Colour Block Shawl

A while ago we stocked a merino/acrylic blend from Rico. It was a DK weight and only came in 5 neutral shades.

The colours worked perfectly knitted as blocks and I designed a simple top down triangle garter stitch shawl using 4 colours.

We don't stock the yarn anymore but inspired by our Colour Block Scarf I decided to reknit the shawl in Rowan Alpaca Soft.

The Colour Block Shawl uses a simple yarn over increase but instead of leaving the stitch as a decorative hole you knit into the back leg of the stitch. This twists the stitch and closes up the hole. Combined with garter stitch (knit every row) this makes a more substantial looking shawl.

As part of our simple collection of free patterns the Colour Block Shawl is suitable for beginners. If you can cast on, knit and cast off you can do this shawl.

Some new techniques you may not know as a beginner:

You need to make yarn overs. In this pattern this means bring your yarn forward between the two needle tips before working the next stitch. This creates a new stitch and is how the shawl is shaped and grown.

It also makes a hole. In some patterns this hole is left and it has a decorative effect. You just knit the new stitch when you come to it in the next row.

BUT in this shawl you will knit into the back leg of the stitch, closing the hole.

You also need to keep track of your centre stitch. You will be working a YO either side of this centre stitch. If you lose track you shawl will not be symmetrical.

You can use a stitch marker to keep track of the middle stitch (the pattern has instructions to do this). Even better, read your knitting and identify the twisted YO from the row below.

Colour Block Shawl by The Woolly Brew

Measures - approx. 130cm wide, 50cm at deepest point

Yarn - 500m of DK yarn, our version uses Rowan Alpaca Soft in shades: Shade 211 (A), 210 (B), 214 (C), 225 (D)

Needles - circular 4mm, at least 80cm.  Click for our circular needle range.

you will also need a wool needle

Techniques - cast on; work flat; knit; YO (yarn over); KTBL (Knit Through Back Leg); PM (Place Marker); SM (Slip Marker); cast off.

We've used a dark and light grey with a rosy pink and deep green shade for our shop shawl. There's lots of colour combos available in any DK yarn would work. Check out these colour combos using our synthetic yarn Rico Classic Baby DK.

Obviously you could do it all in one colour. You just need about 500m for this size. Or you could try lots of different colours. Or even hold two strands of 4ply together to create a blended effect (although you may want to use 4.5mm needle to keep some drape to the knitted fabric)

Just looking for the pattern? You can download it here.