Rohan

Rohan Wrapped Fair Isle Shawl by Susan Pandorf

What Is Being Made

The Rohan is a wrapped Fair Isle shawl measuring 84 inches wide by 25 inches deep. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a substantial triangular or crescent-shaped shawl inspired by the kingdom of Rohan from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King. The design captures the heraldic colors of Rohan—the White Horse upon Green—through its Fair Isle colorwork, making it both a wearable garment and a literary tribute.

Techniques Used

This shawl employs Fair Isle knitting, a traditional colorwork technique that carries multiple colors across rows to create intricate patterned designs. Fair Isle work requires managing two or more colors simultaneously, stranding yarn across the back of the fabric to maintain consistent tension and prevent loose floats. The wrapped construction method allows the shawl to drape elegantly while the Fair Isle pattern remains visible from both sides. This technique is ideal for creating visual interest and depth in large garments like shawls.

Stitches and Construction

The pattern is worked using standard knit and purl stitches combined in Fair Isle colorwork sequences. Gauge is 8 stitches per 1 inch, which creates a fabric with good drape suitable for a shawl's intended use. The pattern requires both circular needles (42 inches) for working larger sections and double-pointed needles for smaller circumferences as stitches decrease, a common construction method for top-down or center-out shawl designs.

Materials Required

• Yarn: 16 balls of KnitPicks Palette in four colorways: 5 balls verdant heather (green), 5 balls cornmeal (yellow), 3 balls currant (dark red), and 3 balls autumn heather (light red)
• Needles: US size 3 circular needles (42 inches) and US size 3 double-pointed needles

KnitPicks Palette is a worsted-weight wool yarn, providing durability and elasticity ideal for Fair Isle colorwork where tension control is essential. The color palette—greens, yellows, and reds—evokes the natural landscape and heraldic imagery of Rohan, with the combination of verdant and autumn heathers creating depth and visual complexity in the Fair Isle pattern.