Dickens Advent Shawl

Dickens Advent Shawl by Anne Podlesak

What is Being Made

The Dickens Advent Shawl is a rectangular stole designed for knitters of all skill levels. This generous shawl measures 88 inches long by 20 inches wide, making it an ideal accessory for draping over shoulders or wearing as a wrap. The design is specifically engineered to use miniskeins or sock yarn oddments, making it an excellent project for stash busting and utilizing leftover yarn from other projects.

Construction Method

This shawl is knit from one short end to the other, creating a rectangular shape that grows lengthwise as you work. This construction method allows knitters to easily adjust the finished length by continuing to knit until desired dimensions are achieved, or stopping earlier if preferred. The design uses 16 skeins of yarn in the sample as written, though yardage requirements may vary depending on gauge.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The Dickens Advent Shawl employs fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginner-level knitters. The primary stitch pattern is Stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric with a distinctive V-pattern on the right side. The pattern incorporates essential shaping techniques including:

• Kfb (Knit into front and back) — a straightforward increase method that adds one stitch by working into both the front and back loops of a single stitch
• K2tog (Knit 2 together) — a right-leaning decrease that combines two stitches into one
• P2tog (Purl 2 together) — a decrease worked on the purl side, combining two stitches into one
• SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit) — a left-leaning decrease created by slipping two stitches and knitting them together

These basic increases and decreases work together to shape the rectangular stole while maintaining the clean lines of Stockinette stitch.

Yarn and Materials

The sample shawl was knit using Wooly Wonka Fibers Aeslin Sock, a 100% superwash merino wool yarn. This yarn is available in 20-gram skeins with 87 yards per skein, providing excellent stitch definition and durability. Superwash treatment makes the finished shawl easy to care for and machine washable. The yarn is available as a coordinated kit from Wall of Yarn, simplifying the yarn selection process for knitters.

Needles and Notions

The pattern calls for US Size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles measuring 32 inches or longer to accommodate the large number of stitches required for the shawl's width. Circular needles are recommended even though the project is worked flat, as they provide better support for the increasing stitch count. Additional notions include stitch markers to help track pattern repeats and a darning needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge and Blocking

The recommended gauge is 22 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in Stockinette stitch after blocking. While the pattern notes that gauge is not crucial to this project, achieving the correct gauge will directly affect the total yardage needed to complete the shawl. Blocking is recommended to even out the stitches and achieve the finished dimensions of 88 inches long by 20 inches wide.

Skill Level

Rated as a beginner-level project, the Dickens Advent Shawl is accessible to knitters new to shawl construction. The straightforward Stockinette stitch base combined with basic increase and decrease techniques makes this an ideal first shawl project for developing fundamental skills while creating a beautiful, wearable garment.