Kinsale Shawl - Knitting Pattern For Women in Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine by Tahki Yarns

Kinsale Shawl Knitting Pattern – Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine

The Kinsale Shawl is an elegant, one-size knitted shawl designed by Lisa Hoffman for Tahki Yarns. Worked flat in a single rectangular shape, this intermediate-level accessory measures a generous 19 inches wide by 71½ inches long (48.5 cm × 181.5 cm), making it a versatile wrap suitable for layering over a variety of outfits. The design showcases a sophisticated combination of cable and lace techniques that run the full length of the shawl, creating a richly textured fabric with an heirloom quality.

Design and Construction

The Kinsale Shawl is worked flat, meaning every row is worked back and forth on a single pair of needles rather than in the round. This straightforward construction keeps the shaping simple while allowing the stitch pattern to take center stage. The finished piece is a long, rectangular shawl that can be draped over the shoulders, wrapped around the neck, or styled in numerous ways. Its generous length makes it especially practical as a wrap for cooler evenings.

The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an ideal next step for knitters who are comfortable with basic cable techniques and yarn-over lace but are ready to combine both within a single, repeating cable chart. The chart features five repeats of a complex cable-and-lace motif flanked by consistent border stitches, giving the shawl a structured, symmetrical appearance.

Stitches and Techniques

The Kinsale Shawl draws on a rich vocabulary of knitting stitches and techniques. The central cable chart incorporates the following key elements:

• C4B (Cable 4 Back): Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle held in back, knit 2, then knit 2 from the cable needle. Creates a right-leaning cable twist.
• C4F (Cable 4 Front): Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle held in front, knit 2, then knit 2 from the cable needle. Creates a left-leaning cable twist.
• C6B (Cable 6 Back): Slip 4 stitches to a cable needle held in back, knit 2, then work knit 2 and purl 2 from the cable needle. A more complex cable cross that adds visual depth.
• C6F (Cable 6 Front): Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle held in front, purl 2 and knit 2, then knit 2 from the cable needle. Mirrors C6B for a balanced, interlocking cable design.
• Yarn overs (yo): Used repeatedly throughout the chart to create decorative lace eyelets and, in several rows, double yarn overs that span across repeat boundaries to produce open, airy details within the cable columns.
• Ssk (slip, slip, knit): A left-leaning decrease paired with yarn overs to form the lace elements of the pattern.
• K2tog (knit 2 together): A right-leaning decrease used alongside yarn overs to balance the lace shaping.
• K1-tbl (knit 1 through the back loop): Used on wrong-side rows to correctly orient stitches created by double yarn overs on the preceding right-side row.
• Purl stitches and knit stitches: Used throughout to define the cable columns and provide the reverse-stockinette background that makes the cables pop.

The interplay of cables and lace is what gives the Kinsale Shawl its distinctive character. The cables provide structure and a classic, timeless aesthetic, while the yarn-over lace openings add lightness and elegance — a combination that suits the delicate weight of the yarn particularly well. The double yarn overs are a notable technical detail: on several rows of the cable chart (Rows 3, 7, 23, and 27), the first yarn over is worked before a repeat marker and the second after it, requiring careful attention to marker placement. The pattern notes advise that markers may be difficult to use at the end of each repeat for this reason.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for 6 skeins