Alexandra Shawl in SweetGeorgia CashSilk Lace - Downloadable PDF

Alexandra Shawl by Anniken Allis – Knitting Pattern Summary

About This Pattern

The Alexandra Shawl is a beautifully crafted hybrid triangular shawl designed by Anniken Allis and published as a downloadable PDF. Combining delicate lace work with the elegant shimmer of beads, this design is a sophisticated project suited to intermediate-level knitters who are ready to explore shaping, lace charting, and embellishment techniques in a single cohesive piece.

Construction and Shaping

The Alexandra Shawl is worked from the top down, beginning at the neck edge and growing outward toward the lower border. A defining feature of this design is its central insertion panel, which runs vertically through the body of the shawl and creates a graceful, structured silhouette that sits neatly and comfortably on the shoulders. The triangular shape is achieved through strategic increases placed at four key points on every other row: at the beginning of the row, the end of the row, and on either side of the central insertion panel. This four-point increase system ensures the shawl grows evenly and symmetrically, producing the characteristic triangular form while the central panel adds elegant visual definition.

Techniques Used

• Top-down construction – the shawl is built from the apex downward, making it easy to adjust length as you go
• Lace knitting – openwork stitch patterns worked from charts create the decorative fabric of the shawl
• Bead embellishment – beads are incorporated into the design, adding a luxurious decorative detail that complements the fine lace weight yarn
• Symmetrical shaping increases – worked on every other row at four defined points to build the triangular silhouette
• Central insertion panel – a structured vertical panel that shapes the drape and shoulder fit of the finished shawl
• Crochet cast-off or finishing – a crochet hook is listed among the materials, indicating a crochet element is used, likely for a decorative bind-off or edging

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern makes use of a range of standard and lace-specific knitting stitches. Knitters working this design should be comfortable with the following:

• K – knit stitch, the foundational stitch of the fabric
• P – purl stitch, used on wrong-side rows to maintain the lace structure
• Tbl – through the back loop, a technique that twists stitches for decorative or structural effect
• Tog – knitting stitches together, a standard right-leaning decrease used in lace shaping
• SSK – slip one stitch knitwise, slip the next stitch knitwise, insert the left needle into the front of both slipped stitches and knit them together; a left-leaning decrease that pairs with k2tog to create mirrored decreases in lace patterns
• RS / WS – right side and wrong side, indicating which face of the fabric is facing the knitter on a given row

Lace patterns are presented in chart format, specifically referenced as Chart D in the gauge section, suggesting the pattern includes multiple lettered charts guiding the knitter through different sections of the shawl.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern is designed specifically for SweetGeorgia CashSilk Lace, a sumptuous lace weight yarn with a fiber composition of 55% Silk and 45% Cashmere. The sample shown uses the colorway Oceanside. Each skein contains 400 yards / 365 meters and weighs 1.76 oz / 50 g, and the pattern calls for one skein in total. The silk content gives the finished shawl a beautiful drape and subtle sheen, while the cashmere adds incredible softness against the skin — qualities that make this yarn particularly well suited to a delicate lace accessory like the Alexandra Shawl.

Needles and Tools