Twist Collective Concourse Wrap Knitting Pattern

Twist Collective Concourse Knit Shawl

What Is Being Made

Concourse is a sophisticated knit shawl designed by Lynnette Hulse that combines geometric construction with colorwork techniques. This finished shawl measures 98 ½ inches (250 cm) in length, making it a generous wrap suitable for layering or draping. The design progresses through distinct sections, beginning with a quarter-circle quarter and transforming into a bias-knit triangle through strategic shaping and construction methods.

Construction and Techniques

This shawl is worked bottom-up and seamless, meaning it is created as one continuous piece without requiring seaming. The garment is worked flat on circular needles rather than in the round, allowing for the directional construction required by the design.

The pattern employs mosaic knitting, a two-color colorwork technique that creates intricate patterned effects while simplifying the actual knitting process. In mosaic patterns, only one color is worked per row; stitches in the non-working color are slipped with the yarn held to the wrong side of the fabric. This technique allows for complex visual patterns without the complexity of managing two active yarns simultaneously. Each color is worked for two consecutive rows before alternating.

The shawl incorporates short row shaping to transform the initial quarter-circle section into the final triangular form. Additionally, stripes are worked throughout the piece using the Two-Colour Double Chain cast-on method, which creates a neat, finished edge when beginning with two colors. Increases are worked strategically using make-one (m1) and knit-front-and-back (kfb) techniques to shape the expanding sections.

Stitches Used

The foundation of this design is garter stitch, the most fundamental knit structure, created by knitting every row. This textured stitch provides excellent drape and is ideal for shawls. The pattern incorporates the following stitch techniques:

• Garter stitch (knit every row)
• Make-one increases (m1) for seamless shaping
• Knit-front-and-back increases (kfb)
• Slip stitches with yarn in front (sl 1 wyif) for finished edges
• Mosaic pattern stitches worked from charts

The pattern is presented in chart form for the mosaic sections, allowing knitters to follow the colorwork visually while maintaining the simplified single-color-per-row working method.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: The suggested yarn is Freia Fine Handpaints Ombré Sport, a hand-painted wool yarn offering natural color variation. The project requires 3 cakes of Blue Velvet Ombre (main color) and 2 cakes of Flare Ombre (contrasting color). Each cake contains 217 yards (198.5 meters) of yarn and weighs 2 ¾ ounces (75 grams), with the yarn being 100% wool. This sport-weight yarn is ideal for creating the delicate, draping qualities expected in a finished shawl.

Needles: The pattern calls for a size 8 US (5 mm) circular needle measuring 32–48 inches (80–120 cm) in length. Circular needles accommodate the flat working method while providing adequate needle length for the expanding stitch counts. Knitters should adjust needle size as necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Gauge: The pattern specifies 18 stitches and 42 rows equal 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch after blocking. Achieving accurate gauge is essential for proper sizing and finished measurements.

Additional Notions: A tapestry needle is required for weaving in yarn ends upon completion.

Pattern Structure

The Concourse shawl is divided into two main sections. Section 1 begins with a small cast-on in the contrasting color and grows through increases and mosaic patterning to create the quarter-circle base. Section 2 is created by casting on 150 stitches using the Two-Colour Double Chain method, which are then integrated with Section 1 through continued increases and short-row shaping. This two-section construction allows the shawl to transform from its geometric beginning into the final triangular silhouette, with the total finished piece containing 248 stitches distributed between the two sections.