Orange Sorbet Shawl

Orange Sorbet Shawl by Zsuzsa Kiss

Project Overview

The Orange Sorbet Shawl is an advanced beginner knitting pattern designed by Zsuzsa Kiss for creating a triangular wrap-style shawl. This downloadable PDF pattern produces a finished shawl measuring 78 inches (200 centimeters) long at its longest point, with a width of 16 inches (40 centimeters) at the highest point, making it an elegant accessory suitable for layering or draping.

Construction Technique

This shawl is constructed using a top-down triangular shaping method, beginning with a small cast-on and progressively increasing stitches to create the characteristic shawl silhouette. The pattern combines strategic increases and decreases to achieve the desired proportions and drape.

Stitch Patterns and Techniques

The Orange Sorbet Shawl employs multiple stitch techniques to create visual interest and texture:

• Lace Chart: A charted lace pattern forms the primary decorative element, alternated throughout the design
• Garter Stitch: Sixteen rows of garter stitch (knit on both right-side and wrong-side rows) are worked between lace chart repeats, providing textural contrast and structural stability
• Increases: Knit front and back (kfb) stitches are used to shape the shawl during the initial cast-on rows and throughout the pattern
• Decreases: Slip, slip, knit (ssk) decreases are incorporated to maintain stitch count in specific rows
• Elastic Bind-Off: The finishing employs an elastic bind-off technique worked on the right side, using a method of slipping stitches back to the left needle and knitting two together through the back loop to create a stretchy, flexible edge

Yarn and Materials

The sample shawl shown in the pattern was created using Handdyed by Softrainbow Cinege yarn, a premium 100% Merino wool yarn that provides excellent drape and softness. This yarn is available in 100-gram skeins containing 510 yards (466 meters), with the Orange Sorbet Shawl requiring 488 yards (446 meters) of yarn.

The pattern is flexible regarding yarn selection. Designers and knitters may substitute any non-hairy yarn material in their choice of colors, including long color-change yarns, striped variations, or solid hues, allowing for significant creative customization.

Tools Required

This project requires US size 6 (4 millimeter) knitting needles to work with the specified yarn weight and achieve proper gauge and fabric characteristics.

Yarn Weight and Difficulty

The Orange Sorbet Shawl is worked in 3-ply yarn, which provides a lightweight, delicate fabric ideal for shawl construction. Despite being classified as an advanced beginner skill level, the pattern incorporates techniques suitable for knitters with foundational knowledge who are ready to tackle lace patterns and shaping methods.

Pattern Structure and Customization

The pattern uses a repeating structure combining lace chart sections with garter stitch sections. Knitters can customize the final size and drape of their shawl by adjusting the number of pattern repeats; the sample shown in the instructions includes nine complete repeats of the alternating lace and garter pattern sections, though the pattern explicitly encourages makers to repeat as many times as desired to achieve their preferred dimensions.