Wedding Shawl In Burnish
Years ago we designed this wrap for that season’s warm-weather weddings. It remains to be seen if weddings will be on the docket this year, but if not, we’ll just have to be happy to wear our Wedding Shawl any old day!
Movie night at home or a walk around the block, this Wedding Shawl adds a layer of beauty. And in our rayon-from-bamboo Burnish, it is definitely elegant, but also as durable as a truck.
We recently added some truly stunning colors to our Burnish collection, including this Blue Agave beauty. A gentle blue-green from the softer side of nature’s spectrum, it’s subtle enough to read as a neutral but interesting enough to put a kick in your step!
Blue Agave or any of Burnish’s other 16 colors, you’ll need just three skeins to cast on for your own Wedding Shawl!
Originally designed for Purl Soho by Whitney Van Nes and updated by Jake Canton.
Materials
- 3 skeins of Purl Soho’s Burnish, 100% rayon made from bamboo. Each skein is 339 yards; approximately 1,014 yards required. We used the color Blue Agave.
- US 5 circular or straight needles
Gauge
20 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
Finished Dimensions: 18 inches wide x 70 inches long
Notes
Stitch Multiple
This pattern works over a multiple of 14 + 7 stitches.
Pattern
Cast on 91 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Knit 4 rows
Set Up Row (wrong side): K2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Work Rows 1-12 of Stitch Pattern (either from Written Instructions or Chart below) until piece measures approximately 70 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 12.
Stitch Pattern: Written Instructions
Row 1 (right side): K4, *knit 2 together (k2tog), yarn over (yo), k1, yo, slip slip knit (ssk), k3, k2tog, yo, k4, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k3.
Row 2 (wrong side) and all following wrong side rows: K2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Row 3: K3, *k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k4, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k4.
Row 5: K2, k2tog, yo, *k5, yo, slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k3.
Row 7: K4, *yo, ssk, k4, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k1, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k3.
Row 9: K5, *yo, ssk, k4, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
Row 11: K6, *yo, ssk, k4, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, repeat from * to last 2 stitches (end the last repeat with a k1), k2.
Stitch Pattern Chart
Start in the bottom right corner of the Chart and work right-side (odd number) rows from right to left, and wrong-side (even number) rows from left to right.
Want to see it bigger? Click here and view the chart as a PDF!
Finishing
Knit 4 rows.
With the right side facing you, bind off as if to knit.
Weave in the ends and block as desired.
PRINT
Please make a PDF format for your patterns. We don’t need to print all the comments or the colors available. Thank you.
Hi Annamarie,
Thank you for writing in! I have a neat trick to share if you’d like to print our patterns without photos… On the upper right section of the post, underneath ‘Buy this Yarn’ and ‘Save to Favorites’, click the ‘Print’ button; in the screen that pops up, the visual of our post is completely editable! Feel free to scroll through the post, hover over photos or blocks of text (they will highlight yellow), and hit the trash can at the left side of the highlighted section to get rid of anything you don’t want to print. Accidentally deleted the wrong part? No problem; simply ‘X’ out of the window and hit the ‘Print’ button again. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
That works nicely – thanks so much for sharing the tip!
The chart seems to be wrong…
Hi Ginny,
Thank you for writing in and pointing this out! We have made the necessary changes to the chart and printable chart PDF, which you can find in their correct form above.
Best,
Gaby
on the chart for the wedding shawl, the even rows are wrong side. so shouldn’t the box with the dot in it on those rows say knit on the wrong side (instead of purl on the right side)?
Hi Susan,
Thank you for reaching out and alerting us to this error! We have made the adjustments to the key which you can find, along with the print-friendly chart PDF, in the correct form above.
Best,
Gaby
Would this pattern be considered advanced or intermediate ?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out! This is a relatively simple lace pattern, as the wrong side rows are almost all purled. I’d say it’s good even for an adventurous beginner! Swatching a repeat of the lace to get the hang of the stitches used is always a great way to get familiar with the pattern and get started before you cast on for a full-sized project. I hope this helps!
Happy Knitting!
Cassandra
I printed the written instructions and I noticed Row 10 is missing. Row 9 is visible then instructions jump to Rows11 & 12. Is there a Row 10? Please clarify. Thanks
Hi Gloria,
Thanks for reaching out! All of the wrong side, even-numbered rows are the same as Row 2: K2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Hope this helps – happy knitting!
Best,
Cassandra
Thank you for providing a larger print option for the chart. It makes is so much easier to use. My eyes are not what they used to be 😉
Thank you, it’s beautiful
If I wanted to make this about 8 inches wider but keep the same length, how much more yarn might I need?
Thanks!
Lizz
Hi Lizz,
Thank you for writing in! A 26″ wide shawl would require about 1,470 yards total, which is about 4.3 skeins of Burnish. I would recommend purchasing 5 skeins for this larger sized project!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Additional question for the 8 inches wider question – what would the cast on number of stitches be to make it that wide?
Thanks
Hi Mackenzie,
Thank you for your reply! The gauge for this pattern in Burnish is 5 stitches = 1 inch, so a 26″ wide wrap would require 130 stitches. However, the stitch pattern also requires your cast-on to be a multiple of 14 stitches + 7, so 133 stitches should give you just a smidge over 26″! I hope this helps!
Best,
Gaby
This pattern is so beautiful and I would really like to make it. I’ve read through the pattern and I think I have enough experience as a new knitter to try this pattern, is there anything I should know that I haven’t thought about? I have been crocheting for over 50 years but I just started knitting last year, I finally found a woman who understood that I needed to know the structure of the stitch in order to understand how to knit.
Thank you so much for the free patterns.
GwenDaleAnn
Hi Gwen,
Thank you for reaching out! As a beginning knitter, I highly recommend working a small swatch in this pattern before jumping into the full project. You want to cast on a multiple of 14 stitches + 7 for your swatch, so 35 stitches should be just fine. If you can handle the swatch then the full pattern should be no problem!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Beautiful shawl! What other yarn can be used for this? I bought the yarn for the botanical lace wrap but not so sure I can accomplish it. Could I use that yarn -sweet grass- for this? Appreciate all your beautiful patterns ☺️
Thanks
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
Thank you for writing in! Unfortunately, as a lace-weight yarn, Sweetgrass Fine would not be a great option for this project. If you are looking for a substitution for Burnish, our new Spectrum Silk would suit this wrap quite nicely. Just make sure you work a gauge swatch!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Thanks for the advice Gaby! What other options in scarf shawl would be for the sweet grass that I already have 2 skeins of?
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
You can expect to see more projects using Sweetgrass Fine in the future, as this is a fairly new yarn for us! Luckily I have a few other lace weight project recommendations for the time-being. The Open Air Wrap would look lovely in this yarn. For a slightly more adventurous project, the Whisper Wrap is knit horizontally but easy to follow once you get going, and the Checkerboard Lace Scarf is a cool and modern take on lace. I hope one of these catches your eye!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
What is the weight of your “Burnish” yarn. I’m wondering if I can use a diff. Purl Soho yarn?
Hi Judith,
Thank you for reaching out with this question! Burnish is a light sport weight yarn, although this lace wrap calls for a gauge of around 5 stitches per inch in the stitch pattern. Our new Spectrum Silk would make a lovely substitution, producing a wrap with a gentle matte finish and a bit more body. Just be sure to work a gauge swatch if you use a different yarn for this project to make sure you’re on gauge. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
On the chart for the wrong side rows it says to purl two together through the back loop or to purl two together, but on the written instructions it says to knit 2 then purl all stitches to the last two. Is it because the wrong side rows are marked differently on the chart? Thanks.
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for writing in! You should be working your decreases on odd (right side) rows. The wrong side information for decrease stitches in the Chart Key is simply accessory since you will not be working those stitches on the wrong side. I hope this helps!
Best,
Gaby
I have never knit with bamboo rayon before. Does it block well? What is the best way to block it?
Hi Merry,
Thanks for writing! We’ve done classic wet blocking with all of our Burnish projects, and they block out beautifully!
Happy Knitting!
Cassandra
Can you explain row 11? I’m using the written instructions and I’m up to my last repeat and I don’t seem to have the correct number of stitches left – thank you!
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you for reaching out! I’m happy to try to figure this out with you! Can you let me know how many stitches short or over you are? Just in case you missed it, the pattern indicates that your final pattern repeat in Row 11 should end with a k1 instead of k5. Looking forward to hearing back!
Best,
Gaby
The count on the written instructions doesn’t seem to make sense. After the last yo I have six stitches left to work.
I have been doing this: K6, *yo, ssk, k4, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, repeat from * K1
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you so much for alerting us to this error! You have been working the pattern exactly right. I’ve made the adjustment to the instructions and you can find the correct pattern in its full form above. For your convenience, I’m also including the corrected Row 11 below:
Row 11: K6, *yo, ssk, k4, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Best,
Gaby
Gabby, the row 11 is still not correct. If in the last repeat you knit 2, then you have 5 stitches left over. Can you please send a correction. There are 14 stitches between the *’s.
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for writing in, and I apologize that we’re having some technical difficulties with this page at the moment! Gaby’s correction in the comment that you are replying to should be correct, although the pattern in the main post is showing our original incorrect Row 11. We’re working on getting this page set right, but in the meantime, if you follow Gaby’s row, it should work out correctly!
All the best,
Julianna
I just ordered the yarn (Rosy Pink) to make this for my future daughter-in-law for their wedding in late summer 2021. Super excited. I was wondering — since the wedding will be outdoors in the mountains of Colorado, it may be cool — I’d love to make her a pair of fingerless mitts to keep her hands warm. The mitts are easy, but I feel like the lace pattern is a bit too large for mitts. Can you suggest how to adapt it to make it smaller? If I went down by half (7) + 7, would that work? Thanks!
Hi Deb,
Thank you for writing in! What an interesting adaptation for this pattern- fingerless mitts sound lovely. Unfortunately re-writing the stitch pattern to be smaller is quite complicated, but I can certainly help you figure out an approximate stitch count for mitts using the current stitch pattern. The gauge for this pattern in Burnish is 5 stitches = 1 inch, so an average female hand (7 inch circumference) would require a cast-on of 35 stitches. The stitch pattern also requires your cast-on to be a multiple of 14 stitches + 7, so 35 should be just right!
I hope this was helpful and happy knitting!
Gaby
Perfect — thanks so much! Math is not my long suit, obviously!!
I’ll send pictures of how they turn out. 🙂
I’m expecting a summer baby and thought this pattern would be beautiful as a baby blanket. Do you think I can double the width and shorten the length to make it a light baby blanket? Or would this be too lightweight?
Hi Jane,
Thanks for asking! I think this would make a lovely summer blanket. Burnish has quite a bit of drape and weight to it, so it wouldn’t be too lightweight at all. It has a lovely cool feel to the touch as well, which makes it great for warmer weather knits!
Happy Knitting!
Cassandra
Thank you!! If I were to double the width and try getting it about a square-ish blanket, would I still require 3 skeins?
Hi Jane!
I think you’d be safer planning for 4 skeins. While it might only need 3, it would be cutting it a bit close. I always err on the side of caution when buying yarn for a project, whenever possible. I hope this helps!
Best,
Cassandra
Would it be possible to make th wedding shawl using a yarn with another fiber combination (linen quill, cotton or a wool silk blend) which is somewhat finer than Burnish? If so, how should the pattern be adjusted? Sometimes I like a pattern but a different yarn and am not sure if the combination would work.
Thank you for your advice.
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for asking about this! The yarns that we have that are most similar to Burnish in texture and weight are Spectrum Silk, Cotton Pure, and Sweetgrass. I think all three of these would be an almost equal substitution, but I would recommend swatching. Linen Quill is very close in weight, but a bit different in construction and would probably look best at a smaller gauge, on smaller needles. The pattern is a multiple of 14 + 7 stitches, so if you wanted to make it larger (or smaller) you’d just need to make sure that your cast on is 14 stitches more (or less) than the recommended cast on of 91. I think all of these options would work out really well, and as I mentioned, the first three yarns I mentioned would need little to no adjustment because of how close they are in weight. I hope this helps – please feel free to reach out if you have any more questions!
Best,
Cassandra
I purchased this yarn specifically for this pattern and I must say it is absolutely stunning!
I do have a problem. This is the third time I am trying to start this project and I just ran into the same problem with the very first yo row. I have all 91 stitches but towards the end of the row I do my final K4 and I only have 2 stitches left on my left needle rather than the 3 the pattern says I should have. I went extra slow this time around to be sure that I followed every direction and yet I ended up with the same result. What am I doing wrong? Is it possible that I should cast on 92 stitches instead? Thanks for the help!
Hi Megan,
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you might be knitting an extra stitch after each yarn over – this is a very common mistake for new lace knitters! When you see a YO in a lace pattern, this simply refers to bringing the yarn to the front of the work and does not include knitting a stitch to complete or secure the yarn over. When you knit the next stitch in the pattern, the yarn will wrap over the top of the needle to complete the yarn over. Our Yarn Over tutorial demonstrates this in more detail!
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
I am considering using the spectrum silk so that I have can have a few more color options. Looks like I will need more skeins of yarn than what is need for Burnish. Are you able to give me an estimate of how many will be needed?
It was mentioned that the turpuose sea in Burnish bleeds. Will that be a problem with any of the darker colors in Spectrum Silk?
Hi Shelby,
Thanks for writing in! This shawl requires 1,014 yards of yarn, so you will need 7 skeins of Spectrum Silk. We haven’t experienced any color bleeding in Spectrum Silk in our testing and sample knitting so I don’t think you have anything to worry about, especially when knitting a single color item like this shawl! If you are concerned, you can always follow our Re-Fixing Dye tutorial to set the dye further before you begin knitting, but for a single color item, I would probably recommend just washing it separately at first in case there is any bleeding.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Thanks so much Julianna. Appreciate you help. Stay safe and thank you for being a blessing.
Hello, I have a question about row #5 – after I k5, yo, and slip 1 knit wise, does the yarn stay in front from the yo as I k2tog, or should I be putting it in back before I knit the 2tog and pass the slipped stitch over? I have been leaving the yarn in front but not sure if this is correct as I’m still quite the beginner. Thank you for your time and help!
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you are working this row correctly! Even though the stitch following the yarn over is a decrease, you should still leave the yarn in the front while you work it so that the yarn wraps over the top of the right-hand needle to create the yarn over, just as you would between two regular knit stitches. As long as your stitch count remains the same after every row, you know that you’re working the stitches correctly!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello. I have three questions An online review mentioned this yarn tends to fray. Is there a correct kind of needle with which to knit Burnish? I am a Continental knitter, not a tight one. Also I have just printed the wedding shawl pattern – are all the corrections mentioned in the comments already in this print out? And last, I like the Blue Agave but I also like the color next to it, Blue Spruce, and wonder whether they would fade well from one into the other or is it better to stay with one color? Is the blue spruce still on the neutral side but just a bit darker? Many thanks for being patient. Nirelle
Hi Nirelle,
Thanks for writing in! It’s not uncommon for slippery plant fiber yarns to tend to split a little while you are knitting! Some knitters find that using a less sharp needle, like original Addi Turbos, will help make sure your needle goes into the stitch and not into the middle of the yarn. No matter what needle you decide to use, slowing down and taking extra care with your stitches until you are used to Burnish should keep things together! This pattern and chart have been fully updated. Blue Agave and Blue Sage share the same lovely undertones, and should work together beautifully! In person, although Blue Sage has a grayish tone, it’s definitely more of a blue-green than a neutral.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I do not understand the set up row in the beginning. I have done lace patterns before and this seems odd. After knitting 4 rows I am looking at a right side NOT a wrong side, so what’s the purpose of set up row its just making everything backwards
Hi Pamela,
Thanks for reaching out! The setup rows create a small border of garter stitch, which helps the scarf lay flat and looks a little tidier on the edges. It might seem odd to start with a purl or wrong side row when you are on an odd-numbered row, but since garter stitch is reversible, there isn’t technically a wrong or right side yet! Once you have gotten past the set-up row and worked the first few rows of the lace pattern, it will be quite easy to see which side is now the right side, making it much easier to stay on track.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna