Valley Yarns Transom Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Transom Shawl and Wrap

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Transom is an elegant knitted scarf and wrap designed by Julie Turjoman. This finished piece measures 12¼ inches wide by 77½ inches long when blocked, making it a generous rectangular wrap suitable as a wearable accessory or gift. The design showcases a striking combination of cable and lace stitch textures that create visual interest and sophisticated drape.

Craft and Project Type

This is a knitting project classified as an intermediate-level design. The wrap is worked flat in rows from one end to the other, rather than in the round, allowing for straightforward construction and easy stitch pattern management. The finished piece is blocked to achieve proper dimensions and stitch definition.

Techniques Used

The Transom employs multiple knitting techniques to create its distinctive appearance:

• Cable knitting: The design features cable stitches worked using a cable needle, with specific cable crosses including 3/3 RC (right cross) and 3/3 LC (left cross) techniques that create twisted rope-like textures
• Lace knitting: A left lace pattern is incorporated throughout, utilizing yarn overs and decreases to create openwork sections that add elegance and lightness to the wrap
• Ribbed patterning: Ribbed stitches form the borders at the short ends of the wrap, providing structure and definition
• Garter stitch edging: Garter stitch borders the long sides of the piece, creating a finished frame for the central cable and lace design
• Long-tail cast-on: The pattern specifies the long-tail cast-on method for creating the initial 43 stitches, a foundational technique for achieving an elastic and professional edge

Stitches Used

The pattern employs a comprehensive range of fundamental and intermediate knitting stitches:

• Knit (K): Basic knit stitch forming the foundation of the cable and fabric structure
• Purl (P): Purl stitches create texture contrast and form the ribbed and garter stitch elements
• Yarn over (YO): Creates the decorative holes and lace openings characteristic of the lace pattern sections
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease used throughout the lace pattern to balance yarn overs and shape the openwork
• Knit 2 together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease that works in conjunction with yarn overs in the lace sections
• Cable crosses (3/3 RC and 3/3 LC): Advanced techniques where three stitches are held on a cable needle while three stitches are knitted, then the held stitches are knitted to create the twisted cable effect
• Slip stitch as if to purl (Sl 1 p-wise): Used at the beginning of rows to create neat selvage edges

Materials and Gauge

The Transom is designed to be worked in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Bulky, a yarn composed of 100% Superwash Extrafine Merino fiber. The pattern calls for 5 balls of this yarn, with each ball containing 100 grams and 109 yards of yardage. The recommended color is Mulberry, a rich purple shade that complements the cable and lace textures.

Knitting needles required are US size 10 (6 mm), or whatever size is needed to achieve the specified gauge. The pattern gauge is 14 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches when worked in the ribbed pattern, blocked, and measured on US 10 needles. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished dimensions.

Additional materials needed include a cable needle for executing the cable crosses, stitch markers to track pattern repeats and sections, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and finishing the piece.

Pattern Structure

The wrap begins with a long-tail cast-on of 43 stitches and is constructed by working back and forth in rows. The central design features a left lace pattern that repeats over a multiple of 10 stit