Breakfast for Dinner

Breakfast for Dinner Shawl by Susanne Sommer

Project Overview

Breakfast for Dinner is an asymmetric knitted shawl that combines multiple yarn weights and textures into a single cohesive design. Created by designer Susanne Sommer, this intermediate-level project demonstrates how to successfully blend hand-dyed yarns of different weights and colors within one garment. The shawl is knit sideways on the bias, allowing for creative color blocking and textural variation throughout the piece.

What Is Being Made

This is an asymmetric shawl featuring multiple distinct sections that showcase different yarn combinations and stitch techniques. The design incorporates brioche knitting, mohair lace, garter stitch, and contrasting color work, all unified through a sideways construction method. The lower portion of the shawl includes additional color blocking, making it a versatile accessory that works with various outfits and color palettes.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Brioche Knitting: The primary construction method uses marled brioche stitch, which creates a reversible, textured fabric with excellent drape and elasticity. This technique is worked in a single color for the main body.
• Two-Color Brioche: A two-color brioche section appears at the completion of the shawl, adding a contrasting finish to the design.
• Garter Stitch Sections: Garter stitch breaks up the brioche fabric, adding visual and tactile interest. These sections are worked in the lace colorway alone in the upper portion, then in a contrasting fingering-weight color in the lower section.
• Intarsia Technique: An easy intarsia method is used to incorporate the contrasting fingering-weight garter stitch sections in the lower portion of the shawl only, allowing for seamless color changes without carrying yarn across the work.
• I-Cord Details: Decorative i-cords are incorporated throughout the design for added texture and visual appeal.
• Bias Construction: The shawl is knit sideways on the bias, which creates interesting directional lines and allows for the asymmetric shape.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Brioche Stitch: The foundation stitch for most of the shawl, creating a luxurious, reversible fabric.
• Garter Stitch: Used in contrasting sections to provide textural variation and allow individual colorways to be highlighted.
• I-Cord: Functional and decorative elements that add dimension to the finished piece.

Yarn and Materials

The Breakfast for Dinner shawl is designed to showcase multiple yarn weights working together harmoniously. The construction uses 4-ply and lace weight yarns, including hand-dyed options in various colorways. The main brioche sections are worked with one strand of lace weight yarn and one strand of mohair lace held together, creating a super fluffy, textured fabric. Garter stitch sections incorporate the lace color alone in the upper portion, while the lower sections use a contrasting fingering-weight yarn. The marled brioche sections showcase single-color combinations, while the two-color brioche at the end provides additional contrast. This project is ideal for knitters with random skeins of beautiful hand-dyed yarn in different weights who want to combine them into a cohesive, wearable design.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as intermediate, making it suitable for knitters with some experience. While brioche knitting and intarsia techniques may be new to some crafters, the pattern provides clear guidance for executing these methods successfully. The sideways construction and color blocking add complexity but also offer creative flexibility for personalizing the finished shawl.