B6 Basic Triangle Shawl - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Valley Yarns Charlemont Hand Dyed

B6 Basic Triangle Shawl Knitting Pattern by Kirsten Hipsky

The B6 Basic Triangle Shawl is a beautifully structured, top-down triangle shawl knitting pattern designed by Kirsten Hipsky. Rated as advanced beginner, this pattern is an excellent stepping stone for knitters who are comfortable with basic stitches and are ready to explore simple lace edging and shaping techniques. The finished shawl measures approximately 24 inches tall by 48 inches wide, making it a generous, wearable wrap suitable for a wide range of occasions.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a classic triangular shawl worked from the top center point downward. The main body grows through simple, rhythmic increases on every right-side row, creating a symmetrical triangle shape. A decorative lace edging with pointed tips is then knitted directly onto the shawl at the end, adding elegant detail and making blocking easier by providing individual points to pin out. The shawl is designed to be seamless and worked flat, meaning it is knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round.

Construction and Techniques

The shawl uses a top-down construction, beginning with just 7 cast-on stitches divided by a stitch marker. Increases are made on every right-side row, adding 4 stitches per row — 2 on each side of the center spine and 2 at the outer edges — so knitters can easily track their stitch count using the formula provided in the pattern. The main body is worked until the shawl measures approximately 20 inches, or about 4 inches shorter than the desired finished length, ending on a wrong-side row.

The lace edging is a key feature of this design. Rather than binding off the main body stitches directly — which can result in a tight, inflexible edge — the edging is cast on separately and then joined live to the shawl as it is worked. This technique produces neat, pointed tips along the lower edge of the shawl, which are ideal for wet blocking. Knitters who prefer a simpler finish may opt to bind off the main body stitches directly for a straight-edged shawl.

Stitches Used

• Knit (k) — the foundational stitch used throughout the main body and edging
• Purl (p) — used on wrong-side rows to create a smooth stockinette fabric on the right side
• Yarn over (yo) — used both for shaping increases in the main body and for creating the decorative lace holes in the edging
• Knit 2 together (k2tog) — a right-leaning decrease used in the lace edging and for joining the edging to the main body
• Knit 3 together (k3tog) — a double decrease used in the edging to join it to two shawl stitches simultaneously
• Bind off — used within the edging repeat to shape the pointed tips

Shaping and Structure

The main body shaping is elegantly simple: 4 stitches are increased on every right-side row, with yarn overs placed at both outer edges and on either side of the center marker. A garter stitch border of 2 knit stitches is maintained on each side throughout, giving the shawl a tidy, self-finishing edge. The wrong-side rows are worked as knit 2, purl to last 2 stitches, knit 2, keeping the construction straightforward and meditative.

The 4-row lace edging repeat creates a series of small, graceful points along the bottom edge of the shawl. Each repeat of the edging joins one or two stitches from the main body to the edging strip, gradually consuming all remaining live stitches until the edging is complete and all stitches are bound off.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for approximately 375 yards of lace, sock, or fingering weight yarn (also known as 4-ply weight). The sample model was knitted using 1 skein of Valley Yarns Semi-Solid Hand Dyed Sock Yarn, a 100% merino wool yarn available in 100g skeins containing 382 yards