Kinsale Shawl in Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine - Downloadable PDF

Kinsale Shawl in Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine – Knitting Pattern by Lisa Hoffman

The Kinsale Shawl is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Lisa Hoffman, available as a downloadable PDF. This elegant, generously sized shawl is worked in a single size, measuring 19 inches (48.5 cm) wide and an impressive 71½ inches (181.5 cm) long, making it a substantial wrap suitable for year-round wear. The design showcases a sophisticated repeating cable chart that runs the full length of the shawl, creating a richly textured fabric with a classic, heirloom quality.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for 6 skeins of Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine, a luxurious 4-ply weight yarn composed of 70% wool and 30% mohair. Each skein contains approximately 218 yards (199 meters) and weighs 1.75 oz (50g), giving a total yardage of around 1,308 yards for the project. The sample is worked in color #2730 Faded Denim, a soft, muted blue that complements the rustic, flecked character of the Donegal tweed construction. The mohair content adds a subtle halo and softness to the fabric, while the wool provides structure and stitch definition — both qualities that enhance the intricate cable work throughout the shawl.

Knitters will need one pair of size 4 (3.5mm) straight needles, or the size required to achieve gauge, along with a cable needle and a yarn needle for finishing. The recommended gauge is 28 stitches and 29 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in the cable chart pattern, and the pattern strongly advises taking the time to check gauge before beginning.

Techniques and Construction

The Kinsale Shawl is constructed using traditional flat knitting techniques, worked back and forth in rows. The body of the shawl is dominated by a detailed cable chart featuring five full repeats of a complex cable motif, flanked by consistent border stitches on each side. The interplay of cables, lace-style yarn-overs, and decreases gives the fabric a dynamic, multi-dimensional texture that rewards careful attention to the chart.

Cables are a central technique throughout this pattern. The design makes use of both front-cross and back-cross cables of varying widths, creating a layered visual rhythm across the fabric. Understanding how to work cables confidently — slipping stitches to a cable needle and holding them either in front or in back before knitting — is essential for this project, which is why it is rated as intermediate difficulty.

Stitches and Special Abbreviations

The pattern employs a range of stitches and techniques, including:

• C4B (Cable 4 Back): Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back, knit 2, then knit 2 from the cable needle — creates a right-leaning cable twist.
• C4F (Cable 4 Front): Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit 2, then knit 2 from the cable needle — creates a left-leaning cable twist.
• C6B (Cable 6 Back): Slip 4 stitches to cable needle and hold in back, knit 2, then work (knit 2, purl 2) from the cable needle — a wider back-cross cable with a textured finish.
• C6F (Cable 6 Front): Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, purl 2, knit 2, then knit 2 from the cable needle — a front-cross cable that incorporates purl stitches for added definition.
• Yarn overs (yo): Used to create decorative eyelets and, in several rows, double yarn overs that span across repeat boundaries, adding an open, lace-like quality between cable columns.
• ssk (slip, slip, knit): A left-leaning decrease worked alongside yarn overs to form the lace elements of the cable chart.