Pink moon

Pink Moon Shawl by Mindy Wilkes

What is Being Made

The Pink Moon Shawl is a top-down knitted wrap designed to gently drape around the shoulders, making it an ideal accessory for spring weather. Named after April's Pink Moon, this shawl combines practical warmth with elegant styling. The finished dimensions are 36 inches (91 cm) wide by 16 inches (41 cm) deep, providing generous coverage for a breezy spring day.

Construction Method

This shawl is constructed from the top down, a popular technique that allows knitters to try on the garment as it grows and easily adjust the final size if desired. The top-down approach begins at the neck or shoulder area and expands outward and downward, creating a naturally flowing silhouette.

Stitch Patterns and Techniques

The Pink Moon Shawl features a combination of stitch patterns that create visual interest and movement:

• Striped Stockinette Body: The main body of the shawl is worked in stockinette stitch with color stripes, alternating between the main color and contrast color yarn. Stockinette stitch, created by alternating knit and purl rows, produces a smooth, classic fabric with a distinctive V-pattern texture on the right side.
• Zigzag Lace Edge: The shawl features a decorative lace edge with a zigzag pattern, adding an elegant finishing touch and creating an airy, delicate border that frames the striped body.

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Pink Moon Shawl uses fingering weight yarn, a fine yarn suitable for creating detailed stitch definition and drape. The total yardage requirements are:

• Main Color: 450 yards (411 m) of fingering weight yarn. The pattern is shown in Swans Island Organic Merino Fingering in Rose Quartz, a premium 100% organic merino wool yarn with 525 yards per 100 grams.
• Contrast Color: 200 yards (183 m) of fingering weight yarn. The pattern is shown in Swans Island Organic Merino Fingering in Natural, the same high-quality organic merino wool base as the main color.

Gauge and Sizing

The recommended gauge is 23 stitches and 33 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch after blocking. While the pattern notes that gauge is not critical since fit is not crucial for a shawl, changes in gauge will result in size differences and affect the total amount of yarn needed to complete the project. Blocking is recommended to achieve the proper finished dimensions and to even out the striped pattern.

Tools and Notions

• Needles: US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles, 40 inches or longer
• Notions: 8 stitch markers and a yarn needle for weaving in ends

Difficulty Level

The Pink Moon Shawl is rated as an intermediate knitting project. Knitters should be comfortable with basic knitting techniques, reading pattern instructions, and working with stitch markers. Familiarity with top-down construction and lace knitting will enhance the knitting experience, though the pattern provides guidance throughout.

Yarn Weight Options

This pattern is suitable for both 3-ply and 4-ply yarn weights, offering flexibility in yarn selection while maintaining the intended design and drape of the finished shawl.