Fenberry Shawl

Fenberry Shawl by Susanna Winter

What Is Being Made

The Fenberry Shawl is a festive, crescent-shaped knitted shawl designed to add sparkle and elegance to any accessory collection. This intermediate-level project combines sophisticated shaping with decorative beading, creating an asymmetrical silhouette that drapes beautifully. The shawl works up in a fingering-weight yarn, making it an ideal project for knitters looking to expand their technical skills while creating a wearable, eye-catching accessory.

Techniques Used

The Fenberry Shawl employs several advanced knitting techniques that work together to create its distinctive shape and visual interest. Short rows form the foundation of the shawl's construction, creating sweeping wedge sections that give the piece its characteristic asymmetrical crescent shape. These short-row wedges alternate with sections of lace patterning, combining structural shaping with delicate openwork.

Beading adds glamorous embellishment throughout the design. The pattern includes a helpful photo tutorial demonstrating how to place beads using a crochet hook, making this decorative technique accessible even to knitters new to bead integration. This method allows for secure, even bead placement without requiring specialized beading needles or pre-strung beads.

The pattern provides both written and charted instructions for the eyelet pattern sections, giving knitters flexibility in how they prefer to follow the lace design. A stitch count cheat sheet is included to help track progress row by row, making it easier to stay organized throughout the project and verify accuracy as you work.

Stitches Used

The Fenberry Shawl features stockinette stitch as the primary fabric in the short-row wedge sections, providing a smooth, classic base that showcases the yarn's qualities. The shawl also incorporates an easy diamond lace pattern with eyelets, creating openwork sections that contrast beautifully with the solid stockinette areas. This combination of stitch patterns—solid and lace—creates visual rhythm and textural interest throughout the finished piece.

Materials and Yarn

The Fenberry Shawl is designed to be worked in Kässäkerho Pom Pom Merino Singles, a luxurious fingering-weight yarn. The pattern calls for fingering-weight yarn worked at a gauge of 23 stitches and 29 rows over 10 centimeters (4 inches) in stockinette stitch, blocked. The use of merino singles yarn—a single-ply construction—creates a soft, fluid fabric that drapes elegantly and allows the beadwork and lace pattern to shine. The pattern is written with both metric and US terminology, accommodating knitters regardless of their preferred measurement system. Standard knitting needles appropriate for fingering-weight yarn and a crochet hook (for bead placement) are required to complete this project.