Berroco Moonstone PDF

Berroco Moonstone Shawl Knitting Pattern by Brenda York

The Berroco Moonstone is a beautifully designed rectangular lace shawl created by Brenda York and published by Berroco. Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces an elegant, elongated shawl with a striking repeating lace motif that is equally at home draped over the shoulders for a casual look or worn as a refined accessory for special occasions.

What Is Being Made

The finished piece is a rectangular shawl measuring approximately 15 inches wide by 70 inches long (38 cm x 178 cm). Its generous length makes it versatile for wrapping, draping, or wearing in a variety of styles. The shawl is worked as a single flat piece, seamless from cast-on to bind-off, with a clean, simple border and an intricate lace body that showcases the yarn's drape and texture beautifully after blocking.

Techniques Used

• Worked flat: The shawl is knitted flat, back and forth in rows, making it accessible for knitters who prefer straight or circular needles used in a traditional flat construction.
• Seamless construction: There are no seams to sew at finishing, keeping the project straightforward and the fabric uninterrupted.
• Lace knitting: The body of the shawl features a 32-row repeating lace pattern that alternates between two complementary lace arrangements, creating a rhythmic, visually dynamic texture across the full length of the piece.
• Blocking: Blocking is an essential finishing step for this pattern. The gauge given — 26 stitches and 36 rows to 4 inches in Pattern Stitch — is measured after blocking, which opens up the lace motifs and allows the shawl to reach its full intended dimensions.

Stitches Used

The pattern stitch is built on a foundation of classic knitting techniques combined with lace-specific decreases and yarn-overs. Key stitches and techniques include:

• Knit and purl: All wrong-side rows are purled, while right-side rows alternate between plain knit rows and lace rows, creating a smooth stockinette base that highlights the lace design.
• Yarn-overs (yo): Used extensively to create the open, airy holes that define the lace pattern. Multiple consecutive yarn-overs appear in each lace row to build decorative eyelets.
• SSK (slip, slip, knit): A left-leaning decrease used in pairs within the lace repeat to shape the diagonal lines of the motif.
• K2tog (knit 2 together): A right-leaning decrease, also used in pairs, that mirrors the SSK decreases and balances the lace motif symmetrically.
• CDD (central double decrease): A centered double decrease that removes two stitches at once and creates a strong vertical line at the heart of each lace repeat, giving the pattern its distinctive pointed, wave-like character.
• Cast-on and bind-off: The shawl begins with a cast-on of 97 stitches and is finished with a standard bind-off after the final border rows.

The lace repeat itself is 32 rows long, with plain knit right-side rows interspersed between the lace rows to provide visual rhythm and structural stability. Rows 4, 8, 12, and 16 feature one arrangement of the lace motif, while rows 20, 24, 28, and 32 feature a mirrored variation, giving the overall fabric a sense of movement and flow.

Materials: Yarn, Needles, and Notions

The pattern calls for Berroco Vivo, a DK weight yarn, in colorway #3525 Bloom. A total of 3 balls (100 grams each) are required to complete the shawl. Berroco Vivo is a smooth, drapey yarn well suited to lace knitting, allowing the open stitch work to bloom beautifully after blocking.

• Needles: Size US 6 / 4 mm