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): K3, * k1, knit 2 together (k2tog), yarn over (yo), k1, yo, slip slip knit (ssk), k3, k2tog, yo, k3, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k4.
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, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, yo, k3.
Row 7: K3, *k1, yo, ssk, k4, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k4.
Row 9: K3, *k2, yo, ssk, k4, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k4.
Row 11: K3, *k3, yo, ssk, k4, yo, k3tog, yo, k2, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k4.
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
Try Stich mapping to help you see the pattern. Stitchmapping.com
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
It would be clearer if the pattern repeat lines on the chart were staggered, as the actual repeat is. In other words, the text and the chart do not match.
Ex. The first row of the text is k4, k2tog…… The chart reads k3, (start of repeat), k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k3 (end of repeat) leaving 4 st. outside repeat box.
Newer knitters need to be able to see the repeats if they are going by the chart.
Hi Marilyn,
Thanks for reaching out! It looks like there are a few discrepancies between the chart and the written pattern… Thank you for bringing this to our attention and we will be sure to get this sorted as soon as possible!
All the best,
Gianna
I do have a question regarding the Burnish colors and some differences I noticed in the rendering of the pictures. Blue agave looks very pale on the Burnish chart colors but darker/more blue on the wedding shawl pictures. I am interested by the pink pearl color and wondering what is really looks like. Is it a very light pink as on the chart or a bit darker like for blue agave? I want to make sure I am not disappointed if I order it. Thank you!
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for reaching out! Thank you for bringing this to our attention, it looks like the product photos are a bit lighter than the skeins themselves! The Blue Agave is more accurate to the photos above in the Wedding Shawl. The Pink Pearl is more pink, a bit more richer in color! We are going to be re-editing these photos so they are accurate to represent the true colors of the skeins! Thanks again for sharing this with us, it is much appreciated!
All the best,
Gianna
Hi there. I printed out this pattern yesterday and am working on a swatch while waiting for my Pink Pearl Burnish to arrive. In reading the comments – some very recent, there appear to be some discrepancies between the written directions and the chart. In addition, there appears to be a discrepancy between the current written directions for Row 11 and the row directions that Gaby advised was correct in May 2020. Kindly advise whether the glitches in the written pattern and chart have been corrected and whether they are accurate as of December 6, 2020.
Thank you.
Hi Diane,
Thanks for reaching out! Originally the written pattern and chart were the same pattern (if you followed both you’ll get the same result) they were just written using different repeats, but both were correct! Some of our customers found the difference between the two to be a bit confusing so as of November 19, 2020 we re-wrote the written part of the pattern to match the chart! So yes, as of December 6th both chart and pattern are completely accurate and up to date!
I hope you enjoy knitting this shawl!
All the best,
Gianna
Dear Gianna,
Thank you for confirming the accuracy of the pattern. It’s a tricky one that requires paying attention, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. Happy holidays to everyone at Purl Soho.
Diane
Hello everyone
this is such a beautiful pattern, do you think I can use mohair thread with it?
I
Hi Riyam,
Thanks for reaching out! You could certainly use a mohair yarn for this pattern! I do recommend working a gauge swatch whenever using a different yarn than recommended in the pattern to insure that you are consistent or if you will need to make any adjustments!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any other questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
This is such a lovely pattern and the complexity is a great challenge. Does row 5 end is yo and knit 3? I am left with a extra knit stitch at the end. Can you please advise? All the other odd rows end with 4 knit ends in the end except 5. Is that how it’s supposed to be or row 5 is a mistake?
Hi Shaila,
Thanks for reaching out and bringing this to our attention! It is actually correct that you are only knitting 3 stitches at the end of this row instead of 4, however it should say *to last 3 stitches, yo, k3 instead of * to last 4 stitches, yo, k3. So if you are completing the row as written, you should end with the k2tog and have exactly 3 stitches left on the needle so that you can work the yo and then knit the last 3. If you are ending the row with an extra stitch then I believe you may be missing a k2tog or missing passing the slipped stitch over and off the needle leaving you with an extra.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
What would be the best heavier weight yarn to use for this pattern. I am knitting for a winter wedding.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for reaching out! I think this shawl would be lovely in Coorie, Brume or even Season Alpaca! These three should all work with the needle size as is, however I recommend working a gauge swatch prior to beginning!
Warmly,
Gianna
Help! Is it me? I’m about 6 inches or so in and things are going really slowly because every time I get to row 5, I end up with a few extra stitches. What’s happening? It’s me, isn’t it? 🙁
Hi Deb,
Thanks for reaching out! My best guess is that you may be missing one of the k2tog or missing passing the slipped stitch over leaving you with extra stitches. I would write out the row and check off each step as you go so you don’t miss anything!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi Purl Soho! I just finished making the wedding shawl in Pink Pearl for my soon-to-be daughter-in-law. I have to say the shawl is one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever knit. The Burnish yarn is a absolute dream to knit with, and the pattern, although challenging, is stunning. I initially had issues with Rows 5 and 7 so I used a lifeline, which helped immensely. Thanks again for such a great yarn and beautiful pattern.
Hi Diane,
I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the yarn and the pattern! It’s one of my favorite pieces and I love the idea of it in the Pink Pearl! I’m sure your daughter-in-law is going to love such a thoughtful gift!
Warmly,
Kelsey
I would love to try this. In Row 11 there is a k3tog. Is that done the same way as a k2tog?
Thanks.
Hi Phyllis,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes that is correct, you work the k3tog just as you would with a k2tog with the addition of the 3rd stitch!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna