Citrine Shawl in Valley Yarns Huntington - 911 - Downloadable PDF

Citrine Shawl – Pattern Summary for Valley Yarns Huntington (Pattern #911)

The Citrine Shawl, pattern #911, is an original design by Julie Turjoman, crafted exclusively in Valley Yarns Huntington yarn. This is a beautifully structured, wearable accessory — an asymmetrical triangle shawl that measures approximately 18½ inches wide by 84 inches long when blocked. Its generous length makes it ideal for draping and wrapping over the shoulders, dressing up any casual or formal outfit with an elegant interplay of texture and color.

What Is Being Made

The finished object is a large, wearable asymmetrical triangle shawl. Its shape is achieved through strategic decrease shaping along one side, which creates the characteristic asymmetry that sets it apart from a standard rectangular or symmetrical triangular shawl. The combination of a deep lace border and two-color garter stripes gives the piece both visual interest and tactile richness. When worn, the shawl drapes elegantly over the shoulders, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for a wide range of outfits and occasions.

Construction Method and Direction of Knitting

The Citrine Shawl is worked flat — meaning it is knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round, even though circular needles are used. This is a common technique for large shawl projects, as circular needles accommodate the many stitches comfortably without the weight pulling on the work.

Construction begins at the lace border — the widest, most decorative section of the shawl — and progresses toward the narrow tip. This top-down-to-tip approach means the knitter works through the most complex lace section first, then transitions into the rhythmic stripe pattern as the stitch count decreases. Decrease shaping is worked up one side of the shawl to create the asymmetrical triangle silhouette, with a decrease row worked every fourth row throughout the Garter Stripe Field section. The shawl is complete when only 2 stitches remain, which are then bound off using an SKP decrease.

Techniques Used

• Lace knitting: The deep lace border is worked over a 6-repeat, 10-row lace pattern. Lace knitting involves strategic use of yarn overs (yo) paired with decreases to create decorative openwork holes and motifs. This section gives the shawl its ornate, airy lower edge.
• Two-color garter stripes: Once the lace border is complete, the pattern transitions into a 14-row stripe repeat alternating between the two yarn colors. Color A is worked in Stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) for 10 rows, while Color B is worked in Garter stitch (knit every row) for 4 rows. The contrast between the smooth Stockinette and the ridged Garter sections adds textural depth to the stripe pattern.
• Carrying yarn up the side: To avoid excessive yarn ends, the second color is carried loosely up the side of the work when not in use, and worked into the first stitch of the alternate color. This is a clean, efficient technique that keeps the edges tidy and reduces finishing time.
• Decrease shaping: A decrease row is worked every 4th row throughout the Garter Stripe Field to shape the asymmetrical triangle. Decreases include K2tog (knit 2 together), SSK (slip, slip, knit), and SKP (slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over), all standard left- and right-leaning decrease techniques used in shawl shaping.
• Right Twist stitch (1/1 RT): This decorative stitch technique is referenced in the abbreviations, adding a subtle twisted detail within the pattern.
• Worked flat on circular needles: The pattern is knitted back and forth in rows using circular needles, a practical approach for managing a large stitch count.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch — knit every row; creates a ridged, reversible fabric used in the Color B stripe sections