Avant l'orage

Avant l'orage Knitted Shawl by Bérangère Cailliau

What is Being Made

Avant l'orage is a rectangular wrap-style shawl designed by independent designer Bérangère Cailliau. The finished shawl measures 66cm by 160cm, making it a generous accessory suitable for draping around the shoulders or wearing as a lightweight wrap. This downloadable PDF pattern offers a beginner-friendly knitting project that combines simplicity with visual interest.

Construction and Techniques

This shawl is worked side to side, meaning you knit from one short end to the other rather than from the top down or bottom up. This construction method keeps the stitch count manageable, with a maximum of 217 stitches on the needles at any time, making it accessible for knitters new to larger projects.

The primary technique used throughout the shawl is garter stitch, which creates a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges. Garter stitch is formed by knitting every row, making it one of the most fundamental and beginner-friendly stitches in knitting.

The shawl's distinctive character comes from an alternation of stripes and slipped stitches. Slipped stitches—where you pass a stitch from one needle to the other without working it—create subtle texture variations and visual definition between color sections. This technique adds originality and visual appeal while remaining straightforward to execute.

Stitches Used

• Knit (k): The fundamental stitch forming the garter stitch base
• Purl (p): Used as needed within the pattern structure
• Slip stitch (sl st): Creates the textural striping effect
• Make one right (M1R): An increase stitch worked by picking up the thread between stitches and knitting into the front, used for shaping

Materials and Gauge

The pattern calls for two colors of Graine de Laine Pimprenelle yarn, a 4-ply fingering weight yarn. You will need 400 meters (approximately 1 skein) of color 1 and 400 meters of color 2, totaling 800 meters of yarn for the complete shawl. The 4-ply weight provides a delicate, refined drape suitable for a wrap-style shawl.

Knitting needles required are 3.5mm (US size 4), which are appropriate for fingering weight yarn. The pattern specifies a gauge of 24 stitches and 32 rows over 10cm by 10cm in stockinette stitch using 3.5mm needles. You will also need one stitch marker to track pattern repeats and construction points.

Skill Level

Rated as a beginner difficulty pattern, Avant l'orage is ideal for knitters developing their fundamental skills. The reliance on garter stitch, straightforward increases, and side-to-side construction makes this an excellent project for building confidence while creating a beautiful, wearable finished object.