Luxton

Luxton Shawl by Taiga Hilliard Designs

What is Being Made

Luxton is a classic triangular shawl featuring a simple stripe pattern and an engaging construction method. The finished shawl measures 78 inches by 34 inches, making it a versatile accessory suitable for various occasions and styling options. This design combines traditional shawl construction with modern striping techniques for visual interest and depth.

Construction Method

Luxton employs a distinctive top-down construction that begins with a small garter stitch tab. The pattern starts by casting on 3 stitches and working 6 rows in garter stitch, then picking up stitches along the edges to establish the foundation. This method allows knitters to shape the shawl gradually as they work outward, providing flexibility in the final dimensions and making it easier to adjust fit as needed.

The shawl features strategic increases worked on right-side rows using M1R (make one right) and M1L (make one left) techniques, which create symmetrical shaping on either side of marked sections. Stitch markers play an important role in organizing the pattern repeats and keeping increases in the correct positions throughout the project.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Garter stitch – worked on both right and wrong sides, forming the initial tab and edge borders
• Stockinette stitch – created through knit stitches on right-side rows and purl stitches on wrong-side rows in the main body
• M1R and M1L increases – directional increases that maintain clean edges and create balanced shaping
• Purl stitches – used strategically on wrong-side rows to define stitch pattern sections
• Stitch markers – essential for tracking pattern sections and increase placement
• Pick up and knit – used to establish stitches from cast-on edges and tab sides

Stripe Pattern

The shawl features a repeating color-work stripe sequence that alternates between main color (MC) and contrasting color (CC) sections. The stripe pattern is achieved by working multiple rows in one color before switching to the other, creating bold horizontal stripes that progress as the shawl expands. This simple approach to color work requires no complicated stitch techniques, making it accessible to intermediate knitters while providing striking visual results.

Materials Required

This project calls for sport weight yarn in two colors: 310 yards of main color and 310 yards of contrasting color, totaling 620 yards. The pattern specifies Mary Gavans Pepino yarn, which is well-suited to the sport weight category. Knitters will need US size 9 (5.50 mm) needles to achieve the specified gauge of 12 stitches over 4 inches in stockinette stitch.

Skill Level

Luxton is rated as an intermediate difficulty project. While the construction uses fundamental knitting techniques, the combination of increases, stitch markers, color changes, and shaping requires knitters to have solid foundational skills and the ability to follow multi-step pattern instructions. The straightforward stripe pattern and logical increase placement make it an excellent intermediate project for knitters looking to expand their shawl-making experience.