Stripanan

Stripanan Asymmetrical Sideways Shawl by Bristol Ivy

What Is Being Made

Stripanan is an asymmetrical triangular shawl featuring a distinctive two-color striped design with an integrated lace edging. The name derives from the Proto-Germanic root for "stripe," reflecting the garment's defining characteristic. This sideways construction creates a triangle with unequal legs measuring 43 inches and 60 inches, connected by a 66-inch hypotenuse, making it a versatile wrap suitable for layering or draping across the shoulders.

Construction Method and Techniques

The shawl employs a sideways building method, meaning the triangle grows from one corner outward rather than from the top down. This approach allows for strategic placement of the lace edging and stripe pattern. The body of the shawl is worked flat on circular needles despite the flat construction, as circular needles accommodate the increasing number of stitches without the limitations of straight needles. The lace edging is integrated into the shawl structure rather than applied separately, creating a seamless finish.

The two-color stripe pattern alternates between the main color and contrast color across rows, with both colors introduced in the first stitch of right-side rows to create a neat color transition. This technique requires carrying yarn and managing two working colors throughout the project, adding visual interest while maintaining structural integrity.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns Used

• Stockinette stitch forms the primary fabric base, created by knitting right-side rows and purling wrong-side rows
• Yarn overs (yo) create the openwork lace elements that form the edging detail
• Knit stitches worked with both colors simultaneously at the beginning of right-side rows create the decorative color transition
• Purl stitches worked throughout wrong-side rows and within the lace sections
• Stitch markers (pm) placed strategically to denote shaping points and pattern repeats

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Loft by Brooklyn Tweed, a fingering-weight yarn composed of 100% Targhee-Columbia wool. The specific colorway combination features Foothills as the main color and Pumpernickel as the contrast color. Each color requires 2 skeins, with each skein providing 275 yards at a 50-gram weight, totaling 550 yards per color. Alternatively, any fingering-weight yarn totaling 550 yards in each of two colors works for this design.

Construction requires one 32-inch or 40-inch circular needle in US size 5 [3.75mm]. The circular needle format is essential for accommodating the expanding stitch count as the shawl grows, even though the fabric is worked flat rather than in the round. Gauge is established at 24 stitches and 38 rows per 4 inches in stockinette stitch, making accurate gauge swatching important for achieving the intended finished dimensions.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated at intermediate difficulty, appropriate for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to manage color work, increasing stitch counts, and lace integration. The sideways construction and two-color technique require attention to pattern reading and yarn management, but the straightforward stitch vocabulary makes it accessible to experienced beginners progressing toward intermediate projects.