Hawthorn Shawl

A triangular shawl worked from the center top down. A soothing garter-stitch body is finished with a chevron lace border and wet-blocked to an open, wearable fabric.

Skill level: Intermediate

Finished measurements

Blocked: 58" (147 cm) wingspan × 26" (66 cm) deep at center spine

Measurements are after wet-blocking. Unblocked fabric will be smaller and the lace will not open.

Yarn

Fingering weight (CYC Super Fine 1), 490 yards (448 m)

A smooth solid, semi-solid, or tonal yarn shows the lace clearly. Strongly variegated or speckled yarns will disguise the border.

Needles

• US 6 / 4 mm circular needle, 32" (80 cm) or longer
• Optional: US 8 / 5 mm needle for bind-off only

Notions

• 2 stitch markers (center spine)
• Optional: 40 additional markers for lace repeats
• Tapestry needle
• Blocking wires and/or T-pins; blocking mats

Gauge

20 stitches and 40 rows = 4" (10 cm) in garter stitch, blocked

Gauge is not critical for fit, but it affects size and yardage. A looser gauge yields a larger shawl and uses more yarn.

Abbreviations (US)

Pattern notes

• The shawl is an isosceles triangle. Four stitches are increased on every RS row of the body: one yarn over inside each 3-st garter edge, and one yarn over on each side of the center stitch.
• The 3 edge stitches are worked in garter stitch every row throughout.
• Slip markers as you come to them unless instructed otherwise.
• On RS body rows the yarn overs are the increases; count each yo as 1 stitch on the following row.
• The lace border is worked without further increases. Stitch count stays at 469.
• To change the size, work more or fewer body increase rows so that the stitches between the 3-st edge and the center stitch on each half equal a multiple of 11, then begin the border. Extra body rows use more yarn.

Stitch map (after body, 469 sts): 3 garter edge + 231 lace (21 × 11) + 1 center + 231 lace (21 × 11) + 3 garter edge
(3 + 231 + 1 + 231 + 3 = 469 ✓)

Instructions

Garter tab

Using US 6 / 4 mm needle, CO 3 sts.

Knit 6 rows (3 garter ridges).

Do not turn. Rotate the work 90 degrees clockwise. Pick up and knit 3 sts along the left selvedge (1 st in each garter ridge). Rotate 90 degrees clockwise again. Pick up and knit 3 sts from the original CO edge. 9 sts.

Garter body

Set-up row (RS): K3, yo, k1, yo, pm, k1 (center st), pm, yo, k1, yo, k3.
(4 increases → 9 + 4 = 13 sts ✓)

Set-up row (WS): Knit.

Increase row (RS): K3, yo, knit to marker, yo, sm, k1, sm, yo, knit to last 3 sts, yo, k3.
(4 sts increased)

Wrong-side row: Knit.

Repeat the last 2 rows 113 more times.
(114 additional RS increase rows after the set-up RS row → 115 RS increase rows in total, including set-up → 9 + 4 × 115 = 469 sts ✓)

You should now have 469 sts, ending after a WS knit row: 3 edge, 231 sts, marker, 1 center st, marker, 231 sts, 3 edge
(231 = 21 × 11 ✓)

The piece measures about 23¼" (59 cm) from the tab along the center spine, unblocked.

Lace border

The border is worked over the same 469 sts. Do not increase. Keep the 3-st garter edges and the center stitch as written. Optional: place a marker every 11 sts on each half to track repeats.

Row 1 (RS): K3, *k2tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, ssk; rep from * 21 times, sm, k1, sm, *k2tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, ssk; rep from * 21 times, k3.
(21 × 11 = 231 sts each side; 3 + 231 + 1 + 231 + 3 = 469 sts ✓)

Row 2 (WS): K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.

Row 3 (RS): K3, *k2tog, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, ssk; rep from * 21 times, sm, k1, sm, *k2tog, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, ssk; rep from * 21 times, k3.
(469 sts ✓)

Row 4 (WS): K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.

Row 5 (RS): K3, *k2tog, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, ssk; rep from * 21 times, sm, k1, sm, *k2tog, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, ssk; rep from * 21 times, k3.
(469 sts ✓)

Row 6 (WS): K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.

Row 7 (RS): K3, *k2tog, yo, k7, yo, ssk; rep from * 21 times, sm, k1, sm, *k2tog, yo, k7, yo, ssk; rep from * 21 times, k3.
(469 sts ✓)

Row 8 (WS): K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.

Repeat Rows 1–8 two more times (3 times total = 24 lace rows).
(469 sts remain ✓)

Bind-off

With RS facing, bind off very loosely knitwise. Using US 8 / 5 mm for the bind-off is recommended.

Stretchy (Russian) bind-off: K2, *slip both sts back to left needle, k2tog through the back loops, k1; rep from * until 1 st remains. Fasten off.

Optional picot bind-off: *Using a knitted cast-on, CO 2 sts, BO 4 sts; rep from * until 1 st remains, BO last st.
(468 sts consumed in pairs + 1 remaining st = 469 ✓)

Finishing

Weave in ends, leaving them until after blocking so they can be woven into the blocked fabric.

Blocking (required)

1. Soak the shawl in lukewarm water with a little wool wash for 15–20 minutes. Do not agitate.
2. Lift it out, support the full weight, and squeeze (do not wring). Roll in a towel and press out remaining water.
3. Lay the shawl on blocking mats in a triangle. Run blocking wires through the two top-edge yarn-over chains and through the bind-off edge if desired.
4. Pin to 58" (147 cm) wingspan and 26" (66 cm) center depth. Stretch the lace border until the chevrons and eyelets are open and even. The three points should be distinct; the top edge should be a straight (or very gently concave) line.
5. Leave until completely dry before removing pins.

Chart: 11-stitch lace repeat

Work the chart 21 times on each side of the center stitch, with k3 garter edges outside the chart and k1 at the center spine on RS rows. WS rows are not charted: K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.

Read RS (odd) rows from right to left.

Row 7 (RS):  [ ssk ] [ yo ] [ k7 ] [ yo ] [ k2tog ]
Row 5 (RS):  [ ssk ] [ k1 ] [ yo ] [ k5 ] [ yo ] [ k1 ] [ k2tog ]
Row 3 (RS):  [ ssk ] [ k2 ] [ yo ] [ k3 ] [ yo ] [ k2 ] [ k2tog ]
Row 1 (RS):  [ ssk ] [ k3 ] [ yo ] [ k1 ] [ yo ] [ k3 ] [ k2tog ]
             |←          11-st repeat          →|

Chart key

• k — knit
• yo — yarn over
• k2tog — knit 2 together
• ssk — slip, slip, knit

Each repeat uses 11 sts and produces 11 sts (k2tog −1, two yarn overs +2, ssk −1, net 0 ✓).

Stitch-count summary