K625-Sweet Begonia Shawlette

K625 – Sweet Begonia Shawlette by Nazanin Fard

What is Being Made

The Sweet Begonia is a knitted shawlette designed as a lightweight accessory perfect for layering on chilly evenings. This crescent-shaped wrap measures 34 inches (86 cm) along the neck edge and reaches a maximum width of 11 inches (28 cm) at its deepest point, making it an ideal size for draping comfortably around the shoulders without overwhelming the wearer.

Construction Technique

This shawlette employs a distinctive two-stage construction method that begins with a beautiful lace edging knitted first. Once the edging reaches the desired length, stitches are strategically picked up along the straight edge to create the body of the wrap. The crescent shape is then achieved through the use of short rows and decreases, which gradually shape the fabric into its characteristic curved silhouette.

Short Row Shaping Without Wraps: A key feature of this pattern is that short rows are used for shaping without requiring wrap stitches, making it an excellent introductory project for knitters who wish to learn short-row techniques without the added complexity of managing wraps. This accessible approach allows intermediate-level knitters to build confidence with this shaping method.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern featured in the Sweet Begonia is the Double Fan Lace Edging, which forms a 13-stitch panel. This lace pattern incorporates fundamental lace-knitting elements including:

• Yarn overs (yo) for creating decorative openwork
• Knit two together (k2tog) decreases for balanced shaping
• Garter stitch as the foundational fabric structure
• Slip stitches (sl1wyif) for neat edge finishing

The combination of these stitches creates an elegant, flowing edging that transitions into the body of the shawlette through strategic decreases.

Materials and Tools

Yarn: The Sweet Begonia is designed to be worked in Patons Grace, a 100% mercerized cotton yarn in a light sport weight. The project requires 3 balls of yarn in the Cardinal colorway (#62705), with each ball containing 50 grams and 125 meters (136 yards) of yardage. The mercerized cotton fiber provides a smooth, lustrous finish and excellent drape, ideal for a summer or transitional-season wrap.

Needles: US size 4 (3.5 mm) knitting needles are required for this project.

Gauge: The stitch gauge is established at 20 stitches and 23 ridges over 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch after wet blocking, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate, making it suitable for knitters with some experience beyond the absolute beginner stage. While the lace edging and short-row shaping require attention to detail and familiarity with fundamental techniques, the absence of wrap stitches in the short-row sections keeps the project manageable for those expanding their skill set.