Butterfly Shawl - Child (6 years)

A light, triangular top-down shawl sized for a 6-year-old with a gentle butterfly-inspired lace panel. Worked from the neck outward, easy increases give a graceful crescent/wing shape. Suitable for DK/light-worsted yarn; clear row-by-row instructions, gauge notes, and finishing tips included.

Finished Measurements

• Wingspan (edge to edge): about 36 in / 91 cm
• Depth (center top to tip): about 14 in / 36 cm

Suggested Yarn

• DK / Light Worsted (approx. 250–300 yards / 228–275 m total). Example: one 100 g skein of DK (approx 200–250 yd / 183–215 m) plus a small contrast or extra yardage if you want a border; or 250–300 yd (228–275 m) in total.
• Weight and skein size examples: DK (8 ply) — 100 g skein often ~200–250 yd (183–215 m). Adjust number of skeins to match yardage above.

Notions

• 1 circular needle 24–32 in / 60–80 cm, or longer to fit stitches (see needle sizes)
• Stitch markers (2-3)
• Tapestry needle for weaving ends
• Blocking pins and blocking mat; optional blocking wires

Needles (choose for gauge)

• Main: US 6 / UK (old) 8 / 4.0 mm (recommended for DK for drape)
• Optional smaller: US 5 / UK (old) 9 / 3.75 mm (if you need a firmer fabric)
• Use a circular needle for the length; cable length 24–32 in / 60–80 cm recommended so stitches can spread.

Gauge

Approx. 20 sts = 4 in / 10 cm in stockinette using US 6 / 4.0 mm. Lace will open with blocking; check gauge to ensure final wingspan matches desired size. If you get more sts per inch, the shawl will be narrower; if fewer sts per inch, it will be wider.

Abbreviations (US)

• k = knit
• p = purl
• yo = yarn over
• k2tog = knit two together (right-leaning decrease)
• ssk = slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
• k3tog = knit three together
• m1L = make 1 left (lift the bar between stitches from left to right and knit through back)
• m1R = make 1 right (lift the bar between stitches from right to left and knit through front)
• RS = right side; WS = wrong side

Notes

• This pattern is written for a top-down triangular shawl worked flat on circulars. You begin with a small tab and increase outward. You will increase on every RS row (see Increase Row) so the stitch count grows steadily.
• Edge stitches: the first and last stitch of every row are knit (garter edge) for a neat selvedge.
• Butterfly lace panel is a multiple of 12 stitches; the pattern shows how to place repeats across the body. If your stitch count does not exactly divide into the repeat, use garter edge stitches and knit/purl filler stitches between repeats as directed.
• Work until wingspan or depth reaches the measurement you want or until you have used most of your yarn; yarn quantities are approximate.

Pattern Overview

Construction: top-down triangle. You will:

1. Cast on a small tab (3 stitches), work a few garter ridges to create a neat collar.
2. Begin increase rows: on every RS row increase 2 stitches (one at each outer edge) by working a yarn-over after the first st and before the last st. This builds the triangle evenly.
3. When you have enough stitches to accommodate the lace repeat, begin the butterfly lace panel centered across the body, leaving garter edges on each side.
4. Continue increase rows, maintaining the lace pattern across the body until desired wingspan.
5. Work a bind-off (stretchy) and block to open the lace and set shape.

Cast On & Tab

1. Cast on 3 sts.
2. Row 1 (WS): knit all stitches.
3. Row 2 (RS): knit all stitches.
4. Repeat rows 1–2 twice more (total 4 garter rows) or until tab feels stable. You now have a small garter tab to start the triangle.

Set-up & Markers

Place a removable marker on each side of the center stitch so you always know where the center is. Example: slip first stitch to right-hand needle, place marker, k1 (center stitch), place marker, knit last stitch. From now on, the first and last stitch of every row are garter selvedge (k), and you will do edge yarn-overs as part of the increase row.

Increase Row (worked on every RS row)

RS Increase Row: k1 (edge), yo, knit to 1 st before last, yo, k1 (edge).
WS Row: knit across (knit every row to keep garter edges consistent; if you prefer garter body, knit every row; if you prefer stockinette body, purl WS rows after starting lace). This pattern uses knit WS rows to keep a soft garter edge and smoother handling of the lace. When lace is in play, WS rows will be the written purl rows for the lace sections; where lace is not yet started, you may knit WS rows for simpler handling.

When to Start Butterfly Lace Panel

When you have at least 40–45 sts on your needle you can start the butterfly lace panel centrally. The butterfly lace repeat is 12 sts wide; you will place as many full repeats across the center as your stitch count allows, with leftover stitches placed as stockinette/garter edge filler.

Butterfly Lace Panel (12-stitch repeat, 12-row repeat)

Work the lace panel between garter edges. Maintain 1 garter stitch at each edge of the whole shawl. The pattern below assumes you have a block of stitches reserved for the body between edge stitches. Example row instructions show the 12-st repeat; work repeats across the body as many times as will fit.

Lace Repeat (12 sts) - Repeat across panel between marker edges
Row 1 (RS): k1, yo, k2tog, k3, ssk, yo, k1
Row 2 (WS): purl all
Row 3 (RS): k1, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, yo, k1
Row 4 (WS): purl all
Row 5 (RS): k1, yo, k3tog, yo, k1, yo, k3tog, yo, k1   (if your repeat is 12 sts you will modify placement; see notes)
Row 6 (WS): purl all
Row 7 (RS): k1, yo, k2tog, k3, ssk, yo, k1  (mirror of Row 1)
Row 8 (WS): purl all
Row 9 (RS): k1, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, yo, k1  (mirror of Row 3)
Row 10 (WS): purl all
Row 11 (RS): k1, yo, k3tog, yo, k1, yo, k3tog, yo, k1  (repeat of Row 5)
Row 12 (WS): purl all

Notes on the lace repeat: the written lace above is intentionally readable; if your stitch count around the body does not divide into an exact number of 12-st repeats, center as many repeats as fit and place single- or multi-stitch fillers (purl or stockinette) between repeats and the garter edges. On RS rows inside the body, work the exact stitch pattern; on WS rows work the WS instruction for each correspondent stitch.

Working the Shawl

1. Begin increases as given (Increase Row every RS row). For the first few inches you'll be working plain rows (no lace) to build fabric.
2. When you have enough stitches to place at least two full 12-st butterfly repeats centered across the body, begin the Lace Panel. Continue Increase Rows on RS rows and the Lace repeat on RS rows for body stitches; follow WS instructions for lace shown above.
3. Continue this sequence: RS = Increase Row + Lace Row RS pattern; WS = WS lace row + follow WS handling of edge (knit or purl as directed). Repeat until wingspan is about 36 in / 91 cm or you have ~178–180 sts (or until you are close to using your yarn).

Edge & Bind-off

When you reach the desired wingspan or have used most yarn, work 4 garter rows (knit every row) across entire shawl to create a stable edge. For bind-off use a stretchy bind-off such as Judy’s Magic Bind-Off or a long-tail tubular bind-off. If you used garter finish rows, a simple knit bind-off will work but may be less stretchy; an I-cord bind-off gives a neat roll-free finish.

Finishing

1. Weave in ends using tapestry needle.
2. Blocking: gently wet block. Pin to correct wingspan and shape, opening the lace so the butterfly motif shows. Use blocking wires along the long edge for a smooth curve or pin out each point as desired. Allow to dry completely.

Sizing Up or Down

• Smaller child: stop earlier, wingspan 28–32 in (71–81 cm). Fewer increase rows.
• Larger child/teen: continue increase rows until stitch count and wingspan are larger. Each RS increase row adds ~0.5–0.75 in (1.2–2 cm) to wingspan depending on gauge and lace openness.
• Alternate: use a lighter or heavier yarn and corresponding needles; check gauge and adjust number of increase rows to reach desired wingspan.

Troubleshooting & Tips

• If lace looks crowded, switch to slightly larger needles for a more open fabric and recheck gauge.
• If you run out of yarn before the final width, bind off and finish with a decorative contrasting picot or simple crochet edge using remaining yarn.
• Mark center and edges with waste yarn if you need to count repeats precisely while knitting the lace pattern.

Short Row Option (for deeper center)

If you prefer more depth (so the shawl covers shoulders more), you can add short rows at center: when you want extra depth, work one additional RS increase without corresponding WS row (wrap and turn technique around the center), then continue. This is optional and will create a slightly puckered center before blocking, which smooths after blocking.

Copyright & Support

Pattern created for PurlJam. If you have questions about the pattern, yarn substitutions, or sizing, contact team@verde.uk. For more patterns and updates visit https://purljam.verde.uk and follow #purljam on social media.

Notes: This pattern is intended as a detailed home-knitting guide. If you publish items made from this pattern or sell finished items, please credit the pattern name and designer PurlJam (https://purljam.verde.uk).

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