Check out this collection of free knitted shawl patterns to wear year round. You’ll find a variety of styles, shapes, knit textures, and yarn weights here. Cast on now!
DISCLAIMER: The following free knitted shawl patterns are not my own designs. If you have a question or concern about the pattern instructions, please reach out to the designer directly. Thank you.
Moorland Faroese Shawl
Here’s a large shawl pattern that features a cheerful color palette in 15 different acrylic yarn colors. Talk about a yarn stash buster project!
Using DK weight yarn, size 6 and size 8 circular knitting needles, this knit shoulder wrap includes a lace gusset, a lace knit border, and shoulder shaping to keep it in place.
This faroese shawl is an intermediate knitting pattern and requires knitting a provisional cast on and attaching a knitting border. You’ll need to know how to pick up stitches for the border, knit a yarn over, make the kfb stitch, knitting decreases, and work a garter tab cast on.
You’ll find written instructions and a knitting chart so you’ll need to be able to read a pattern and/or knitting chart symbols. I’ve included the recommended yarn below as well as a yarn substitute for this shawl pattern.
Get the Moorland Faroese Shawl from Brambles and Bindweed.
Use Stylecraft Special DK Yarn or try Paton's Astra yarn as a substitute for this knitting project.
Nautilo
This easy knit shawl pattern from Fairmount Fibers features short row knitting. Using garter stitch rows and an eyelet knit stitch, you’ll knit flat using size 7 knitting needles. It’s best if you use circular needles for knitting flat to accommodate all your stitches.
Shown here in a DK wool blend variegated yarn, you can also try tonal yarns, heather yarns, or tweed yarns. You could also try using super fine yarn double stranded to create a marled yarn in DK weight. Just be sure to knit a gauge swatch beforehand.
You’ll need to know how to slip a stitch with yarn in back (slip 1 wyib) and basic knitting increases and decreases.
Get Nautilo from Fairmount Fibers.
Try Premier Yarn Colorfusion, Universal Yarn Deluxe Worsted Tweed yarn, or Knit Picks Hawthorne Yarn (held double) for this knitting project.
Shoreline Shawlette
This nautical inspired design features knit eyelets and a striped knit fabric. The lace knit section is easy enough for beginners. The shawlette finishes off with a delicate knit picot bind off.
To make this asymmetrical shawl, you’ll knit flat with aran wool yarn and size 8 circular knitting needles. You’ll need to change yarn colors while knitting, carry yarn up the side for knitting in stripes, and basic knitting decreases and increases. You’ll also need mats to block your knitting, like these, and knit blocking wires to easily open up the lace motif.
Overall, this is an easy knit shawlette pattern that results in a lightweight shawl in an asymmetrical triangle shape. It looks best in solid yarn colors. I've included some yarn alternatives below.
Get Shoreline Shawlette from Knit Picks.
Try Cascade 220 Superwash Aran yarn or Drops Big Merino yarn for this knitting project.
Stormy Sky Shawl
If you’ve been searching for a light and airy mesh shawl pattern, here’s one that purposely drops stitches and asks you to knit loosely. And gauge doesn’t matter. How can you resist?
This honey colored asymmetrical shawl can be your next one skein knitting project, or use two yarn hanks for a larger triangle shawl. It’s adjustable! It uses super fine yarn (fingering) and size 9 knitting needles.
Easy slipped stitches, knits and purls, and yo k2tog increase and decrease combinations make up this lightweight summer shawl. It’ll look great in solid colors, variegated yarn colors, tonal yarn, or just about anything you have in your yarn stash.
Get Stormy Sky Shawl from Life is Cozy.
Try Malabrigo Mechita Yarn, Malabrigo Ultimate Sock, or Lion Brand Mandala Yarn for this knitting project.
Scrappy Bias Shawl
Do you often wonder what to do with yarn scraps of super fine yarn (sock weight)? Or maybe you have a couple of yarn hanks of multi-colored yarns or an assortment of sock yarn mini skeins? This asymmetrical shawl is just the thing for using up your hand dyed yarn stash.
For this light weight shawl, you’ll need approximately two full yarn hanks, or 200 grams of sock weight yarn, and size 6 circular knitting needles. The free knit shawl pattern requires a stretchy cast on, like the long tail, and features garter stitch knitting on the bias.
You’ll need to work the knitting increases on one side to a midpoint, then knitting decreases to taper the triangle shawl. Change yarn colors in your knitting whenever you like! This free shawl knitting pattern includes written instructions and a pattern schematic.
Get the Scrappy Bias Shawl from Ravelry.
Try substituting Knit Picks Hawthorne, Hedgehog Fibres Sock, Manos del Uruguay Alegria, or Malabrigo Sock Yarn for this knitting project.
Cable Edged Shawl
This crescent shaped knitted shawl wrap pattern is a quick knit in medium weight yarn. It features a garter stitch body followed by eyelet knit stitches, an easy knit lace stitch, and a cable knit edge.
You’ll begin this off white shawl with a size 10 knitting needles and a garter tab cast on where you’ll need to pick up and knit stitches. Then, knit in garter stitch while slowly increasing using KFBs (knit front and back).
Later, you’ll cast on stitches at the end of the row to begin the eyelet pattern in your knitting. You’ll finish with the cable knitting pattern, then knit the lace. You’ll need a cable needle for this section, or you can try cabling without a cable needle.
This knitting project is for intermediate knitters. You can knit this cable wrap from the written pattern or knitting from the chart. As you can see, it looks best in solid colors, natural colors, or in undyed wool yarn. This would be a lovely wedding shawl knitting pattern with a medium weight fabric.
Get the Cable Edged Shawl from Plymouth Yarn.
Get Plymouth Yarn Encore or Plymouth Yarn Worsted Merino Superwash for this knitting project.
Tri-Light Kerchief
Even a simple knitting design can be elegant. Take this easy triangle shawl knitting pattern, for example.
Knitted from the top down in easy garter stitch, it features a triangle shaped body, center spine, and a knit lace edge. Designed by Vickie Howell, this knit kerchief pattern uses size 6 circular knitting needles and a DK weight cotton acrylic blend yarn.
Since the pattern’s release, the recommended yarn’s been discontinued, which gives you the opportunity to try a yarn substitute. My recommendations below include a luxury yarn of merino cashmere silk, a cotton blend yarn, and an acrylic DK yarn.
For this triangle shawl knit pattern, you’ll need to cast on a few stitches, knit and purl, and use right and left leaning decreases for the lace knit pattern before binding off.
Get the Tri-Light Kerchief from Ravelry.
Try Premier Cotton Fair Yarn (cotton blend), Sirdar Cashmere Merino Silk Yarn, or Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable Yarn (acrylic).
I hope you enjoyed these free knitted shawl patterns and are inspired to knit your next project. Which one will you choose first? I’d love to hear about it! Drop me a line below.
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