Thisaway

Thisaway Knit Shawl by Carissa Browning

What Is Being Made

Thisaway is a triangular knit shawl designed by Carissa Browning and available as a downloadable PDF pattern. This intermediate-level project creates a large, elegant wrap available in four graduated sizes, ranging from a 62-inch span for size 1 up to a 98-inch span for size 4. The shawl features a distinctive construction method and a two-color striped design using contrasting yarn colors that creates visual interest without requiring color changes throughout the knitting process.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

• Size 1: 62-inch span, 28-inch depth
• Size 2: 74-inch span, 33-inch depth
• Size 3: 86-inch span, 39-inch depth
• Size 4: 98-inch span, 44-inch depth

Knitting Techniques Used

Thisaway employs a relaxing and straightforward approach to shawl construction, eliminating several techniques that can intimidate knitters. The pattern features no purling, making it accessible for those who prefer working exclusively with knit stitches. Additionally, there is no grafting required to finish the shawl, and the pattern avoids lengthy cast-on and bind-off sequences that can be tedious on large projects. The color work is simplified—rather than cutting yarn and managing multiple colors throughout, the two-color stripes are achieved through an efficient method that requires no color changes for each stripe. The foundation of the design is built on garter stitch, which creates a textured, reversible fabric that is both forgiving and meditative to knit.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The pattern employs several fundamental knitting increases and decreases to shape the triangular shawl:

• Knit stitch (k): The primary stitch throughout the pattern
• Yarn over (yo): Used to create decorative eyelet increases that add visual interest to the shawl
• Knit into front and back (kfb): A common increase technique that creates one additional stitch from a single stitch
• Knit two together (k2tog): A decrease that combines two stitches into one, used to shape the shawl's edges
• Increase stitch {k1, yo, k1}: A specialized increase worked into a single stitch without dropping it from the left needle, creating two new stitches and adding decorative detail

Materials and Yarn Specifications

Thisaway is designed to be knitted with fingering weight yarn, also known as 4-ply weight. The yardage requirements vary by size: size 1 requires 315 yards each of two contrasting colors, size 2 requires 437 yards each, size 3 requires 590 yards each, and size 4 requires 762 yards each. The pattern is shown in West 7th Wool Hunter's Sock, a high-quality yarn blend containing 70% merino wool and 30% nylon, with approximately 437 yards per 100-gram skein. For size 1, knitters need one skein each in the colors Dorian (A) and Shade Shifter (B). The color placement varies by size: sizes 1 and 3 feature an upside-down Y motif in the center worked in color B, while sizes 2 and 4 feature this same motif in color A.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern calls for size 1 needles (2.25mm). After blocking, the gauge is 24 stitches and 36 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch, which is typical for fingering weight yarn. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements.

Difficulty Level

Thisaway is rated as an intermediate project. While the individual stitches and techniques are relatively simple, the shawl's construction method and the coordination of two colors require some knitting experience. The elimination of purling, grafting, and complex color changes makes this pattern more approachable than many shawl designs, while the unusual construction method adds an element of interest for experienced knitters seeking a new approach.