Schultertuch im Lacemuster in SMC Select Violena - 1844 - Downloadable PDF

Schultertuch im Lacemuster – Knitted Lace Shrug in SMC Select Violena (Design 1844)

This free downloadable PDF pattern (Design 1844) from Schachenmayr presents a beautifully delicate knitted lace shrug — known in German as a Schultertuch im Lacemuster. Elegant yet wearable, this design combines a feminine lace stitch pattern with a classic ribbed cuff finish, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for a range of occasions. The pattern is available in four sizes: 32–36, 38/40, 42/44, and 46/48, catering to a broad range of body measurements.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a lace shrug — a short, open-fronted garment that covers the shoulders and upper arms while leaving the front of the body open. Shrugs of this style are popular as lightweight cover-ups over dresses and tops, adding a refined, handcrafted touch to any outfit. The lace patterning gives the shrug an airy, open texture that is both visually striking and comfortable to wear in warmer conditions.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: SMC Select Violena by Schachenmayr — a DK weight yarn with a luxurious fiber blend of 50% cotton and 50% Modal, offering a soft, breathable, and drapey fabric ideal for lace knitting. Each 50 g skein provides approximately 100 metres of yardage.
• Colorway used: Tomate, shade number 01622 — a warm, vibrant red-tomato tone that gives the finished shrug a bold, eye-catching appearance.
• Yarn quantity: 250 g for sizes 32–36 and 38/40; 300 g for sizes 42/44 and 46/48.
• Needles: Milward knitting needles in two sizes — No. 3–3½ (used for the ribbed cuffs) and No. 4–4½ (used for the main lace body), allowing the knitter to achieve the correct tension and drape for each section of the garment.

Techniques Used

• Lace knitting: The main body of the shrug is worked in a charted Lochmuster (lace pattern), which is read from a stitch diagram provided in the PDF. This technique involves strategic yarn-overs and decreases to create decorative eyelets and an open, net-like fabric — a hallmark of traditional lace knitting.
• Ribbing: The cuffs are finished in a classic Bündchenmuster — a 1×1 rib (alternating one knit stitch, one purl stitch), which provides elasticity and a neat, structured edge to the sleeve openings.
• Chart reading: The lace pattern is presented as a stitch chart showing both right-side and wrong-side rows as they appear from the front of the work. Right-side rows are read from right to left, and wrong-side rows from left to right. The 4-row repeat is worked continuously throughout the lace section.
• Needle sizing adjustment: Switching between two needle sizes within a single project is a key technique here, ensuring the ribbed sections have a firmer, more controlled tension while the lace body retains an open, fluid drape.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (rechts) — the foundational stitch used throughout
• Purl stitch (links) — used in the ribbing sections
• Yarn-over (Umschlag) — creates the decorative eyelets characteristic of lace fabric
• Decreases — worked in conjunction with yarn-overs to maintain stitch count and shape the lace motifs
• 1×1 Rib — alternating knit and purl stitches for the cuffs

Pattern Format and