Capitol Hill Shawl

Capitol Hill Shawl

What is Being Made

The Capitol Hill Shawl is a triangular knitted shawl designed by Pat Brunner with Kerry Graber. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a generous wrap with a finished wingspan of 56 inches (142.2 cm) and a depth of 21.5 inches (54.6 cm) at its widest point. The shawl is worked in a lace pattern and features a two-color construction, combining a main color with a contrasting color for visual interest and design definition.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Capitol Hill Shawl employs several essential knitting techniques that intermediate knitters will encounter and develop through this project:

• Increasing — Used to shape the triangular silhouette and expand the shawl from its starting point to its full wingspan
• Decreasing — Applied to create shaping and texture throughout the lace pattern
• Yarn-overs — A fundamental lace-making technique that creates the decorative openwork characteristic of shawl designs
• Picking up and knitting stitches — Used to transition between sections or add new areas of the design
• Working from a lace chart — The pattern is presented as a lace chart without written row-by-row directions, requiring knitters to read and interpret charted symbols rather than following written instructions

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Capitol Hill Shawl incorporates lace stitching as its primary design element. The lace pattern is communicated through a chart format, which is a standard method for presenting complex stitch patterns in shawl designs. The combination of yarn-overs, decreases, and increases creates the openwork lace fabric that defines this shawl's aesthetic and drape.

Yarn and Materials

This shawl is designed to be worked in 4-ply fingering weight yarn. The pattern calls for Jorstad Creek Orcas, a high-twist single-ply yarn composed of 100% superwash merino wool. Each full skein contains 400 yards (365 meters) and weighs 3.3 ounces (93 grams). The Capitol Hill Shawl requires 2 full skeins of the main color and 1 full skein plus 1 half skein of a contrasting color, for a total yardage of approximately 1,200 yards. The sample shown features Sonya's Red as the main color paired with Medium Grey as the contrasting color. The superwash treatment makes this yarn practical for easy care, while the high-twist construction provides durability and stitch definition in the lace pattern.

Designer Information

The Capitol Hill Shawl was designed by Pat Brunner (also known as Patknitter) in collaboration with Kerry Graber. Pat Brunner is a long-time member of the Seattle Knitter's Guild and has been instrumental in organizing the Fort Worden Retreat in Port Townsend, Washington, a renowned gathering for knitters. Though she no longer leads the retreat, Pat remains an active participant and is known for sharing her designs with the knitting community. Her work emphasizes inspiring knitters to take their own creative path with patterns and techniques.