Tira Shawl, Wrist Warmers and Hat in Viking Nordlys - Downloadable PDF

Tira Shawl, Wrist Warmers and Hat in Viking Nordlys – Pattern Summary

This downloadable PDF pattern from Viking of Norway presents a coordinated set of three accessories — a large triangular shawl, a pair of wrist warmers, and a hat — all worked in the same yarn and sharing a cohesive aesthetic. The collection is designed by Gerd Auestad and is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore simple colourwork or textured stitch patterns.

Yarn and Materials

All three pieces are knitted using Viking Nordlys, a 4-ply weight yarn composed of 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon, sold in 100g skeins. The superwash treatment means the finished items can be machine washed with care, while the nylon content adds durability and resilience — particularly valuable in accessories like wrist warmers and hats that receive frequent everyday use. The colourway specified in the pattern is Multi brown/coral no. 940, a variegated shade that creates natural colour movement across the fabric without requiring the knitter to manage multiple separate yarn strands.

The recommended needle size throughout is 3.5 mm, and the stated tension is 23 stitches in stocking stitch over 10 cm. As with all knitting patterns, achieving the correct tension swatch before beginning is essential, particularly for the shawl where finished dimensions are specified.

The Tira Shawl

Design and Dimensions

The shawl is the centrepiece of the Tira set. It is a large, generously sized piece measuring approximately 200 cm (78¾ inches) in width and 62 cm (24½ inches) in height at the centre back. This makes it a substantial wrap suitable for wearing draped over the shoulders or wound around the neck for warmth.

Construction Method

The shawl is worked flat, beginning with a cast-on of 15 stitches and an initial section of garter stitch — knitting every row back and forth — to create a firm, non-curling foundation edge. From this starting point, the shawl is shaped through regular increases on the right-hand side, building the characteristic triangular form row by row. This top-down or side-out triangular construction is a popular and satisfying method, as the knitter can see the shawl grow steadily with each repeat.

Stitch Patterns and Techniques

The body of the shawl is worked following Diagram A, a charted stitch pattern that combines knit and purl stitches to create texture across the fabric. The chart uses a standard symbol key:

• Plain squares — knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side (standard stocking stitch)
• v symbols — purl on the right side, knit on the wrong side (reverse stocking stitch, creating textural contrast)
• o symbols — likely indicating yarn-overs or decorative open stitches within the repeat

The combination of these symbols across a defined repeat creates a repeating textured or lace-adjacent motif that runs throughout the shawl body. The variegated nature of Nordlys no. 940 means the colour shifts organically through these stitch patterns, adding visual depth without requiring complex colourwork techniques such as stranded knitting or intarsia.

The shawl requires 3 skeins of Nordlys, reflecting its generous finished size.

The Tira Wrist Warmers

Design Overview

The wrist warmers are a practical and stylish companion piece to the shawl, designed to coordinate seamlessly through the use of the same Viking Nordlys yarn and stitch vocabulary. Wrist warmers of this style cover the hand and wrist while leaving the fingers free, making them ideal for everyday wear in cooler weather.

Construction and Techniques

As an intermediate level project, the wrist warmers are likely worked in the round on 3.5 mm needles, incorporating the same knit and purl textured patterning seen in Diagram A or a related chart from the pattern.