981 Sugar High - Shawl Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns 2/14 Alpaca Silk

Pattern #981 Sugar High – Lace Shawl Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman

Pattern #981 Sugar High, designed by Julie Turjoman, is a downloadable PDF knitting pattern for a long, elegant lace wrap. Published under the Valley Yarns brand, this pattern produces a stunning shawl measuring approximately 24 inches wide by 72 inches long — a generous, wearable wrap that drapes beautifully and works equally well as a fashion accessory or a cozy layering piece. The design is classified as Adventurous Beginner (also listed as Advanced Beginner), making it an ideal stepping stone for knitters who are ready to explore lace techniques for the first time without being overwhelmed by complex charting or shaping.

What Is Being Made

The finished object is a long lace wrap or shawl in a single size. At 24 inches wide and 72 inches long, it is a full-length wrap that can be worn draped over the shoulders, wound loosely around the neck, or styled in a variety of ways. The wrap features a striking zigzag lace pattern that creates playful diagonal lines across the fabric, giving it a sense of movement and visual interest without requiring highly advanced knitting skills. The combination of lace openwork with more familiar stitches makes the finished piece look intricate while remaining approachable for newer lace knitters.

Techniques Used

• Lace knitting: The central design element of this wrap is a zigzag lace pattern created through the strategic placement of yarnovers and decreases. Yarnovers create the characteristic open, airy holes of lace fabric, while paired decreases maintain the stitch count and direct the diagonal lines of the design.
• Worked flat (seamless): The wrap is knitted flat — back and forth in rows — rather than in the round, and because it is a simple rectangular shape, it requires no seaming. This makes construction very straightforward and beginner-friendly.
• Cable Cast On: The pattern specifically instructs the use of a Cable Cast On or another stretchy cast-on method for the 144-stitch cast-on edge, ensuring the edge has enough elasticity to match the open, blocked lace fabric.
• Blocking: As with most lace projects, blocking is an essential finishing technique. The gauge is measured over Zig Zag stitch, blocked, meaning the lace pattern fully opens up and the diagonal lines become crisp and defined only after the finished piece is wet-blocked and pinned to measurements.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch: The wrap begins with eight rows of straight garter stitch (knit every row), which creates a firm, non-curling border at the cast-on edge. Garter stitch also appears within the body of the wrap, alternating with other stitch types to accentuate the diagonal texture.
• Stockinette stitch: Sections of stockinette (knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side) are incorporated into the zigzag pattern, providing a smooth contrast to the open lace sections and helping to define the diagonal lines.
• Yarnover (YO): The primary lace-making stitch, yarnovers create the decorative open eyelets that give the wrap its airy, lightweight character.
• K2tog (Knit 2 Together): A simple right-leaning decrease used in combination with yarnovers to maintain stitch count and shape the zigzag lines of the lace pattern.

Materials Required

The pattern is designed specifically for Valley Yarns Alpaca/Silk, a luxurious lace-weight yarn with a composition of 80% Alpaca and 20% Silk. This fiber blend is what gives the wrap its characteristic softness, subtle sheen, and elegant drape — qualities that make it particularly well-suited to a long lace wrap intended to be worn next to the skin. The yarn is sold by the cone, and one cone (8 oz / 1,736 yards) is required to complete the project. The colorway shown in the pattern is Grey Teal.

• Needles: US 6 (4mm) straight or circular needles, or the size needed to achieve gauge
• Notions: Stitch markers and a tapestry needle for weaving