Pirouette Shawl
A reeling dance of colorful triangles, our Pirouette Shawl pattern puts the riveting colors of Linen Quill Minis on center stage! Now available in 20-Color Bundles, explore the lively Full Bloom palette we used here, as well as our serene Beach Walk Bundle… Both are en pointe!
You’ll knit your Pirouette Shawl in one piece, joining each new triangle to its fellows as you go… That means no seaming, and you’ll even work in most of the ends as you knit! A detailed diagram and step-by-step videos in the pattern make it easy to see where and how to attach the next triangle. All you need to know is the very basics of knitting and how to pick up and knit stitches, and even if you don’t, we have tutorials for all of it!
Each triangle is small and quick to knit, a little snack that you can easily finish in one sitting. But you’ll surely find yourself casting on for “just one more,” if only to see how that next joyful color looks with the others.
We designed the Pirouette Shawl especially for our 25-gram Linen Quill Minis, giving each spectacular color a moment in the spotlight, like a corps de ballet spinning across the stage one by one. Our new 20-Color Bundles include the perfect amount of yarn for a beautiful shawl, while our original 40-Color Bundle still makes amazing blankets.
We’re thrilled to bring you two exciting palettes for the 20-Color Bundles, each with brand-new colors never before seen in Linen Quill! The Full Bloom palette we used here calls to mind a bountiful garden in peak season, and be sure to check out our Quaking Aspen Wrap pattern to see the hushed Beach Walk palette. Either bundle works for either project!
Fingering-weight Linen Quill is one of our most popular yarns for good reason, and it brings serious beauty to these super fun Minis. A mix of 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen results in a yarn that’s springy, soft, and a little bit rustic, with incredible depth in each mesmerizing color.
You’ll have so much fun knitting the twirling triangles of the Pirouette Shawl! Cast on with our Linen Quill Minis 20-Color Bundle, in Full Bloom for a riotous exploration of color or in Beach Walk for a meditative stroll.
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. See even more of Hiromi’s work on her Instagram!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoPirouetteShawl, and #PurlSohoLinenQuill. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 1 of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill Minis 20-Color bundle, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. Each bundle of this fingering-weight yarn is approximately 2,180 yards/ 500 grams; approximately 1380 total yards required. We used the Full Bloom bundle.
- US 4 (3.5 mm), 16-inch circular knitting needles
- A removable stitch marker or scrap yarn
GAUGE
28 stitches and 38 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZE
- Finished Length of Each Short Side: 35½ inches
- Finished Wingspan: 61½ inches along the fold
- Finished Depth: 35½ inches (17¾ inches when folded in half)
NOTES
CONSTRUCTION
You will work this shawl in one piece by picking up and joining triangles as you go. You will work the central column of triangles first, then work all the columns to the right, joining every other triangle to the adjacent row as you go and finishing with the right corner triangle. You will do the same for all the columns to the left. No sewing and weave in most tails as you work!
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
COLOR ORDER CHART
We came up with Color Order Charts for both palettes of the Linen Quill Minis 20-Color Bundle! If you want to make your Pirouette Wrap just like ours, follow along with the Color Order Chart for the Full Bloom palette (cross referencing it with the Triangle Order Diagram below).
Full Bloom Palette
Beach Walk Palette
Or, to plan your own color order, use the printable chart above!
WEAVING IN TAILS AS YOU GO
To spare yourself weaving in dozens and dozens of tails, we recommend knitting them in whenever you pick up stitches (unless noted in the pattern not to). Here’s how…
Bring the tails over the working yarn at the wrong side of the work and knit the next stitch (“trapping” the tails with the working yarn), then drop the tails and knit the next stitch as normal. Continue knitting in tails every other stitch for an inch or two. See this maneuver in action in the videos below!
PICKING UP STITCHES
For more in-depth help with exactly how to pick up and knit stitches, visit our Picking Up Stitches Tutorial and scroll down to the “Along A Vertical Edge: Stockinette Stitch” section. Note that, for this project, you pick up into every row, unless instructed otherwise.
There are two basic picking up scenarios in this pattern. They are…
BEGINNING AT LIVE STITCH
Click To See Video Transcript
Hi, this is Whitney from Purl Soho, and I’m working on the Pirouette Shawl and I’m going to show you how to pick up and knit stitches when you are beginning with a live stitch.
So here I have Triangle number 1. I’ve cut the tail to about six inches and I have one stitch remaining. So the first thing to do is pass this stitch from the right needle to the left needle so that we can knit it.
We’re going to knit it with the new color. So I insert my needle here, grab the new color and knit this stitch, leaving a six inch tail of the new color. So just like that. Now we’re ready to pick up along this left hand edge. So we’re going to begin right next to that stitch, dip our needle into the edge, take your working yarn, wrap it around your needle just like a normal knit stitch, and pull it through.
We’re going to do that again. Dip our needle into the edge stitch, and now instead of just regularly knitting, we’re going to start weaving in our ends as we go. This is so you don’t have a ton of tails at the end to weave in. And it’s super simple. You just pass the tails over the working yarn like that and knit your next stitch as usual. So you do that every other stitch. So here we’re just going to do a regular pick up and knit. Then we’re going to pass the tails over the working yarn. And knit. And you just keep going along the edge like that.
You only have to do this weaving in for about an inch or two. Not along the whole edge. I’ll show you one more time here. So I’ve inserted my needle, take the tails, pass them over the working yarn, then knit and pull the stitch through. You can see on the back of the work that the tails are being carried along by the working yarn, trapping them as you pick up and knit.
Super simple, and it saves you a lot of effort and time at the end. And so you just continue like that along this whole edge. You’re going to pick up 30 stitches along here all the way to this corner. And in total you’ll have 31 including the first stitch you knit. So that’s how you pick up and knit stitches, starting with a live stitch for the Pirouette Shawl.
Slip live stitch from previous triangle onto your left needle. Joining new color, knit this stitch. Then, weaving in tails as you go (see Weaving In Tails As You Go above), pick up and knit 30 stitches along the selvage of the previous triangle. [31 total stitches]
BEGINNING AT BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER
Click To See Video Transcript
Now I’m going to show you how to pick up and knit stitches from the right corner.
Okay, so we’re going to pick up and knit along this edge, starting with this right corner and ending at the remaining live stitch that we have on hold. So the first thing to do is insert your needle right into that very first stitch in the corner, take your new color and leave a six inch tail. Knit it like that. Let’s go into the next stitch right next to that one. Insert your needle, take the working yarn, knit, and pull through.
So now we’re going to begin to weave in that tail as we go. So on this next one we insert the needle, take the tail, pass it over the working yarn, like that, and knit as usual. And again we do that every other stitch. So here we’re going to pick up and knit. Now we’re going to insert the needle, take the tail, pass it over, and knit. So again you just do that for about an inch or two. This saves you from having to weave in your tails at the end, which would take a very long time for this project.
So again, here we are, passing it over the working yarn so that it gets trapped by the working yarn when you knit this next stitch. Gotta keep it back here. There we go. So I’m going to continue in this way, along this whole edge, until I get to the very end. I’ll show you what to do there.
So here I’ve picked up and knit 28 stitches along this edge. I have two more to go right here at the end. I’m picking up and knitting there. And then one more right into the corner, like that. So 30 stitches altogether, and we have this remaining stitch on hold that we need to deal with. So what you do is take the other end of your needle and put that stitch on there and remove your stitch marker and get it out of the way there. And now this stitch is on your left needle ready to be knit, so all you do is knit it and you’re done.
You have 31 picked up and knit stitches along this edge, beginning in the right corner, and we’re ready to go for Triangle 4.
With new color and weaving in tails as you go (see Weaving In Tails As You Go above), pick up and knit 30 stitches along the edge of the previous triangle, from the right corner to the live stitch. Place live stitch back onto left needle, removing stitch marker or scrap yarn, and knit it. [31 total stitches]
TRIANGLE ORDER DIAGRAM
NOTE: Want to see it bigger? Download this chart as a PDF!
PATTERN
TRIANGLE 1
With Color A, cast on 31 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Row 1 (right side): K1, slip slip knit (ssk), knit to last 3 stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog), k1. [2 stitches decreased]
Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Repeat last 2 rows 12 more times. [5 stitches remain]
Next Row (right side): K1, slip 2 stitches together knitwise with yarn in back (wyib), k1, pass slipped stitches over knit stitch and off right needle (s2kp), k1. [3 stitches remain]
Next Row: Purl to end of row.
Next Row: S2kp. [1 stitch remains]
Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail.
TRIANGLE 2
With Color B, pick up and knit 30 stitches according to the Beginning With Live Stitch instructions (see Special Instructions).
Starting with Set-Up Row, repeat Triangle 1.
NOTE: The first time you work this triangle, leave a foot-long tail, but when you later repeat Triangle 2, leave a 6-inch tail and weave it in as you pick up stitches for the next triangle.
TRIANGLE 3
With Color C, repeat Triangle 2.
Place remaining stitch onto a removable marker or scrap yarn.
TRIANGLE 4
With Color D, pick up and knit 30 stitches according to the Beginning At Bottom Right Corner instructions (see Special Instructions).
Starting with Set-Up Row, repeat Triangle 1.
TRIANGLES 5–17
Following the Triangle Order Diagram and the Color Order Chart (see Special Instructions for both), continue by alternating Triangle 2 and Triangle 4. Work until you have completed 17 total triangles, ending with a repeat of Triangle 2.
Pull yarn through final stitch.
TRIANGLE 18
With Color R, pick up and knit 31 stitches along the right selvage of Triangle 2.
Starting with Set-Up Row, repeat Triangle 1.
TRIANGLE 19
With Color S, work as for Triangle 2, this time leaving a foot-long tail for weaving in later.
TRIANGLE 20
With Color T, pick up and knit 30 stitches according to the Beginning With Live Stitch instructions.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
As you continue to work this triangle, you will join it to the adjacent triangle. Follow along with our video for extra help, or go on to the instructions below.
Click To See Video Transcript
Okay, now I’m going to show you how to work a triangle while you pick up into an adjacent triangle. The first time you do this is for Triangle 20. I just have a swatch here of the Pirouette Shawl, so we’ll pretend we’re at Triangle 20. I have picked up and knit along the edge and worked the set up row back, and worked most of row one up to the last two stitches. So here’s what you do at that point.
Here we are at the last two stitches of row one. And what we’re going to do is slip these two stitches together knitwise with the yarn in back. So this looks kind of like a knit two together; you insert your needle into the second stitch, grab the first stitch and just past them from the left needle to the right needle like that.
Now we are going to pick up and knit a stitch into this adjacent triangle. So, insert your needle into the very corner stitch of this adjacent triangle and knit it. That is your pick up and knit into the edge of that triangle. Then have your left needle and insert it into the two slipped stitches and pass these stitches over. This is just like binding off. You just bring them over that picked up stitch, off the end of your right needle and then off your left needle, like that.
So next you’re going to turn your work, slip one, purl to the end, work row three, and when you get here to pick up and knit, the important thing to keep in mind in mind is that in this situation, instead of picking up a knitting into the next stitch, you’re going to skip a stitch and pick up and knit into that one. So along this edge, you pick up and knit into every other stitch. By the time you get to this corner, Triangle 20 will be done.
Row 1 (right side): K1, ssk, knit to last 2 stitches, slip 2 together knitwise wyib, pick up and knit 1 stitch in edge of first row of adjacent triangle, pass slipped stitches over (psso). [29 stitches]
Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front (wyif), purl to end of row.
NOTE: For this triangle, you will pick up and knit 1 stitch in every other row of the adjacent triangle edge, rather than every row, as you have been doing. In the photo above, the white dot shows the first location of the first picked-up stitch, and the green dots show the location of every following picked-up stitch.
Row 3: K1, ssk, knit to last 2 stitches, slip 2 together knitwise wyib, pick up and knit 1 stitch from adjacent triangle, psso. [2 stitches decreased]
Row 4: Slip 1 purlwise wyif, purl to end of row.
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 eleven more times. [5 stitches remain]
Next Row (right side): K1, s2kp, slip 1 knitwise wyib, pick up and knit 1 stitch from adjacent triangle, psso. [3 stitches remain]
Next Row (wrong side): Slip 1 purlwise wyif, purl to end of row.
Next Row: S2kp, pick up and knit 1 stitch in last row of adjacent triangle, slip first stitch on right needle over second. [1 stitch remains]
Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail.
Place remaining stitch onto a removable marker or scrap yarn.
TRIANGLE 21
With Color A, work as for Triangle 4.
TRIANGLES 22-32
Following the Triangle Order Diagram and the Color Order Chart, continue by alternating Triangle 20 and Triangle 4. Work until you have completed a column of 15 triangles, ending with a repeat of Triangle 20. [32 total triangles]
Pull yarn through final stitch.
TRIANGLES 33–81
Work as for Triangles 18–32, beginning each new column at the second triangle of the previous column. Remember to leave a long tail at the end of the second triangle in each column, and pull yarn through the final stitch of the last triangle in each column. Refer to the Triangle Order Diagram and Color Order Chart as needed.
TRIANGLES 82–98
With right-side facing you, orient piece so Triangle 81 is at the bottom, and the Triangle 1-17 column is at the top.
Continuing with the same logic as Triangles 18–32, starting by picking up along the top of Triangle 17. Leave a long tail at the end of the second triangle of this column (Triangle 83), and refer to the Triangle Order Diagram and Color Order Chart as needed.
Note that for Triangle 98 (shown above), you will be joining to the cast-on edge of Triangle 1 instead of the left decrease edge. To see how, visit our Picking Up Stitches Tutorial and scroll down to the “Along A Horizontal Edge: Stockinette Stitch” section.
TRIANGLES 99–162
Continuing to use the same logic as established, beginning each new column at the second triangle of the previous column and working 2 fewer triangles than the previous column. Remember to leave a long tail at the end of the second triangle in each column, and pull yarn through the final stitch of the last triangle in each column. Refer to the Triangle Order Diagram and Color Order Chart as needed.
FINISHING
Weave in any remaining ends, using long tails to close gaps between triangles along each column, then gently wet block.
LEARN ABOUT LINEN QUILL MINIS + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Express your love of color with Linen Quill Minis! A unique opportunity to play, these 25-gram balls are mini versions of our super popular Linen Quill, a fingering-weight yarn that is a wonderful blend of 50% wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. Pick up our spectacular 40-Color Bundle or one of our breathtaking 20-Color Bundles and go wild!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of Linen Quill knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop wool yarn
- Shop alpaca yarn
- Shop linen yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Beautiful! I’d love to see a blanket version of this shawl too!
Me too!
Another stunning pattern! I am thinking of getting the 40-Color Bundle and doubling the size to make a blanket/throw. Just wanted to see if you think that would work? I’m thinking I could adjust the pattern to make 34 triangles in the first row and take it from there but I’d really appreciate your input. Thanks!
Hi JC!
That sounds like a wonderful idea! To make one size up you will need 38 more triangles (=323 more yards), total 200 triangles and for two sizes up: 80 more triangles (=680 yards), total 242 triangles. Each triangle uses approximately 8.5 yards so this can help you better calculate the yardage you would need for the size you are interested in!
Happy making,
Gavriella
This is stunning, and even though I almost never work from another’s pattern, this is tempting me.
How many yards per triangle? This would be great for scraps.
Hi Jennifer,
Each triangle uses approximately 8.5 yards!
Happy knitting!
Gavriella
A blanket or sofa throw pattern would be a wonderful addition to the pattern line up!
I have already bought the 40 note bundle. Can you make 1 or 2 pirouette shawls with it? How would you map the colors?
Hi Joyce,
Thanks for writing in! You’ll be able to make 2 Pirouette Shawls with the 40-color bundle. I would recommend using the TRIANGLE ORDER DIAGRAM to plan out your colors–you can use it as a coloring sheet to test out different options! Then you can fill out your color order in the Blank Color Order Chart PDF. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
All the best,
Lili
I started making this yesterday and I absolutely love it. Has anyone finished the shawl off with a picot border or maybe just a row of single crochet?
I love this pattern and the challenge that it will offer me. However, I’d like to knit the pirouette wrap in the Beach Walk bundle. Could you suggest a color order for me, the way the color chart is ordered and numbered for the Full Bloom bundle?
Thank you,
Angela
Hi Angela,
I want to let you know that our design team is going to work on creating a second color palette for this pattern using the Beach Walk bundle! I’m hoping that will be ready within the next few weeks, and I’m sure it will be beautiful!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili – I just bought the Beach Walk bundle for this pattern. Is there a way to get on a mailing list for when the color palette comes out?
Hi Katie,
I’m afraid we don’t have a way to set up notifications for this, but it looks like we’ll have it ready very soon!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you, Lili. I just received my Beach Walk bundle today! I will look forward to seeing the new color palette and starting to knit my shawl.
Angela
Thank you for giving the yardage amounts and triangle counts to increase the size of the shawl – so helpful! It sounds like there is enough yarn in each 20 bundle pack to increase to the one with 242 triangles. Is my math correct on that?
Hi Shelly,
That is exactly right. Since each triangle uses 8.5 yards, you will need a total of 2057 yards for a 242 triangle shawl.
Happy making,
Gavriella
Thank you so much! Do you have pdf diagrams for the increased size of 242 total triangles? Would love to chart my colors.
Hi Shelley,
I’m afraid that we don’t have diagrams for modified versions of this pattern. We’re so sorry for the inconvenience, but are happy to help out otherwise!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Gavriella, the 8.5 yards per triangle, does this include the 6 inch tail?
I got the 20 bundle. I’d like to use up pretty much everything. So you are saying i have enough to make another 80 triangles, where do i place them?
Hi Maggie,
Yes, the 8.5 yards includes the 6-inch tail, so you’ll have just enough yardage to make 80 more triangles! To do that, you’ll just need to go up to 21 triangles in the first column. After that, you can follow the pattern as written, just making sure to complete each column all the way up since it will require more triangles!
All the best,
Lili
I just finished triangle 1 and it rolls quite a bit. Would you recommend blocking it a little before I go on to triangle 2?
Hi Jane,
Thanks for writing in! I would actually not recommend blocking just yet. As you add more triangles, that will even out the rolling since the stockinette goes in different directions. Once you’ve built up a larger piece of knit fabric, it shouldn’t roll very much at all! Then when you complete the shawl, blocking will help get rid of any remaining rolling.
All the best,
Lili
Hello,
I’m about to buy the 40 color option with sights on the blanket you mentioned. I don’t see a pattern for the blanket with all the colors. Since you are selling the 40 colors and speak of another pattern option, why on earth isn’t there a pattern to follow with beautiful photos and how to do video?
When can we all expect this or do you just expect your customers to buy the 40 and figure it all out themselves?
Many thanks. It just doesn’t make sense to me why you would miss this enormous marketing and selling opportunity. Otherwise why not just remove the 40 and mention of the blanket?
Appreciatively,
THW
Hi Theresa,
I’m so sorry to hear that you haven’t been able to find the patterns we’ve designed for the 40-color bundle! I’ve provided links below to the three blanket patterns we’ve designed for this bundle:
The Incredible Blanket
Alpenglow Blanket
Color Brick Road Blanket
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi. I love this pattern, but don’t want to spend that much on the yarn. I was looking at the other fingering wt. yarn, and may just use 3-4 skeins of yarn. Your thoughts! Thanks Marilyn
Hi Marilyn,
That sounds like a wonderful idea! I’d recommend printing the shawl PDF and planning your colors to make sure you will be happy with the result!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I am anxious to start on a plain poncho. This will be a return to knitting, I moved to this area for rehab and health reasons. I was an avid knitter and now I find myself with some beautiful alpaca yarn with no direction.
Hi Carole,
Thank you for writing in! I’d recommend checking out our Simple Ribbed Shrug for now but I’d also suggest keeping an eye out for a poncho style project coming later next year. If you are eager to start though, I’d recommend checking around the web for a pattern that catches you eye!
All the best,
Gavriella
Are you able to purchase the pirouette shawl pattern? Thank you.
Hi Dana,
Thank you for writing in! The Pirouette Shawl pattern is available directly from our website(above) as a free pattern which you can customize for print and download.
If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
You can follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%. You can also hover your mouse over any portions of the pattern you wish to delete, and click the trash can icon that appears. Then, you can click “Print” or “PDF” along the top left of the pattern preview box to print or save the pattern!
I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
What a great pattern to use up the Linen Quill I have leftover from a blanket! I highly suggest using double point or other short needles and if you’re feeling really adventurous learn to knit backwards/mirror image! I’m usually a continental knitter (working yarn in left hand) but with mirror knitting it’s much easier to go with English (working yarn in right hand). I’m not fond of purling and it eliminates the turning!