Wonderland Yarns Scatter Stripe Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

Wonderland Yarns Scatter Stripe Shawl

Project Overview

The Scatter Stripe Shawl is a triangle shawl worked on the bias, designed by Stephanie Shiman. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a fully reversible shawl using simple techniques and basic stitches that keep the knitter engaged throughout the project. The shawl measures approximately 65" wingspan and 14" depth at center after blocking, making it a generous accessory suitable for layering or wrapping.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a triangle shawl constructed on the bias. The design addresses a common challenge in shawl knitting—the tendency for projects to become tedious as rows lengthen. By incorporating strategic color changes and straightforward stitchwork, the Scatter Stripe Shawl maintains visual interest and knitter engagement from cast-on to bind-off. The reversible construction means neither side is considered the "wrong" side, giving you two finished looks in one project.

Techniques Used

• Lace elements: The pattern incorporates yarn overs and decreases that create openwork details
• Seamless construction: Worked flat on circular needles without seaming, creating a continuous piece
• Bias shaping: The shawl is built with increases and decreases positioned to create the characteristic diagonal bias growth
• Stripes: Color changes are worked on both right and wrong sides, creating the scattered stripe effect
• Worked flat: The shawl is knitted back and forth on circular needles rather than in the round
• Yarn carrying: Instructions encourage carrying yarn up the side between color changes for efficient finishing
• Weaving in ends as you go: The pattern incorporates end-weaving during the knitting process for a satisfying, finished result

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch: The foundation stitch throughout the project, created by knitting every row
• Knit (K): Basic knit stitch
• Knit front and back (Kfb): An increase stitch that creates an extra stitch by working into both the front and back of a single stitch
• Knit two together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease that combines two stitches into one
• Yarn over (YO): Creates openwork and lace elements
• Slip stitch (sl1 pwise): Slipping a stitch purlwise for edge definition
• Make one left (m1L): An increase technique for adding stitches

Materials

Yarn: Wonderland Yarns "Mad Hatter" sport weight yarn in 100% superwash merino. The pattern requires 1 skein of main color (MC) at 4 oz/344 yards, plus 3 skeins of contrast colors (CC1, CC2, CC3) at 1 oz/86 yards each. The three contrast colors are used more or less equally throughout the project, though the designer recommends choosing the color with the most contrast to the main color as CC3 for visual impact.

Needles and Notions: US size 8 circular needles measuring 30" or longer to accommodate the increasing stitch count as the shawl grows. Circular needles are used for working flat, allowing stitches to spread comfortably across the needle.

Gauge: 19 stitches and 35 rows equal 4" in garter stitch after blocking. Achieving proper gauge is essential for reaching the finished measurements of approximately 65" wingspan and 14" depth at center.

Pattern Structure

The Scatter Stripe Shawl is built on two basic repeating rows with strategic increases. Row 3 adds a stitch to expand the shawl, while Row 4 maintains the bias shaping. The pattern begins with a small cast-on of 4 stitches and increases through repeated rows until reaching 20 stitches, at which point color changes are introduced. This straightforward structure allows knitters to develop a rhythm while color changes provide visual variety and keep attention engaged throughout the longer rows that develop as the shawl grows.