How to Knit a Simple Triangular Shawl

Beginner knitter shawl pattern

Shawls come in many shapes, sizes, and weights. 

Once they were associated with little old granny's in a rocking chair, but they've been back in fashion for some time.

Not only are they a great way of keeping warm on cooler evenings, they are also a fashion accessory, worn by many A-list celebrities. 

And as they are so easy to knit, what better excuse do you need to knit one?

One of the first things I ever knitted was a shawl, and I was really pleased by how simple it was to make something, that actually looked quite professional at the end of the project.

And this makes it particularly beginner knitter friendly. 

As it’s so easy to do, it’s also one of those knitting projects that you can knit anywhere, as not too much concentration is required. Ideal therefore, if you’re settling down to watch a movie, as you don’t have to have your eye on it all the time to avoid mistakes.

The shawl pattern I outline below, is done by making a  ‘yarn over’ at the beginning of each new row. This makes a lovely decorative lacy type edge along the shawl.

As you are going to be accumulating a lot of stitches as the shawl grows, it’s naturally better if you knit it on circular needles. 80 cms are ideal. You could get away with less length if your knitting in a light weigh wool.

You can knit your shawl in any wool thickness that you like. But if you’d like it to have a more open-work, lacy type effect, then simply knit it on needles a size bigger than normally required for the wool thickness you are using.

                                                 

To begin:   
Cast on 3 stitches                                               

Knit across, turn

YO, knit to the end.

Repeat from YO, knit to the end until the shawl is the length that you want, and then cast off.

But remember when knitting a shawl if you want your shawl to stay on, no matter what shape it is, knit it so that it’s at least the length of your outstretched arms – fingertip to fingertip. This measurement will also be approximately the same as your height. 

If you are knitting for someone else, you don’t have to go around measuring people, arms poised as if in mid-flight. Simply ask them how tall they are.