120 Falling Leaves Shawl - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Charlemont

120 Falling Leaves Shawl – Knitting Pattern by Katy Wight in Valley Yarns Charlemont

The 120 Falling Leaves Shawl is a beautifully designed knitted lace shawl created by Katy Wight. Described as a perennially favorite pattern, this design evokes the imagery of a canopy of changing autumn leaves, achieved through the interplay of a simple biasing lace stitch and vibrant hand-dyed colorways. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is suitable for beginner knitters who are ready to explore lace techniques in a straightforward, rewarding project.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a rectangular lace shawl — sometimes worn as a stole or scarf — in two size options. The finished measurements are 8" x 70" for the smaller size and 18" x 70" for the larger size. The elongated, narrow shape makes it highly versatile as both a lightweight wrap and an elegant accessory for any season. The design was originally knit in Valley Yarns Stockbridge but is showcased here in Hand-Dyed Valley Yarns Charlemont, which brings out the leaf-like, autumnal quality of the lace pattern with particular vibrancy.

Techniques Used

• Lace knitting: The central design element is a repeating biasing lace stitch that creates a flowing, leaf-like texture across the fabric. The bias effect means the stitch pattern naturally angles as it grows, contributing to the organic, nature-inspired aesthetic.
• Worked flat (back and forth): The shawl is knitted flat in rows rather than in the round, making it approachable for beginners who are not yet comfortable with circular knitting.
• Seamless construction: There are no seams to sew up at the end, keeping finishing simple and clean.
• Wet blocking: Blocking is an essential finishing step for this pattern. The shawl is thoroughly wetted, gently squeezed, pinned out aggressively on a flat surface, and left to dry. This process opens up the lace pattern fully and stretches the piece to its final dimensions. The use of blocking wires or a length of strong yarn threaded through the edge stitches is recommended to maintain straight, even edges.
• Alternating skeins: When working with hand-dyed yarn, the pattern recommends alternating two skeins every 2 or 4 rows to ensure even color distribution and to avoid pooling or striping from dye lot variations. The unused strand is carried loosely up the side of the work.
• Stitch markers: Placing a stitch marker before each 9-stitch pattern repeat is strongly recommended to make tracking the lace repeat much easier, especially for newer lace knitters.

Stitches Used

• Yarn overs (yo): Used to create the decorative eyelets that form the open, lacy structure of the fabric.
• Knit (k) and Purl (p): The foundation stitches of the pattern. Right-side rows are worked in the lace pattern; all wrong-side rows are purled, keeping the wrong side simple and consistent.
• K2tog (knit two together): A right-leaning decrease used in pairs within the lace repeat to balance the yarn overs and maintain the stitch count while shaping the biasing leaf motif.
• Cast on and bind off: The pattern begins with a cast-on of 37 stitches (small) or 91 stitches (large), followed by a purl row before beginning the 8-row lace repeat. A standard bind-off closes the work.

The 8-row lace repeat (Rows 1–8) is worked continuously until the shawl measures approximately 60" before blocking, with the remaining length achieved through aggressive wet blocking to reach the full 70" finished length.

Materials

The pattern is written for two yarn options:

• Valley Yarns Charlemont Hand Dyed — a luxurious 4-ply weight yarn composed of 60% Fine Superwash Merino / 20% Mulberry Silk / 20% Polyamide, sold in