Manta

Manta Shawl by Kelly Spenhoff

Project Overview

Manta is a knitted shawl design by Kelly Spenhoff featuring a generous square silhouette. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished shawl measuring approximately 38 inches (96.5 centimeters) square, making it a versatile wrap suitable for layering and everyday wear.

Craft and Technique

This project is executed entirely through knitting, a fundamental fiber arts technique that builds fabric by interlocking loops of yarn with needles. The Manta shawl incorporates several intermediate-level knitting skills that add visual interest and texture to the finished piece.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern requires proficiency with the following stitches and techniques:

• Yarn over (yo) — a technique that creates decorative eyelet holes and increases stitches by wrapping yarn around the needle
• Knit 2 together (k2tog) — a left-leaning decrease that reduces stitch count and creates shaping
• Knit through the back loop (ktbl) — a variation that twists stitches for textural effect
• Purl through the back loop (ptbl) — the reverse of ktbl, adding dimensional texture

Fleck Stitch Pattern

The primary stitch pattern used in the Manta shawl is the fleck stitch, which works over a multiple of 4 stitches. This four-row repeat creates subtle texture and visual interest:

• Row 1: Knit all stitches
• Row 2: Purl all stitches
• Row 3: Purl 1 stitch, then knit 3 stitches, repeating this sequence to the end of the row
• Row 4: Purl all stitches

The fleck stitch pattern is worked at a gauge of 17 stitches and 19 rows per 4 inches (2.5 centimeters) when measured in stockinette stitch.

Materials and Tools

Yarn Requirements

The Manta shawl uses three distinct yarn colors in worsted weight yarn, a medium-weight classification ideal for creating structured, durable fabric:

• Color A: Patons Classic Wool Worsted in Coral — 240 yards (220 meters) from a 210-yard/100-gram skein
• Color B: Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in Oatmeal — 450 yards (412 meters) from a 465-yard/227-gram skein
• Color C: Patons Classic Wool Worsted in Natural Heather — 340 yards (311 meters) from a 210-yard/100-gram skein

The combination of these three worsted weight yarns creates a colorwork composition with approximately 1,030 total yards (943 meters) of yarn needed for completion.

Needles and Notions

• Needles: US size 9 circular needles, minimum 40 inches (100 centimeters) in length to accommodate the increasing stitch count as the shawl grows
• Notions: 5 stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping points, and a yarn needle for weaving in ends upon completion

Skill Level

The Manta shawl is classified as an intermediate-difficulty project, appropriate for knitters who have mastered basic knit and purl stitches and are ready to work with decreases, yarn overs, and twisted stitch variations. The pattern requires attention to stitch markers and the ability to track a four-row repeat while managing multiple yarn colors.