1350 SweeTango - Shawl Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Easthampton

Pattern Summary: 1350 SweeTango Shawl Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman

The 1350 SweeTango is a beautifully conceived rectangular wrap and shawl knitting pattern designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. This pattern is specifically engineered to showcase the stunning self-striping color runs of Valley Yarns Easthampton, a luxurious sport-weight wool-nylon sock yarn. The finished piece measures a generous 20 inches wide by 82 inches long, making it a versatile accessory that can be worn as a wrap, scarf, or shawl. Rated as a beginner-level project, SweeTango is an excellent choice for knitters who are new to shawl construction but want to achieve a sophisticated, visually dynamic result.

Design Concept and Construction

What makes SweeTango truly distinctive is its multi-directional construction. Rather than being worked in a single direction from cast-on to bind-off, the pattern is built in stages that interact with one another to create a striking interplay of color and texture. This approach takes full advantage of the self-striping nature of Valley Yarns Easthampton, allowing the yarn's color runs to express themselves differently depending on the width and direction of each section.

• Center Strip: A wide center panel is worked first, running the full length of the wrap. Because this section is broad, the self-striping yarn produces wide, flowing color transitions that sweep across the fabric in soft, painterly bands.
• Long Side Borders: Once the center strip is complete, narrow borders are knitted onto each of the two long sides and worked outward. Because these borders are narrow, the same self-striping yarn now produces long, thin, crisp stripes that run perpendicular to the center's color flow — creating a beautiful visual contrast between the two sections.
• Short End Borders: Narrow borders are also added to the short ends of the rectangle, completing the framed, structured look of the finished wrap.

Techniques Used

The SweeTango pattern incorporates several knitting techniques that, while accessible to beginners, introduce genuinely interesting construction concepts:

• Worked Flat: The pattern is worked flat (back and forth in rows) rather than in the round, making it approachable for knitters who are not yet comfortable with circular knitting in the traditional sense.
• Seamless Construction: Despite being worked flat, the borders are knitted directly onto the existing fabric, meaning there is no seaming required. This seamless approach results in a clean, professional finish throughout.
• Lace / Eyelets: A row of eyelets is worked at the intersection where the center strip meets each border. This lace detail adds a delicate decorative line that visually separates the sections while adding an elegant, airy touch to the overall design.
• Stripes: The stripe effect is achieved organically through the self-striping nature of the yarn combined with the multi-directional construction, rather than through yarn changes. This means no ends to weave in from color changes — a practical benefit for beginner knitters.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch used throughout the SweeTango wrap is Stockinette stitch, which provides a smooth, classic fabric that allows the colors of Valley Yarns Easthampton to take center stage without distraction. The gauge for this pattern is 22 stitches and 31 rows to 4 inches in Stockinette stitch, blocked. The eyelet row introduces a simple lace stitch element, giving knitters a gentle introduction to yarn-over techniques within an otherwise straightforward project.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is designed specifically for Valley Yarns Easthampton, a sport-weight yarn with a fiber composition of 75% Merino Wool and 25% Nylon. This blend offers the softness and warmth of fine Merino wool alongside the durability and stitch definition that nylon provides — qualities that make it particularly well-suited to a wearable accessory like a wrap or shawl. Each cake contains 436 yards per 100 grams, and the pattern calls for 4 cakes of yarn. The colorway used in the sample is Color