Up and down

Up and Down Knitted Shawl by Melanie Mielinger

Project Overview

Up and Down is a beginner-friendly knitted shawl pattern designed by Melanie Mielinger. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a triangular shawl measuring approximately 66 inches (165 cm) from tip to tip, with a depth of approximately 24 inches (60 cm) at the deepest point in the middle after blocking. The design combines two complementary yarn colors to create visual interest and dimension in the finished piece.

Craft and Technique

This project is created using the knitting craft. The shawl is worked on circular needles, which is a common technique for shawl construction that allows for seamless, continuous knitting in the round or flat. The pattern incorporates yarn overs as a decorative and structural element, with variations in yarn over techniques: Yo1 involves wrapping yarn once around the needle, while Yo2 involves wrapping yarn twice around the needle. These yarn overs create the lace-like qualities typical of shawl patterns and contribute to the shawl's drape and elegance.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch used in this pattern is stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric. The pattern also features yarn overs in varying configurations (Yo1 and Yo2) to add texture and openwork details. These techniques work together to create a balanced design suitable for beginner knitters while producing a sophisticated finished garment.

Materials and Yarn

This pattern uses two different yarn weights and types to create color variation:

• Color A: Wollmeise Lace in the colorway "Maus Jung" – 100% merino wool, approximately 80 grams required (yarn provides 300g / 1575m / 1722y per skein)
• Color B: Madelinetosh Merino Light in the colorway "Medieval" – 100% merino wool, approximately 50 grams required (yarn provides 100g / 384m / 420y per skein)

The pattern calls for US 6 (4 mm) circular needles and recommends a gauge of 16 stitches and 32 rows in 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch after blocking. The designer notes that gauge is not crucial for this project; however, variations in gauge will result in a smaller or larger finished shawl and may affect yardage requirements.

Additional Supplies

Beyond yarn and needles, the pattern requires 4 stitch markers to help track pattern repeats, a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, and optionally a row counter to track progress through the pattern.

Yarn Weight and Difficulty

This pattern is designed for beginner knitters and uses 4-ply yarn weight, which is a lightweight option that works well for creating delicate, drapey shawls. The combination of beginner-level difficulty with merino wool yarns makes this an accessible project for those new to shawl knitting who still want to create a refined, wearable garment.