Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay Knit Shawl Pattern

What Is Being Made

Glacier Bay is an intermediate-level knit shawl pattern designed by Hilary Designs and published in 2013. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a distinctive "wind sail" shaped shawl that features elegant draping and a finished blocked size of 26 inches by 68 inches. The design showcases a combination of stockinette stitch sections with integrated lace work, making it an ideal project for knitters looking to develop their skills in shaping and lacework techniques.

Techniques Used

The Glacier Bay shawl employs several fundamental knitting techniques to achieve its signature shape and aesthetic. The pattern uses increases throughout the setup and body sections to create the gradual expansion necessary for the wind sail silhouette. Yarn overs (yo) are incorporated into the lace sections to create decorative openwork and contribute to the shawl's drape. Decreases such as slip, slip, knit (ssk) are paired with yarn overs to maintain stitch count while creating the lace pattern. The shawl is worked in the round using circular needles, which allows for seamless construction and even distribution of stitches across the width of the garment.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch: The primary stitch used throughout the main body sections, created by alternating knit and purl rows when working flat or knit rounds and purl rounds when working in the round
• Garter Stitch: Used in edge stitches to create a finished selvage and structural stability
• Yarn Overs (yo): Creates decorative holes and increases in the lace sections
• Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease used to pair with yarn overs in the lace pattern
• Knit Front and Back (Kf&b): An increase technique used in the setup rows to establish the initial shaping

Materials and Tools

The Glacier Bay pattern requires 460 yards of fingering weight yarn for the main color, with Twisted Knitter merino superwash recommended as the primary option. An additional 420 yards of fingering weight yarn is needed for the contrasting color, with Ellen Cooper's Yarn Sonnets Zohar's socks suggested as the designer's choice. Knitters may substitute any fingering weight yarn of comparable yardage and fiber content. The pattern calls for Size 6 circular needles in both 24-inch and 40-inch lengths to accommodate the expanding stitch count as the shawl grows. Additional tools include removable stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends after blocking. The recommended gauge is 5 stitches per 1 inch in stockinette stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Pattern Structure

The Glacier Bay shawl follows a methodical construction process beginning with a setup phase that establishes the foundation. The pattern uses a color abbreviation system with MC indicating the main color and CC indicating the second color. Notably, the main color is also used throughout the lace sections, so knitters must ensure sufficient yardage is available for both the stockinette and lace portions. The body of the pattern is organized into distinct row sequences that are repeated in specific intervals, with some rows worked multiple times to build the shawl's width and others worked once to introduce lace elements. This structured approach makes the pattern accessible to intermediate knitters while providing visual interest through the combination of solid and openwork sections.