Merlot

Merlot Knit Shawl by Hanks And Needles

What Is Being Made

The Merlot is a delicate knit shawl designed by Makenzie Alvarez of Hanks And Needles. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a finished shawl measuring 62 inches by 36 inches (157.5 cm by 91.5 cm). The design features a sophisticated interplay between intricate cable textures and refined stitch work, creating visual balance reminiscent of the complexity found in fine wine.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The Merlot shawl employs advanced cable knitting techniques combined with fundamental knitting operations. The pattern utilizes a variety of essential stitches and abbreviations to create its textured design:

• Cast On (CO) - The foundation technique for beginning the shawl
• Knit (K) - Basic knit stitch forming the primary fabric structure
• Purl (P) - Purl stitch used to create textural contrast
• Cable techniques - Delicate cable patterns that form the central design element, requiring a cable needle to cross stitches and create twisted, dimensional effects
• Decreases - K2tog (knit 2 stitches together for single decreases) and K4tog (knit 4 stitches together for multiple decreases) to shape the shawl
• Increases - M1 (make 1 stitch) and m1pwise (make 1 stitch purlwise) to add stitches and expand the shawl dimensions
• Purl increases - p1f&b (purl 1 in front and back of the same stitch) for additional stitch creation options

Materials and Tools Required

The Merlot shawl is worked in Machete Shoppe Simple Sock, a 4 ply fingering weight yarn composed of 75% Superwash Merino and 25% Nylon. This yarn blend provides durability and easy care while maintaining the delicate drape essential for shawl work. The pattern requires 463 yards (423 meters) of yarn, totaling 3.5 ounces (100 grams), which equals 3 hanks of yarn.

Essential knitting tools include a US3 (3.25mm) circular needle measuring at least 32 inches (80 cm) in length to accommodate the increasing stitch count throughout the pattern. Additional supplies include a cable needle for executing cable crosses, optional stitch markers to track cable sections, and a tapestry needle for weaving in finished ends.

Skill Level and Pattern Format

While the product attributes indicate an advanced difficulty level, the pattern itself is marked as intermediate skill level, making it accessible to knitters with solid foundational knowledge who are ready to tackle cable work. The Merlot is available as a downloadable PDF pattern, allowing immediate access upon purchase for digital crafting reference.