Top 3 Simple Shawl Patterns

Knitting was one of the top hobbies that some people worked on during their time in lockdown due to the current COVID pandemic. The other hobby was exercise. But while I have been knitting since 2017, I branched out into shawls when I moved to Saint Augustine in 2018. I learned pretty quickly that North Florida does get colder. Shawls are the best thing you could ask for when working downtown by the water.

I am working on knitting for money on the side or for therapy. I have a website set up through Wix and a local online shop through the new platform Ko-Fi. Hopefully, I can get a booth at a local artisan market within budget since my budget is currently straining to the limit with family planning projects and prenatal appointments.

I plan to charge anywhere from $20-$80 per shawl pattern and yarn usage since I pretty much spent about $1,200 or so buying all the yarn at clearance or thrift stores before all the craft stores could no longer put their yarn products on clearance. I'm still banned from thrift stores unless my husband is there to supervise me checking out the yarn selections.

Here are the top three patterns that I use for shawls anyone from knitting know-it-all to beginner knitters can learn:

Simple Cresent Shawl Pattern:

Marly Bird has a Youtube account that offers videos and how-to tutorials for many of the Red Heart yarn products she makes. This shawl pattern comes in two separate videos: starting the shawl and the double yarn loops. You will begin your double yarn loops at roughly 46 eyelets along the border of this project.

For the project you need:

Pattern Instructions:

You can make this pattern as long or as short as you like. I stick with the preferred length choice since it is an accessory piece. These I offer for about $20 because it takes only a week to make.

Simple Triangle Shawl

Another Marly Bird video, but this video is only one part, and she goes over the entire process. This beautiful shawl pattern works on the Ombre option Marly uses in the video or other solids and variegated yarns. I have made a Neapolitan Ice Cream Colored one before, it didn't turn out too bad, and now I am addicted to this pattern.

I will be charging around $35 for this particular shawl. You will need to iron and press the finished project flat on an ironing board or your carpet. You should highly avoid ironing pieces of yarn, like larger yarns which have extra fluff coming off, in case of fire. Always use a steamer or steaming option for a type of yarn with extra fluffy bits and a cold iron because they press better.

For the project you need:

1. Around 482 yards of yarn (Red Heart Ombre or any solid and variegated yarn will do, about 500 yards or so; the rest is perfect for basic dishcloths, they make a wonderful housewarming gift!)
2. A yarn needle
3. Stitch markers-they make the single spine effect located on the pattern.
4. Circular knitting needles in the correct size to work the yarn.
5. An ironing board to press shawl flat around edges and an iron or clothes steamer for smoothing out those curled edges once you bind off the project.

Pattern Instructions:

1. Cast on five stitches.
2. K1, yo, k1, yo, place marker, k1, place marker, yo, k1, yo, k1 – 9 sts.
3. Knit all the way across
4. K1, yo, knit to marker, yo, slip marker, k1, slip marker, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1 – 13 sts.
5. Knit all the way across; Repeat those last two rows until you have about twenty-five stitches total before beginning the stockinette eyelet pattern that makes up the majority of this shawl project.
6. K1, yo, knit to marker, yo, slip marker, k1, slip marker, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1 – 29 sts.
7. K1, purl to last st, k1; Repeat these next two rows two more times (6 rows).
8. K1, yo, k1, [yo, k2tog] to marker, yo, slip marker, k1, slip marker, [yo, k2tog] to last two sts, yo, k1, yo, k1 – 41 sts.
9. K1, purl to last st, k1
10. Repeat the stockinette eyelet pattern for about fifteen rows before finishing off the end of the shawl. End with K1, yo, knit to marker, yo, slip marker, k1, slip marker, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1
11. Knit across on the wrong side of the shawl
12. K1, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1 – 271 sts.
13. Bind off either stretchy or normal. Normal bind off is knitting one stitch, slipping the other onto the needle, then knitting through both stitches and repeat. You can also use the slip, slip knit way to bind off this shawl. Slip two stitches onto your right needle, thread the left needle through the other side, knit both stitches together and you have one stitch left on your right needle.

The edges will curl on this project which is why you can pin down the shawl and spray with water to let it dry or you can take a hot iron and smooth out the edges. The best option is to use a clothing steamer and cold iron because it won't flatten out the pattern and your edges can be left to dry without any worry. Any leftover scraps can be saved up for a beanie, scarf, or those wonderful dishcloths you can make for housewarming gifts.

Simple Hoodie Shawl

This pattern does not come with a video, but if you already know how to do double yarn overs and use stitch markers, then this project will be easy.

The ball of yarn you pick depends on size and length. 612 is the smallest yard length of yarn and it makes small hoodie shawls, the largest is 768. I will be charging between $65-80 for these shawls and hoodie shawl sets that come with a knitted scarf of a matching color.

For this project, you need:

1. Any yarn choice you would like between 612-768 yards. If you want to make it a set, go with over 1,000 yards because you have about 300 yards or so for a six-foot scarf that can be a great accessory.
2. A yarn needle
3. Possibly an iron and clothing steamer

Pattern Instructions:

1. Cast on three stitches
2. K1, place marker, k1, place marker, k1
3. Knit to marker, double yo, slip marker, k1tbl, slip marker, double yo, knit to end – 2 sts increased.
4. Knit to marker, k1 into double yo, slip marker, p1, slip marker, k1 into double yo, knit to end. Repeat Rows 1 and 2, 11 more times (13 garter ridges).
5. K1, *yo, k2tog; repeat from * to marker, slip marker, K1tbl, slip marker, *K2tog, yo; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
6. Knit to marker, slip marker, p1, slip marker, knit to end; Repeat the last four rows five times total for the body of the shawl. For the hood of the shawl, repeat the first 2 rows that make up the body until you have 2" from the section of the hood.
7. K1, M1 (Lift strand between needles to left-hand needle and knit strand through the back loop, twisting it to prevent a hole), knit to 2 stitches before marker, ssk, double yo, slip marker, k1tbl, slip marker, double yo, k2tog, knit to last stitch, M1, k1 – 2 sts increased (1 at each edge).
8. K1, M1, knit to 3 stitches before marker, ssk, k1, slip marker, p1, slip marker, k1, k2tog, knit to the last stitch, M1, k1 (1 st increased at each edge, 1 st decreased along each side of the spine). Repeat the last two rows until the Hood section measures 6" (15 cm). Loosely bind off all stitches.

There is an option to add fringe to the shawl. If the edges curl just use a clothing steamer and a cold iron to flatten out the edges.

Enjoy these shawls in the comfort of your own home or at the office you are back at work from the pandemic. They're great for night-outs or just kicking back with that big cup of coffee in the morning. If you are breastfeeding, you can make them larger to act as a cover so you can feed your baby without those judgemental eyes staring at you all the time.

Remember to check out my Ko-Fi page under the name Hobby Therapy Knitwear. I'll try to post more pictures to my Ko-Fi store and gallery. Hopefully, I will have a booth at a local artisan market by the end of the year or next year towards October.