Roberts Shawl in Berroco Corsica - Downloadable PDF

Roberts Shawl in Berroco Corsica – Knitting Pattern by Emily Nora O'Neil

The Roberts Shawl is a beautifully proportioned, large-format knitted shawl designed by Emily Nora O'Neil and published by Berroco as part of Booklet #370. This intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a generous, elegant wrap with finished measurements of approximately 45 inches wide by 46 inches long after blocking, making it a truly substantial and wearable accessory. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, giving knitters instant access to the full instructions.

What Is Being Made

The Roberts Shawl is a large, one-size shawl or wrap designed to drape beautifully over the shoulders. Its generous dimensions make it suitable for wearing as a statement accessory in cooler weather, and the combination of a charted stitch pattern with careful blocking ensures a refined, polished finished fabric. Shawls of this scale are a popular project for knitters looking to showcase a beautiful yarn while developing their skills with charted lace or textured patterns.

Techniques Used

• Charted knitting: The primary stitch pattern is worked from a chart, making familiarity with reading knitting charts an important skill for this project.
• Blocking: Blocking is essential to achieving the stated finished measurements of 45" × 46", and is a standard finishing technique for shawls that opens up the stitch pattern and evens the fabric.
• Stitch markers: Two stitch markers are used to help track pattern repeats or key construction points throughout the knitting.
• Crochet finishing: A crochet hook, size 3.75 mm (F), is listed among the materials, indicating that a crochet bind-off or edging technique is incorporated into the finishing of the shawl.
• Circular needle knitting: Though the shawl may be worked flat, a 29-inch circular needle is used to comfortably accommodate the large number of stitches.

Stitches Used

• Charted pattern stitch: The body of the shawl is worked in a charted stitch pattern, the details of which are contained within the PDF. The gauge is measured over this charted pattern at 18 stitches and 34 rows to 4 inches.
• The combination of knit and purl stitches, and potentially yarn-overs or decreases typical of shawl construction, are worked according to the chart provided in the pattern.

Materials Required

• Yarn: 10 balls of Berroco Corsica, each 50 grams, in colorway #3615 Conch. Berroco Corsica is a DK weight yarn, making it a versatile and relatively lightweight choice that contributes to the shawl's drape and wearability.
• Needles: A 29-inch length circular knitting needle, size 5 (3.75 mm), or the size needed to obtain gauge.
• Crochet hook: Size 3.75 mm (F) for finishing.
• Notions: 2 stitch markers.

Difficulty and Sizing

Rated as intermediate in skill level, the Roberts Shawl is well-suited to knitters who are comfortable reading charts and working with stitch markers over a long-term project. The pattern is written as one size, with the final dimensions achieved through careful gauge matching and thorough blocking. Checking gauge before beginning is strongly recommended by Berroco to ensure the finished shawl meets the intended measurements.

About the Yarn: Berroco Corsica

Berroco Corsica is a DK weight yarn offered by Berroco, Inc., known for its quality and consistency. The colorway #3615 Conch suggests a warm, natural tone that would complement the textured stitch pattern beautifully. Using the recommended yarn ensures that the drape, stitch definition, and yardage calculations in the pattern remain accurate.