Sister syster

Sister Syster Unwind Shawl by Åsa Tricosa

What is Being Made

Sister Syster is an adjustable-size knitted shawl designed by Åsa Tricosa that combines structural integrity with elegant drape. The sample shawl measures approximately 210 cm by 45 cm (82 inches by 18 inches), though the pattern allows for customization. This is a sideways-knit shawl that grows through strategic increases toward the centre before tapering off again, creating a shape that stays in place and moves with the wearer like the bonds of sisterhood.

Design and Construction Techniques

Sister Syster employs a sideways construction method, a popular technique in modern shawl design that allows knitters to build the garment horizontally across the width. This approach provides intuitive rhythm and visual progression as the shawl develops. The pattern incorporates a distinctive structural feature: Sister cables that envelope a textured grid forming the body of the shawl. These cables serve both aesthetic and functional purposes, holding the entire construction together throughout the knitting process until completion.

The shawl begins with an unusual but accessible starting method. The border cable receives a head start before the cable along the top edge joins in a few rows later, creating a methodical and intentional construction sequence that guides the knitter through the pattern with clear progression.

Stitches Used

The pattern features cable stitches as primary design elements, with Sister cables forming the structural framework. The body incorporates a textured grid stitch pattern that provides visual interest and dimension. The main stitch pattern is worked to a tension of 16 stitches by 16 rows over approximately 6.5 cm by 5.5 cm (2½ inches by 2¼ inches). Cable work requires the use of a cable needle to create the characteristic twisted and crossed effects that define this shawl's sophisticated appearance.

Materials and Tools

The suggested yarn is Eden Cottage Milburn in 4ply weight, specifically in the Mustard colorway. This yarn composition features 85% wool and 15% silk, providing both warmth and subtle sheen. The yardage is 199 meters per 50 grams (218 yards per 50 grams), and the pattern calls for 4 skeins to complete the sample shawl size.

Essential tools include a 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle measuring 60 to 80 cm (24 to 32 inches) in length, which accommodates the increasing stitches as the shawl grows. Additional notions required are a cable needle for executing cable stitches and 2 stitch markers to track pattern sections and construction points.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is classified as advanced, reflecting the complexity of cable work and the sideways construction method. While the starting technique is noted as unusual but not difficult, the overall pattern demands solid foundational knitting skills, comfort with reading cable charts, and experience managing increases and decreases in a structured garment. The intuitive rhythm of the pattern supports knitters through the advanced techniques once the initial setup is mastered.