Wave on Wave Shawl

Wave on Wave Shawl by Fiona Morris Designs

Project Overview

The Wave on Wave Shawl is an intermediate-level knitting project designed by Fiona Morris. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a beautiful shawl featuring dynamic wave patterns achieved through strategic color work and innovative construction techniques. The design showcases versatility, as demonstrated by multiple colorway examples included in the pattern.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a knitted shawl that combines two colors or yarns to create striking wave effects across the fabric. The shawl design is suitable for a range of yarn weights and fiber types, making it an adaptable project for various stash-busting opportunities or intentional yarn selections. The finished piece demonstrates how color interaction and stitch manipulation can create visual movement and depth.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Wave on Wave Shawl employs several advanced knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive appearance:

• Short rows: Strategic short-row shaping creates the undulating wave pattern that gives the shawl its name and visual interest
• German double stitch method: This specialized technique adds texture and structural integrity while contributing to the wave effect
• Two-color knitting: The pattern incorporates two contrasting yarns or colors to enhance the dimensional quality of the waves

Stitches Used

Garter stitch forms the foundation of this pattern. Garter stitch—created by knitting every row—produces a reversible, textured fabric with horizontal ridges. This stitch choice is ideal for showcasing color changes and the effects of short-row shaping, as the consistent texture provides an excellent canvas for the wave pattern to emerge clearly.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The pattern is designed for 4-ply yarn weight, offering excellent stitch definition and drape. However, the pattern notes that the shawl can be successfully knitted in a wide variety of yarn thicknesses and fiber types, providing flexibility for crafters working with different materials.

The pattern includes multiple colorway examples demonstrating yarn versatility:

• Scheepjes Whirl and Katia Funny Rainbow (teal and multi-blue/pink combination)
• Katia Bombay 4ply cotton in multi-blues and pink/pastel rainbow (two 100-gram balls)
• Adriafil Sierra Andina 4ply Alpaca paired with Lang Yarns Dipinto long color-change yarn (grey and multi-brown/grey)
• Adriafil Cromia multi-color brushed yarn combined with Adriafil Zebrino (red multicolor and red/grey)

These examples showcase how different fiber contents—including cotton and alpaca blends—and yarn characteristics can be used to create varied aesthetic effects while following the same pattern structure. Standard knitting needles appropriate to your chosen yarn weight are required to complete this project.