Steadfast

Steadfast Shawl by Danielle Chalson

Project Overview

Steadfast is an intermediate-level knitted shawl designed by Danielle Chalson and published by Hudson + West. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a generous triangular shawl measuring 73 inches (185.5 cm) wide at the neck edge and 26.75 inches (68 cm) deep at center, making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or wearing as a wrap.

What Is Being Made

The Steadfast shawl is a top-down triangular design that begins at the neck and expands outward as you work downward. The finished dimensions and construction method make this an elegant, wearable shawl perfect for both everyday use and special occasions.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several intermediate knitting techniques that add visual interest and textural depth:

• Cable crossings: The pattern incorporates cable stitches, including 1/1 Left Cross (1/1 LC) and 1/1 Right Cross (1/1 RC) techniques, which create twisted rope-like textures throughout the shawl
• Yarn overs: Decorative yarn overs (yo) are used both as lace elements and as shaping increases, creating openwork sections and contributing to the shawl's drape
• Decreases for shaping: Edge decreases using knit 2 together (k2tog) and slip, slip, knit (ssk) techniques control the shawl's expansion and create clean finished edges
• Charted pattern work: The body is worked entirely from charts, requiring the ability to read and follow knitting charts with precision

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Steadfast pattern uses a repeating stitch multiple of 12 stitches, which is worked over multiple row repeats. The stitch guide includes:

• Knit (k) and purl (p) stitches for textural contrast
• Yarn overs (yo) including the decorative technique yo twice for lace elements
• Decreases: k2tog, ssk, and the specialized decrease kfb2yo (knit front and back twice with yarn over)
• Cable crosses: 1/1 LC and 1/1 RC for twisted stitch textures

The pattern is organized into three charted sections: Charts A and B are each 60 rows and are repeated 4 times for a total of 240 rows after the cast-on and setup row. Chart C, the finishing chart, consists of 17 rows that complete the shawl.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

Steadfast is designed for 4-ply weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that provides good stitch definition for both cables and lace elements. The pattern calls for Hudson + West Co. Weld, a fine American yarn blend consisting of 70% U.S. Merino and 30% U.S. Corriedale fiber. The recommended yardage is 200 yards (183 meters) per skein, with 6 skeins required to complete the shawl, totaling approximately 1,200 yards of yarn.

Needles and Gauge

The shawl is worked on US 6 (4.0 mm) circular needles in a 40-inch (101 cm) length for the body. Knitters should adjust needle size as necessary to obtain the correct gauge, ensuring proper fabric drape and finished dimensions. The circular needle format allows for the large number of stitches required as the triangular shawl expands during construction.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate, making it suitable for knitters with experience in reading charts, executing cable stitches, and managing yarn overs and decreases. The combination of charted pattern work, cable techniques, and lace elements requires attention to detail and familiarity with intermediate knitting skills.