Valley Yarns Allspice Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Allspice Lace Shawl

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Allspice is a classic triangular lace shawl designed by Julie Turjoman. This elegant wrap measures approximately 26 inches wide by 64 inches long at its longest edge, making it an ideal fall accessory. The shawl is constructed as a single, unified piece worked from the point outward, allowing the lace pattern to expand gracefully from a minimal center motif to multiple repeating lace patterns along the finished long edge.

Techniques and Construction Method

This shawl employs lace knitting as its primary technique, combined with flat knitting construction. The garment is worked back and forth in rows on a circular needle rather than in the round, creating a two-dimensional triangular shape. The pattern begins with a set-up sequence that establishes the foundational lace motif at the shawl's point. From this single repeat, the design expands systematically outward through successive rows, with increases strategically placed to create the triangular silhouette while maintaining the integrity of the lace pattern throughout.

The lace pattern itself is described as easy to memorize, making it accessible for knitters who are comfortable with intermediate-level colorwork and stitch manipulation. The construction method—working from point to edge in a single piece—eliminates the need for seaming or assembly, streamlining the finishing process.

Stitches Used

The Allspice shawl employs a focused set of fundamental knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) stitches form the foundational structure, particularly in the stockinette stitch sections used for gauge measurement
• Yarn overs (yo) create the characteristic openwork and lace holes that define the pattern's visual appeal and contribute to the shawl's drape
• Knit two together (k2tog) and slip, slip, knit (ssk) serve as left- and right-leaning decreases, essential for shaping the triangular form and maintaining stitch count balance within the lace repeats
• Knit into front, back, and front (kfbf) creates a two-stitch increase from a single stitch, used strategically at the shawl's edges to control expansion
• Knit into front and back (kfb) provides single-stitch increases where needed
• Bind off (BO) completes the finished edge

The pattern also incorporates stitch markers to delineate pattern sections and track the expanding lace repeats as the shawl grows from its point.

Materials and Specifications

The Allspice shawl requires minimal yardage, making it an efficient project: one skein of Valley Yarns Charlemont (100 grams, 439 yards) is sufficient to complete the finished garment. The Charlemont yarn is composed of 60% Fine Superwash Merino Wool, 20% Silk, and 20% Polyamide, a blend that provides durability, softness, and easy care through superwash treatment. The recommended colorway is Mulberry.

Construction requires US 6 (4mm) circular needles in a 32- to 40-inch length, allowing adequate space for the expanding stitch count as the shawl grows. The recommended gauge is 24 stitches and 30 rows per 4 inches in stockinette stitch, blocked, using the specified needle size. Additional materials include locking stitch markers to track pattern sections and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends upon completion.

Difficulty Level

The Allspice is rated as Advanced Beginner difficulty, indicating it is well-suited for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to explore lace knitting. The straightforward, easy-to-memorize lace pattern and simple flat construction make it an ideal introduction to lace shawl design without overwhelming complexity.