3+1 Shawl

3+1 Shawl by Olya Mikesh Designs

What is Being Made

The 3+1 Shawl is a triangular knitted shawl designed to utilize leftover fingering weight sock yarns. This intermediate-level project produces a finished shawl with a 75-inch wingspan and 32-inch depth, making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or wearing as a wrap. The design cleverly incorporates three 50-gram balls of yarn in different colors plus one 100-gram ball, allowing crafters to use up partial skeins from previous sock projects.

Techniques Used

The 3+1 Shawl employs several fundamental shawl construction techniques. The pattern uses yarn overs (yo) to create decorative lace elements and increase stitches as the shawl expands outward from the top. Decreases are incorporated through knit two together (k2tog) stitches on the right side and purl two together (p2tog) stitches on the wrong side, creating a balanced construction. The pattern also includes right-leaning increases (RLI) and make one right purl (m1RP) increases to shape the triangular form. Stitch markers are used to denote pattern sections and construction points throughout the knitting process.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch – the primary stitch structure, created by knitting every row, providing a textured, reversible fabric
• Yarn overs (yo) – creating decorative holes and lace elements while increasing stitch count
• Knit two together (k2tog) – a right-leaning decrease used on right-side rows
• Purl two together (p2tog) – a decrease worked on wrong-side rows
• Right-leaning increase (RLI) – an increase stitch for shaping
• Make one right purl (m1RP) – a purl-side increase creating additional stitches

Materials and Tools

This project requires fingering weight sock yarn in a blend of 75% Superwash wool and 25% nylon, with a yardage of 437 yards per 100 grams. The yarn is worked in four coordinating colors: Blush Pink, Mauve, Purple, and Lilac, using three 50-gram balls and one 100-gram ball for a total of 250 grams of yarn. A US size 2.5 (3 mm) circular needle with a 16-inch cord or larger is required to accommodate the expanding stitch count. Additional tools include a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, scissors for cutting yarn, and stitch markers for tracking pattern sections and construction points.

Project Specifications

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Estimated Time: 12-15 hours

Finished Dimensions: 75-inch wingspan with 32-inch depth

Gauge: 28 stitches by 32 rows equals 4 inches by 4 inches when measured in garter stitch

Yarn Weight: 3-ply and 4-ply fingering weight