Florence's Shoulder Shawl

Florence's Shoulder Shawl by Linda Moorhouse

Project Overview

Florence's Shoulder Shawl is an intermediate-level knitted shoulder wrap designed by Linda Moorhouse. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a versatile triangular shawl measuring approximately 14 x 33 inches, perfect for layering over shoulders or wearing as a lightweight scarf. The design combines straightforward construction with elegant lace detailing, making it an accessible project for knitters with some experience.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a shoulder shawl—a triangular garment that drapes gracefully across the shoulders and upper back. The finished piece functions as both a practical layering piece and a decorative accessory, suitable for various occasions and seasons depending on yarn fiber choice.

Construction Technique

Florence's Shoulder Shawl is constructed using a top-down triangular shaping method. The pattern begins with a small cast-on of just 4 stitches and increases systematically throughout the body to create the characteristic triangular silhouette. The shawl grows from the top point outward, with increases worked at strategic intervals until reaching 188 stitches. This construction method allows knitters to try on the piece as it develops and adjust the final size if desired by stopping at any increase row.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

• Stocking stitch: The primary stitch used throughout the body of the shawl, creating a smooth, classic fabric
• Knit stitches: Basic knit stitches form the foundation of the pattern
• Increases: Multiple increase techniques are employed, including knit into front and back (kfb) increases and yarn forward increases to shape the triangular form
• Yarn forward (yarn overs): Used in the lace edging to create decorative holes and openwork details
• Knit two together (k2tog): Decreases worked in the lace edging pattern to balance the yarn overs and create the lace structure

Lace Edging Detail

The shawl features a decorative lace edging that adds elegance to the finished piece. This edging is worked over 18 rows (9 repeats of a 2-row pattern) using a combination of yarn overs, knit stitches, and knit two together decreases. The lace pattern creates an openwork border with a rhythmic repeat of yarn forward, knit, yarn forward, and four consecutive knit two together decreases. The edging is worked on two different needle sizes—4mm needles for the lace pattern row and 8mm needles for the knit row—which creates subtle texture variation and helps the edging sit gracefully.

Materials Required

Yarn: 75 grams of 4-ply sock yarn. This lightweight yarn weight creates a delicate, drapey fabric ideal for a shoulder shawl. Four-ply yarn is fine enough to produce an elegant finished garment while remaining manageable for intermediate knitters.

Needles: Metric 4mm and 8mm needles are required. The 4mm needles are used for the main body and lace pattern rows, while the 8mm needles are used for alternate rows in the lace edging section. Circular needles or long straight needles are recommended due to the increasing stitch count.

Tension and Gauge

The pattern specifies a tension of 28 stitches by 36 rows over a 4-inch square using 3.25mm needles in stocking stitch. Achieving proper gauge is important for obtaining the correct finished dimensions and ensuring the shawl drapes appropriately. Knitters should knit a gauge swatch before beginning the project to verify their tension matches the pattern requirements.

Skill Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, this pattern is suitable for knitters who are comfortable with basic stitches and have experience with simple shaping techniques. The systematic increase pattern is straightforward to follow, and the lace edging, while requiring attention to detail, uses only fundamental lace techniques. The pattern instructions are written out in full rather than using abbreviations, making it accessible to knitters still building their pattern-reading skills.