Jorunn

Jorunn Sideways Shawlette by Corrine Walcher

What Is Being Made

Jorunn is a sideways shawlette designed by independent knitter Corrine Walcher as a tribute to her maternal great-grandmother, an accomplished knitter in the Icelandic tradition. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a finished shawlette measuring 18 inches by 56 inches once blocked. The sideways construction method allows knitters to use nearly all of a single skein of yarn with minimal waste, making it an efficient project for stash management.

Design and Construction Technique

The shawlette employs a distinctive sideways knitting approach that maximizes yarn usage through a strategic increase-and-decrease structure. Knitters begin by weighing their yarn at the project start, then knit the increase portion of the shawl until approximately half of the total yarn weight has been consumed. Once the midpoint is reached, knitters transition to the decrease portion, working from the widest point back down to the finished edge. This method ensures that nearly the entire skein is incorporated into the final garment, with only minimal leftover yarn.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The primary stitch pattern used in Jorunn is stockinette stitch, which is worked in the round on a circular needle. Stockinette stitch creates a smooth, classic fabric with a distinctive V-pattern on the right side, making it ideal for showcasing the subtle color variations and sheen of fine merino yarn. The pattern requires attention to increases and decreases to shape the shawlette, though specific stitch abbreviations and detailed row-by-row instructions are contained within the full PDF pattern.

Yarn and Materials

The sample shawlette shown in the pattern was knit using Dragonfly Fibers Dragon Sock, a 100% superwash merino yarn in the colorway Denali. This yarn provides 390 yards per 4 ounces, making it well-suited to the shawlette's generous finished dimensions. The yarn weight is classified as 3-ply and 4-ply, offering a lightweight, drapey fabric appropriate for a shawl project.

The pattern calls for a 24-inch circular needle in US size 6 (4.00 mm), or whatever needle size is needed to achieve the specified gauge. Circular needles are essential for this project, as they accommodate the increasing and decreasing width of the sideways-knit shawlette.

Gauge and Fit

The target gauge for Jorunn is 18 stitches and 28 rows per 4 inches in wet-blocked stockinette stitch. While gauge is noted as not critical for this particular item, achieving consistent gauge will directly affect both the drape of the finished shawlette and the total amount of yarn consumed during knitting. Blocking the finished piece in water helps set the stitches and enhances the shawlette's final appearance and drape.

Skill Level

Jorunn is rated as an intermediate difficulty project, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic techniques and are comfortable working with circular needles, managing increases and decreases, and understanding gauge. The straightforward stockinette stitch pattern combined with the intuitive increase-then-decrease construction makes this an accessible intermediate project for those ready to move beyond beginner patterns.