Simple Yet Dramatic Shawl Scarf Is Easy to Make

Are you like me and just love the shawls worn in the front as a scarf? They are actually really easy to make and are suitable for a beginner. They are worked flat and only require knowing how to knit, purl, and make an increase.

Once you get your feet wet making a simple yet dramatic shawl you will be ready to face a more complicated pattern but for now, this is a great project to start.


This shawl is made with a lightweight yarn and over-sized needles (15). It's just a basic stockinette with a garter stitch border. Because of the large knitting needles it works up fairly quickly. I added the fringe and it was so light that it floated in every direction so I added a large seed bead at the end of every section of fringe to weight it down.

It's a simple pattern. Cast on 3 stitches and make an increase at both ends of every other row. For this one I did a yarn over after garter edge was established. First work in garter until you have the number of stitches necessary for garter border. So, if you want 5 stitches on each side, cast on 3 stitches, KFB (knit front and back of same stitch), K1, KFB, knit a row, Continue until you have 11 stitches then K5, YO, K1, YO, K5, turn knit 5, purl 3, knit 5, Turn. K5, YO, K3, YO, K5, turn. K5, P5, K5. turn K5, YO, K5, YO, K5 turn K5, P7, K5. It's just a matter of knitting the 5 st border, doing a YO, knitting the stitches up to the 5 st border on other end, doing a YO, knitting the 5 st border, turning, knitting the 5 stitch border, purling the stitches between borders, and knitting the 5 st border at the end of the row. Continue until it's the desired length.

I used almost 1 1/2 skeins of a lightweight alpaca blend for this shawl scarf. It's very warm and looks amazing.

I used Berroco Andean Mist. There's 164 yds (150m) in each skein. I expected to fully use both skeins but stopped a bit early so that I'd have enough for fringe. Next time I would cut off the strands I needed for fringe ahead of time and use up the second skein in the making of the shawl.

I should call this Angel Shawl or Cloud Shawl because the fringe floated everywhere before I added the beads. Winters get so dry. But I think the shawl scarf is even more a fall or spring accessory. Oh, I use them in the winter also, but they are just right to take the edge off on a brisk spring morning or crisp fall evening. And then they're visible instead of tucked inside a warm winter coat.