Emi's Shawl

Emi's Shawl by Lesley Robinson

What Is Being Made

Emi's Shawl is a symmetrical triangle shawl featuring bold graphic color blocking. This intermediate-level knitting project offers two sizing options: a Small version with a 62-inch wingspan and 27-inch depth, or a Large version with a 77-inch wingspan and 37-inch depth (measurements taken after blocking). The shawl is named after Emilie of EmiB yarns, an independent dyer and trusted test knitter, celebrating the designer's collaboration with indie dyers and their distinctive color palettes.

Techniques and Construction

This shawl employs a sophisticated combination of knitting techniques to build visual interest and texture throughout the design. The construction utilizes garter stitch as a foundational element, which creates a reversible, textured fabric with horizontal ridges. The designer incorporates slipped stitches to add definition and create sharper color transitions between the blocked sections. Most notably, the shawl features two-color brioche knitting, an advanced technique that creates a luxuriously textured, elastic fabric by working with yarn overs and slipped stitches in two colors simultaneously. This combination of techniques produces engaging surface textures while maintaining the clean graphic lines of the color-blocked design.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch
• Slipped stitches
• Two-color brioche

Materials and Yarn

Emi's Shawl is designed for fingering or sock weight yarn, requiring a total yardage of 795 yards for the Small size or 1,200 yards for the Large size. The pattern calls for three complementary colors of yarn, distributed as follows: Color A (180 yards for Small / 280 yards for Large), Color B (315 yards for Small / 490 yards for Large), and Color C (300 yards for Small / 430 yards for Large). The pattern encourages creative color selection and is ideal for stash busting or using leftover yarns, as there are no strict color rules—knitters simply need three skeins in complementary colors. Standard knitting needles appropriate for fingering-weight yarn are required.