Freden Shawl in Berroco Tillie - Downloadable PDF

Freden Shawl in Berroco Tillie – Knitting Pattern by Åsa Buchta

The Freden Shawl is an elegantly shaped knitted shawl designed by Åsa Buchta and published by Berroco. Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level pattern produces a long, graceful wrap measuring approximately 61½ inches (156 cm) long and 20 inches (51 cm) at its widest point — generous dimensions that make it a truly versatile accessory for layering across the shoulders or draping around the neck in cooler weather.

Construction and Shaping

One of the most distinctive features of the Freden Shawl is its side-to-side construction. Rather than being worked from a central spine outward or from a cast-on edge downward, the shawl begins at one short end and is knitted horizontally across to the other. Shaping is achieved through gradual increases worked within the garter stitch section, causing the fabric to widen progressively as the work grows. This method creates a smooth, organic silhouette without the need for complex short-row shaping, making it approachable for knitters who are comfortable with lace but newer to asymmetric shawl construction.

Stitch markers are used throughout to delineate the lace panel from the surrounding garter stitch sections, keeping the pattern organized and easy to follow. The pattern offers both chart and written instructions for the lace repeat, accommodating knitters who prefer either format.

Stitches and Techniques

The Freden Shawl combines two complementary stitch textures to beautiful effect:

• Garter Stitch: The body of the shawl is worked in garter stitch — knitting every row on both right-side and wrong-side rows — which creates a squishy, ridged fabric with excellent drape and natural elasticity. Garter stitch also lies flat without curling, making it ideal for shawl borders and body sections.
• Lace Panel: A 21-stitch lace panel runs between stitch markers and measures approximately 3¾ inches (9.5 cm) wide. This panel is worked using a combination of yarn-overs and decreases to form an open, airy pattern that adds visual interest and a delicate, decorative quality to the fabric.

The specific lace techniques used within the panel include:

• Yarn-overs (yo): Used to create decorative eyelets and to compensate for the stitches removed by decreases, maintaining the stitch count within the panel.
• K2tog (knit two together): A right-leaning decrease that pairs with yarn-overs to form the lace motif.
• SSK (slip, slip, knit): A left-leaning decrease that mirrors the k2tog, creating the symmetrical lines characteristic of classic lace knitting.
• Sl 1, k2tog, psso: A centered double decrease that removes two stitches at once, adding a more dramatic point within the lace pattern on certain rows.
• Kfb (knit front and back): Used as the increase stitch on right-side increase rows to gradually widen the garter stitch section of the shawl.

Wrong-side rows are worked simply — knitting the garter stitch sections and purling the lace panel stitches between markers — keeping the wrong side straightforward and restful compared to the more involved right-side rows.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for 3 hanks of Berroco Tillie in colorway #10907 Mian. Berroco Tillie is a sport weight yarn sold in 100-gram hanks, making three hanks a substantial and comfortable quantity for a shawl of this size. Tillie is a hand-dyed yarn, which means that color variation between hanks is a natural and expected characteristic of the fiber. To prevent visible striping or pooling caused by dye lot differences, Åsa Buchta and Berroco recommend alternating skeins every two rows — a standard best practice when working with hand-dyed yarns that ensures a smooth, bl