Shetland-Style Shawl

Shetland-Style Shawl: Square Shawl Knitted in the Round

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a square shawl knitted in the round, designed in the traditional Shetland style. The finished shawl measures approximately 115 cm square, making it a substantial wrap suitable for layering or draping. The design is worked from the center outward using circular needles, a classic construction method for lace shawls that allows for seamless, symmetrical expansion.

Craft and Construction Method

This is an advanced knitting project intended for experienced knitters. The shawl is knitted in the round using circular needles, which enables the creation of a perfectly symmetrical square shape without seams. Working in the round from a central point allows the lace pattern to radiate outward evenly, a hallmark of traditional Shetland shawl construction.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches combined to create lace effects:

• Knit (k) and purl (p) stitches form the base fabric structure
• Yarn forward (yf) and yarn round needle (yrn) create deliberate eyelet holes characteristic of lace knitting
• Slip stitches (sl) are used for stitch manipulation and shaping
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) decreases are worked to shape the shawl and create decorative decreases within the lace pattern
• Knit together (tog) decreases provide additional shaping control

The pattern uses repeat (rep) sections and alternating (alt) rows to establish the lace motifs across the expanding square. Scrap yarn is used as stitch markers or holders to manage the large number of stitches as the shawl grows.

Materials and Tools

This project requires 3 balls of 2 ply yarn, each weighing 50 g with a yardage of 462 m (505 yds) per ball, for a total of approximately 1,386 meters of lace-weight yarn. The fine 2 ply construction is ideal for creating the delicate, openwork characteristics of a Shetland-style lace shawl.

Needles required include a pair of 5½ mm (US 9) straight or short needles for any initial cast-on or setup rows, and a 5½ mm (US 9) circular needle measuring 60 cm in length for the main circular knitting. The longer circular needle accommodates the increasing stitch count as the shawl expands from center to edge. Scrap yarn in contrasting colors serves as stitch markers or temporary holders throughout the construction process.

Difficulty Level

Rated for experienced knitters, this pattern requires solid foundational skills in knitting, comfort with lace techniques, and the ability to work from written pattern instructions with abbreviations. The combination of circular knitting, lace increases, and the large stitch counts involved makes this an advanced project unsuitable for beginners.