest through contrasting fiber properties and textures.

Techniques Used

The Penna employs top-down construction, meaning the shawl is knit beginning at the neck edge and expanding downward in rows worked flat. This method allows for intuitive shaping and the ability to adjust the final size by continuing to knit additional rows. The design incorporates strategic increases that occur every other row—specifically four increases positioned one next to the center markers on each right-side row—which create the triangular silhouette as the piece grows outward from the top.

Stripe patterns are central to the visual design, created through the alternation of two distinct yarns. The combination of raindrop stitch patterns with elongated stitches produces a textured surface that balances intricate detail with flowing drape. The raindrop pattern creates a subtle, dimensional texture, while elongated stitches—formed by working into stitches multiple times or drawing yarn through in extended loops—add visual movement and contribute to the shawl's luxurious hand.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches executed with precision and intentional variation. Knit stitches and purl stitches form the foundation of both the raindrop pattern section and stockinette stitch sections. The raindrop pattern combines these basic stitches in a specific sequence to create its characteristic texture. Elongated stitches are created through specialized techniques that extend individual stitches vertically, adding depth and visual interest to the fabric. Yarn-over increases (abbreviated as yof and yob, indicating yarn over from front to back or back to front) are used strategically to shape the triangular form while creating decorative eyelet details along the increase lines.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Penna calls for two complementary yarns that work together to create the finished aesthetic. Yarn A is SweetGeorgia Merino Silk Fine in the Sapphire colorway, comprising 50% Fine Merino Wool and 50% Silk, with one skein providing 380 yards (347 meters) per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). This yarn creates the raindrop pattern sections and contributes warmth and elasticity to the finished piece. Yarn B is SweetGeorgia Yarns Silk Mist, also in Sapphire, made from 60% Fine Kid Mohair and 40% Cultivated Silk, with one skein yielding 325 yards (297 meters) per 0.88 ounces (25 grams). The kid mohair and silk combination produces exceptional softness and a subtle halo effect that enhances the shawl's luxurious appearance.

The pattern requires a Size 4 US (3.5 mm) circular needle measuring 24 inches (60 cm) or longer to accommodate the increasing number of stitches as the triangular shawl expands. Circular needles are used for working flat rows, providing adequate needle length to hold all active stitches comfortably. Four stitch markers are needed to track the pattern repeats and increase positions throughout the construction.

Gauge and Finished Dimensions

The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches and 18 rows equaling 4 inches (10 cm) in the raindrop pattern using Yarn A after blocking, and the same gauge applies to stockinette stitch in Yarn A after blocking. While the pattern notes that gauge is not crucial for the overall structure, variations in gauge will directly affect the finished size and total yardage required, so adjustments to needle size may be necessary to achieve the specified gauge and resulting dimensions.

Skill Level

This design is rated at Intermediate skill level, indicating that knitters should have solid foundational knowledge of basic stitches, increasing techniques, and the ability to follow chart instructions and written pattern directions. The combination of textured stitches, multiple yarn weights, and shaping techniques requires attention to detail and comfort with reading both written instructions and stitch charts.