Woo Hoo!

Woo Hoo! Knitted Shawl by Stella Ackroyd

Project Overview

Woo Hoo! is an intermediate-level knitted shawl design by independent designer Stella Ackroyd. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a generously sized triangular shawl with a sophisticated lace construction. When blocked, the finished shawl measures 163 centimetres (64 inches) across the wingspan with a depth of 82 centimetres (32 inches) at the centre spine, making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or draping.

Yarn and Materials

This shawl is worked using Brooklyn Tweed Loft yarn in a 4-ply weight. The pattern requires 3 skeins of 50 grams each, photographed in the colourway Woodsmoke. An 80-centimetre circular needle in size 4.50mm (US 7) is used for the main body of the shawl, with a smaller 4.00mm (US 6) circular needle required for the initial cast-on.

Knitting Techniques

The Woo Hoo! shawl employs several traditional knitting techniques to create its structure and visual interest. The pattern begins with a garter stitch tab, a common foundation method for top-down shawl construction. The shawl is worked backwards and forwards in rows using the two-needle lace method, allowing for precise control over the lace pattern development. This approach is characteristic of intermediate-level shawl design, requiring knitters to manage increases and directional stitching while maintaining pattern consistency.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The shawl features a lace pattern as its primary design element. Key stitches used throughout the pattern include:

• Knit (K) and purl (P) stitches forming the foundational fabric
• Yarn overs (yo) creating the openwork characteristic of lace knitting
• Make one (m1) increases, worked by picking up the loop lying before the next stitch and knitting into the back of it for a seamless increase
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) decreases, where two stitches are slipped knitwise before being knitted together through the back of the loops
• Pass slipped stitch over (psso) for additional decrease options
• Knit two together through back of loops (K2tog tbl) for directional decreasing

Tension and Sizing

The pattern is designed to be worked at a tension of 16 stitches and 28 rows to 10 centimetres (4 inches) when measured over the lace pattern using a 4.50mm (US 7) circular needle. Achieving the correct tension is essential for this shawl, as the lace pattern and final dimensions depend on consistent stitch and row gauge. The pattern provides a single finished size, with blocking required to achieve the stated wingspan and depth measurements.

Pattern Structure

The shawl construction follows a systematic approach, beginning with a small number of cast-on stitches and increasing throughout the pattern to create the triangular shawl shape. The pattern includes detailed row-by-row instructions with marked stitches to help knitters track their progress through the lace repeats. The use of abbreviations and stitch definitions ensures clarity for intermediate knitters working through the pattern.