1155 Surrey - Shawl Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Peru

1155 Surrey Shawl Knitting Pattern by Susan Baron for Valley Yarns Peru

The 1155 Surrey is a beautifully crafted women's shawl designed by Susan Baron and published by Valley Yarns. Inspired by the colors and textures of autumn, this stunning wrap features a falling-leaf motif worked in rich seasonal tones, making it an ideal accessory for cool fall days. The pattern is rated Adventurous Beginner — sometimes called advanced beginner — meaning it is accessible to knitters who have moved beyond the basics and are ready to explore simple lace and shaping techniques without being overwhelmed by complex construction.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a large, generously sized rectangular shawl or wrap measuring 65 inches wide and 22 inches deep in a single, one-size design. It is intended to drape elegantly over the shoulders and provide warmth during cooler weather. The shawl is worked in three coordinating colors of Valley Yarns Peru, creating distinct color sections that highlight the autumnal palette and the decorative leaf motif near the lower edge of each colored band.

Construction and Techniques

The Surrey shawl uses a side-to-side construction, meaning it is worked flat from one end to the other rather than from the top down or bottom up. This approach gives the knitter excellent control over the shaping and color transitions. Key construction details include:

• Garter tab cast-on: The shawl begins with a traditional garter tab, a neat and tidy method of starting a shawl that creates a clean, polished edge at the corner. Stitches are cast on, several rows are knitted, and then additional stitches are picked up along the side and cast-on edges to create the starting stitch count.
• Side-to-side shaping with increases: Stitches are increased near both ends of every row — using yarn-overs on right-side rows and M1L/M1R increases on wrong-side rows — to build the triangular or trapezoidal shape of the wrap as it grows from end to end.
• Garter stitch edges: The first and last three stitches of every row are knitted, forming a tidy, non-curling garter stitch border throughout the entire shawl.
• Seamless, worked flat: Although circular needles are used (recommended for their length and cable flexibility), the shawl is worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round, making it a flat, seamless piece with no seaming required at finishing.
• Embossed Leaf lace motif: Toward the bottom of each colored section, an Embossed Leaf pattern is introduced. Stitch markers are placed to denote the beginning and end of the leaf section, and stitches added outside the markers are worked in reverse stockinette stitch, which causes the leaf motif to stand out in relief against the background. This is a classic lace and texture technique that gives the shawl its signature seasonal character.
• Color work across three colors: The pattern uses three distinct colors of Valley Yarns Peru — Color A (Lichen), Color B (Sunset), and Color C (Red Maple) — worked in separate sections to create a gradient-inspired, autumnal color story across the width of the shawl.

Stitches Used

Knitters working the Surrey shawl will use a combination of foundational and decorative stitches:

• Knit and purl stitches — the building blocks of stockinette and reverse stockinette fabric
• Garter stitch — used consistently along both edges for a stable, decorative border
• Stockinette stitch — used in the body sections between the leaf motifs
• Reverse stockinette stitch — used outside the leaf motif markers to create contrast and make the embossed leaves pop
• Yarn-over (yo) — used on right-side rows to increase stitches and create the open, lace-like quality within the leaf motif
• M1L and M1R (Make 1 Left and Make 1 Right)