Willow & Lark Claire Shawl Knitting Pattern

Willow & Lark Claire Shawl

What Is Being Made

The Claire Shawl is a delicate lace rectangular shawl designed by Amanda Crawford as part of the Best of British Collection. Inspired by woodland streams and the gentle flow of water through the English landscape, this elegant wrap measures 25 cm (9¾ inches) in width and 255 cm (100¼ inches) in length, making it a generous piece to swirl around your shoulders. The shawl features a distinctive design with ruffled edges at both ends, combining refined lace work with textured finishing for visual interest and movement.

Techniques Used

The Claire Shawl is worked flat using lace knitting techniques throughout. The construction features a 10-row lace repeat that forms the body of the rectangular shawl, with delicate ruffles incorporated at both ends to create an elegant border treatment. Lace knitting involves the strategic placement of yarn overs and decreases to create openwork patterns that allow light to pass through the fabric, producing the airy, delicate aesthetic characteristic of this design.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches combined in a lace repeat sequence. Key abbreviations used throughout include K (knit), P (purl), psso (pass slipped stitch over), and p2sso (pass 2 slipped stitches over). The lace pattern repeats across 10 rows, with yarn overs and decreases working together to create the openwork design. Knitters should be comfortable reading lace charts and executing decreases, as these are essential to achieving the intended delicate appearance.

Materials and Tools

The Claire Shawl is designed to be knitted using Willow & Lark Plume yarn, a luxurious blend of 70% mohair and 30% silk. The project requires 3 balls of yarn (25g/0.9oz per ball), totaling approximately 75 grams. Suggested colourways include Snow Drop (300) and Poppy (315). Knitters will need one pair of 4.00mm (UK 8, US 6) knitting needles. The pattern specifies a tension of 24 stitches and 24 rows to 10 cm (4 inches) measured over the lace pattern using 4.00mm needles, or the size required to achieve correct tension. Checking tension before beginning is emphasized as essential to ensure the finished garment matches the intended dimensions and appearance.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as intermediate difficulty. While the shawl uses relatively straightforward knitting stitches, the lace pattern requires competency in reading instructions, executing yarn overs and decreases accurately, and maintaining consistent tension throughout the 10-row repeat. Knitters should have prior experience with basic knitting techniques before attempting this design.