Young Peacock Shawl

Young Peacock Shawl by Soft Audrey

What is Being Made

The Young Peacock Shawl is an intermediate-level knitted shawl designed by Soft Audrey. This crescent-shaped shawl features a finished size of approximately 180cm from left to right and 45cm from top to bottom, making it a generous accessory suitable for draping across the shoulders or wearing as a wrap.

Craft and Project Type

This is a knitting project created from a downloadable PDF pattern. The shawl uses a crescent shawl base construction, which is a popular shawl architecture that begins with a simple foundation and builds outward through strategic increases to create the characteristic curved shape.

Techniques Used

The Young Peacock Shawl employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques:

• Increases worked in pattern throughout the shawl to maintain consistent stitch definition and visual flow
• Yarn overs (yo) to create decorative eyelets and lace elements
• Decreases including knit two together (k2tog) and slip slip knit (ssk) to shape the fabric
• Slip stitches with yarn in front (s1-wyif) for edge definition
• Marker placement and slipping to track pattern repeats and increases

Stitches and Stitch Work

The pattern incorporates a variety of essential knitting stitches worked in combination:

• Knit (k) and purl (p) stitches as the foundational fabric
• Yarn overs (yo) to create lace and texture
• Knit, yarn over, knit (kyok) – a decorative increase worked into the same stitch
• Knit two together (k2tog) – a right-leaning decrease
• Slip slip knit (ssk) – a left-leaning decrease
• Slip marker (sm) and place marker (pm) for pattern management

The shawl is worked in pattern, meaning the stitch pattern continues consistently throughout to create a cohesive design from edge to edge.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: The Young Peacock Shawl is designed to be worked in DK weight yarn. The pattern calls for Bloomsbury DK from The Yarn Collective in three coordinating colors:

• Colour A (Oz): 480m or 200g
• Colour B (Copper): 240m or 100g
• Colour C (Surf): 24m or 10g

The total yardage required is 744m (approximately 310g combined), allowing for a substantial finished piece with generous yardage in the primary color.

Needles: This project requires 4mm (US 6 / UK 8) circular needles measuring 150cm (60 inches) in length. Circular needles of this length accommodate the increasing stitch count as the shawl expands. The pattern also calls for 2 stitch markers to track pattern repeats and increases.

Gauge: The pattern is worked at a gauge of 21 stitches by 26 rows over 10cm (4 inches) when worked in pattern with 4mm needles. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for obtaining the intended finished dimensions.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, the Young Peacock Shawl is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are comfortable working with circular needles, managing multiple stitch markers, and following multi-row pattern repeats. The combination of increases, decreases, yarn overs, and patterned stitches provides an engaging project that builds technical confidence.