770 Zoya Shawl - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Deerfield

770 Zoya Shawl - Knitting Pattern Overview

What Is Being Made

The 770 Zoya Shawl is a triangular shawl designed for women, created by Kirsten Hipsky. This luxurious accessory is totally reversible and measures approximately 56 inches long and 28 inches deep when finished. The shawl is worked sideways, allowing knitters to customize dimensions to their preference while maintaining consistent stitch pattern integrity throughout the piece.

Knitting Techniques

This shawl is worked flat on straight needles using a sideways construction method. The sideways approach means the shawl grows from one end to the other rather than from the top down or bottom up, which is a distinctive technique that allows for flexible finishing dimensions. The pattern incorporates lace knitting, a delicate openwork technique that creates decorative holes and flowing visual interest throughout the fabric. Shaping is elegantly built directly into the stitch pattern itself, eliminating the need for complex decreases or increases worked separately from the main design.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The 770 Zoya Shawl features an easy Shetland lace stitch pattern, which is a traditional lace design originating from the Shetland Islands. The pattern uses fundamental knitting stitches combined to create the lace effect:

• Knit (K): The basic stitch that forms the foundation of the fabric
• Yarn over (yo): Creates the decorative openings characteristic of lace by wrapping yarn around the needle
• Knit 2 together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease that pairs with yarn overs to maintain stitch count and create lace motifs
• Slip, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over (sk2p): A centered double decrease used for more complex shaping within the lace pattern
• Garter stitch: Created by knitting every row, providing a textured, reversible base that contributes to the shawl's dual-sided appeal

The lace pattern repeats across rows, with increases strategically placed to expand the triangular shape. Rows 12 through 23 establish the increasing rhythm, while rows 24 through 26 introduce the main Shetland lace motif with its characteristic yarn overs and decreases working in concert.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The 770 Zoya Shawl pattern calls for Valley Yarns Deerfield, a luxury yarn blend composed of 80% baby alpaca and 20% silk. This fiber combination creates an exceptionally soft and lustrous finished shawl. The pattern requires 4 skeins of Valley Yarns Deerfield, with each skein containing 50 grams and 109 yards of yarn. The sample shown is worked in the Burgundy colorway.

Knitters should use US size 10 (6.00mm) needles, or the size necessary to achieve proper gauge. The pattern specifies a gauge of approximately 4 stitches per 1 inch in garter stitch, though exact gauge is noted as not critically important for this project, making it more forgiving for knitters new to lace patterns.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as advanced beginner, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to explore lace knitting techniques. While the Shetland lace stitch pattern is described as easy, the combination of lace work, yarn overs, and decreases requires attention to stitch counts and pattern reading. The forgiving gauge requirement and built-in shaping help make this an accessible introduction to lace shawl construction.