Lodore Falls Shawl

Lodore Falls Shawl by The Feminine Touch Designs

What is Being Made

The Lodore Falls Shawl is an intermediate-level knitted shawl featuring a distinctive two-part construction. This draping shawl combines a decorative brioche-stitch band with a generously proportioned garter stitch body, creating an elegant accessory with impressive dimensions. The finished shawl measures 145 cm (57 inches) in wingspan and 38 cm (15 inches) in depth, making it a substantial garment suitable for layering or wrapping.

Stitch Techniques and Construction

The Lodore Falls Shawl employs two distinct stitch techniques to achieve its sophisticated design. The pattern begins with a two-colour brioche band, which forms the decorative upper edge of the shawl. This brioche section starts from a point and ends at a point, incorporating 14 pattern repeats throughout its length. Brioche knitting is a specialized technique that creates a distinctive textured, elastic fabric with a luxurious appearance. The pattern notes that while brioche requires concentration and focus, once you have worked through the first few inches, the rhythm becomes established and progress accelerates.

The main body of the shawl is constructed using short-row shaping in garter stitch. Short-row shaping involves turning the work before completing a full row, which creates the curved, crescent-like silhouette characteristic of many modern shawl designs. Garter stitch, created by knitting every row, provides a reversible, textured fabric that complements the brioche edging beautifully. This combination of techniques allows the shawl to drape gracefully while maintaining structural integrity.

Stitches Used

• Brioche stitch: A two-colour brioche technique forms the decorative band, creating an elastic, textured edge with visual interest
• Garter stitch: The primary stitch for the main body, worked in short rows to create shaping and drape

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Lodore Falls Shawl is designed to be worked in 4-ply weight yarn, specifically West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite. This yarn combines 80% Falkland wool with 20% mulberry silk, offering both warmth and a subtle sheen. Each 100g skein provides 400 metres (437 yards) of yardage. The pattern requires two skeins in complementary colours: Yarn A in Regal (colour 438) and Yarn B in Knightsbridge (colour 148), with one 100g skein of each colour needed to complete the project.

The shawl is worked on two sets of 4 mm (UK size 8/US size 6) circular needles, each 40 cm in length. The use of two circular needles allows for the flexibility needed when working the brioche band and managing the increasing width of the shawl body during short-row construction.

Skill Level and Additional Notes

Rated as an intermediate project, the Lodore Falls Shawl is suitable for knitters who have mastered basic techniques and are ready to explore more specialized stitch work. The brioche component requires focused attention and practice, though the designer provides learning resources on their website to support knitters new to this technique. As a bonus feature, the brioche edging can be worked independently in DK weight yarn to create a narrow skinny scarf, offering versatility and additional project possibilities from a single pattern.