Houndstooth Exe

Houndstooth Exe: Two-Color Triangular Shawl

What is Being Made

The Houndstooth Exe is a two-color triangular shawl designed by Dejana Knezevic, perfect for knitters who love classic houndstooth pattern designs. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a generous triangular shawl that measures 60cm (24 inches) from neck to peak and spreads to 150cm (60 inches) when laid flat after blocking. The shawl features a sophisticated two-color colorwork design that showcases the contrast between the main and contrast colors throughout the garment.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Houndstooth Exe is constructed using Fair Isle (stranded) knitting, a traditional colorwork technique that involves carrying two colors of yarn across the back of the work while knitting with one color at a time. This stranded method creates the intricate houndstooth pattern across the entire shawl. Fair Isle knitting requires careful tension management to ensure the carried yarn (floats) remain even and not too tight, which could pucker the fabric. This intermediate-level technique produces a reversible fabric with a professional appearance on both sides, making it ideal for a shawl that may be worn in various ways.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

While specific stitch abbreviations are referenced in the pattern (MC for Main Color and CC for Contrast Color), the primary focus is on the houndstooth colorwork pattern created through the Fair Isle stranded knitting method. The pattern uses standard knit stitches combined with strategic color changes to build the geometric houndstooth design. The triangular construction likely incorporates increases to shape the shawl from the neck edge to the full wingspan, creating the characteristic triangular silhouette.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn Requirements:

• Main Color (MC): 3 skeins of DK weight 100% cotton yarn in black, "Tango" by St. George, Serbia (125m/137yds per 50g skein, totaling approximately 375m/410yds or 150g)
• Contrast Color (CC): 2.5 skeins of DK weight 100% cotton yarn in beige, "Tango" by St. George, Serbia (totaling approximately 320m/350yds or 125g)
• The pattern notes that you can substitute your favorite tightly-stranded DK weight yarn in your chosen colors

Needles and Tools:

• A set of circular needles in US 7 (4.5mm) with a 32-inch (80cm) cord length
• A tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Yarn Weight and Difficulty Level

The Houndstooth Exe is worked in DK weight yarn, a versatile mid-weight that creates a fabric with good drape and structure—ideal for shawlettes and triangular shawls. The pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic knitting techniques and are ready to tackle the Fair Isle stranded colorwork method. The gauge is noted as irrelevant for this pattern, which means the shawl can be adjusted in size by using different yarn weights or needle sizes without affecting the overall design integrity. The stated gauge for reference is 24 stitches and 22 rows over 10x10cm (4x4 inches) when worked in the specified yarn and needles.