Akinos

Akinos Shawl by Bérangère Cailliau

What is Being Made

Akinos is a knitted shawl designed by independent designer Bérangère Cailliau. This is a large, rectangular wrap-style shawl measuring 200cm by 45cm, making it a generous accessory suitable for layering and draping. The design uses color blocking and stripe work to create visual interest and structure within the piece.

Techniques Used

This shawl employs several intermediate knitting techniques that create its distinctive appearance. The primary construction method uses garter stitch as the foundational fabric, which creates a reversible, textured surface with horizontal ridges. The design incorporates short rows worked with the wrap and turn technique, which allows the knitter to shape sections of the shawl without casting off and creating separate pieces. These short row sections are strategically placed to add depth and dimension to the finished garment.

The shawl begins with a provisional cast on, a technique that allows live stitches to be picked up later for a seamless, reversible edge. This is paired with an I-cord bind off, which creates a decorative, cord-like finished edge that frames the shawl beautifully. The combination of these techniques ensures both edges are polished and professional.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch: The main stitch throughout, created by knitting every row on both sides
• Knit (k): Basic knit stitch
• Purl (p): Basic purl stitch
• Knit 2 together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used in shaping and the I-cord bind off
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease for balanced shaping
• Knit front and back (kfb): An increase that creates an extra stitch
• Wrap and turn (W&T): The short-row technique that shapes sections without cutting yarn
• I-cord: A tubular cord created by repeatedly knitting three stitches and sliding them back to the needle tip

Materials and Yarn

The Akinos shawl is designed to be worked in fingering weight yarn, which is a fine, delicate yarn weight ideal for creating intricate stitch definition and drape. The pattern calls for approximately 620 meters of fingering weight yarn in the main color. The recommended main yarn is The Uncommon Thread Uncommon Everyday in the colorway plata, requiring 2 skeins (400m per 100g). For color blocking and striping, the pattern incorporates Madelinetosh Unicorn Tails in pop rocks, requiring 2 skeins (approximately 65m total of fingering weight yarn for color 1).

The shawl is worked on 3.5mm (US4) needles for the main fabric, which should be sized to achieve the correct gauge of 22 stitches and 36 rows over 10 by 10 centimeters in garter stitch. Larger 4.5mm (US7) needles are used for specific sections, likely to create intentional gauge changes and texture variation. A 3.5mm crochet hook is required for the provisional cast on technique, along with waste yarn to hold stitches temporarily.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as beginner-friendly, making it accessible to knitters new to shawl construction. While the design incorporates techniques like short rows and provisional cast ons that may be unfamiliar to absolute beginners, the straightforward garter stitch base and clear structure make it an excellent project for developing foundational skills in shaping and finishing techniques.