Peekaboo Shawl

Peekaboo Shawl by Callie Brooks

What is Being Made

The Peekaboo Shawl is a beginner-friendly triangular shawl designed as a one-skein project. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a finished shawl measuring 65 inches by 11 inches, making it an ideal accessory for layering or draping. The design was specifically created to showcase the subtle color variations and tonal qualities of fingering weight yarn, allowing the yarn's natural beauty to become the focal point of the finished piece.

Knitting Techniques Used

This shawl employs fundamental knitting techniques that make it accessible to beginners while still creating visual interest. The pattern utilizes yarn overs to create decorative increases and lace-like elements throughout the design. Knit front and back increases are also incorporated to shape the shawl's growth. The knit through the back loop technique adds textural variation to the fabric. The pattern is highly adaptable, allowing knitters to add as many repeats of each section as desired, making it flexible for different yarn quantities or desired finished sizes.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Peekaboo Shawl is primarily constructed using garter stitch, which is created by knitting every row. This foundational stitch provides a reversible, textured fabric that works beautifully with tonal yarns. The pattern incorporates the following key stitches:

• Yarn over (YO) – creates decorative holes and increases
• Knit front and back (KFB) – a simple increase technique
• Knit through the back loop (KTBL) – adds subtle texture variation
• Garter stitch – the primary fabric structure

The pattern begins with a cast-on of 5 stitches and expands through strategic increases worked on both right-side and wrong-side rows, creating a triangular silhouette.

Materials and Tools

The Peekaboo Shawl requires minimal materials, making it an economical project. Knitters will need 1 skein of fingering weight yarn, approximately 445 yards in total yardage. The pattern was designed with tonal yarns in mind to showcase subtle color shifts; the designer used Manos del Uruguay Alegría in the Cactus Flower colorway for the original sample. US size 4 (3.5mm) circular knitting needles are required for construction. The recommended gauge is 24 rows and 20 stitches over 4 inches in garter stitch, though the designer notes this gauge is not critical for the pattern. Needle size may be adjusted up or down depending on individual gauge and desired drape.