Shawl Collar Shawl
Our Shawl Collar Shawl pattern singles out the very best part of a cozy cardigan, paring away the sleeves and body and making the voluminous collar the star of the show! In our exquisitely soft 100% cashmere Nigh DK, it’s the perfect gift for warmth, comfort, and a bit of drama.
To knit this versatile little accessory, you’ll use German short rows (easy peasy, and we have a great tutorial!) to create a tapered semi-oval shape, with one side curved and the other side straight. Fold the curved edge over to make that generous shawl collar and wear it as a top layer or peeking out of your coat this winter.
A simple shape, yet so dynamic when you fold it and wrap it around your neck! Tidy 2×2 ribbing gives structure to the clever geometry of the shawl and just the right amount of stretch across your shoulders.
A classic, understated beauty, made with the softest yarn you can imagine: Nigh DK, our 100% finest Mongolian cashmere. This light worsted/DK-weight yarn knits up into a gorgeous, feather-light fabric with a relaxed drape and a delicate halo that floats above the fabric’s surface… Heavenly for next-to-skin wear and just as good on the needles.
Choose from two dozen inspiring colors, including the delicately heathered Blue Celadon we selected.
The Shawl Collar Shawl is every bit as special, elegant, and warm as you hope it will be! Cast on with a few skeins of Nigh DK and create a gift you’ll be so proud to give to your nearest and dearest.
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, #PurlSohoShawlCollarShawl, and #PurlSohoNighDK. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 3 skeins of Purl Soho’s Nigh DK, 100% cashmere yarn. Each skein of this light worsted/dk-weight yarn is 199 yards/ 55 grams; approximately 490 total yards required. We used the color Blue Celadon.
- US 5 (3.75 mm), 32- or 40- inch circular knitting needles
- Stitch markers or scrap yarn (optional)
GAUGE
28 stitches and 34 rows = 4 inches in 2 x 2 ribbing, relaxed after blocking
SIZE
Finished Dimensions: 49¾ inches wide x 12¾ inches tall (at widest point)
NOTES
SLIP STITCHES
Slip all slip stitches purlwise with yarn in front.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
GERMAN SHORT ROWS
NOTE: For help with this technique, check out our German Short Rows Tutorial. Just note that, because you’ll be working in a ribbed stitch pattern, when you make a double stitch as instructed below, you will end with the yarn in a different position than shown in the video.
MAKE DOUBLE STITCH
On the right side: Turn work so wrong side is facing you. Slip 1 to right needle with yarn in front, pull working yarn tightly over needle so it tugs up both legs of slipped stitch to look like two stitches, i.e. a “double stitch.” Bring yarn over needle and leave it so yarn is in back.
On the wrong side: Turn work so right side is facing you. Slip 1 to right needle with yarn in front, pull working yarn tightly over needle so it tugs up both legs of slipped stitch to look like two stitches, i.e. a “double stitch.” Bring yarn around back of needle, then forward, passing between needles so yarn is in front.
WORK DOUBLE STITCH AS A SINGLE STITCH
On the right side: When you reach the double stitch, work it as a single stitch by knitting both legs of double stitch together.
On the wrong side: When you reach the double stitch, work it as a single stitch by purling both legs of double stitch together.
PATTERN
Cast on 348 stitches. We used a basic Long-Tail Cast On.
TIP: When you’re casting on so many stitches, it really helps to place a marker or piece of scrap yarn every 50 stitches. That way, if you lose count, you won’t have to recount all the stitches. Just remember to remove these markers when you work the Set-Up Row.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Notes), *p2, k2, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, p2, slip 1.
SHAPE SLOPE
Short Row 1 (right side): K1, *k2, p2, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k1, make double stitch (see Special Instructions).
Short Row 2 (wrong side): *K2, p2, repeat from * to last 5 stitches, k2, p1, make double stitch (see Special Instructions).
Short Row 3: *P2, k2, repeat from * to 6 stitches before double stitch, p2, k1, make double stitch.
Short Row 4: *K2, p2, repeat from * to 6 stitches before double stitch, k2, p1, make double stitch.
Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 sixteen more times.
Short Row 5: *P2, k2, repeat from * to 10 stitches before double stitch, p2, k1, make double stitch.
Short Row 6: *K2, p2, repeat from * to 10 stitches before double stitch, k2, p1, make double stitch.
Repeat Short Rows 5 and 6 seven more times.
Short Row 7: Work in pattern to last stitch (knitting the knits and purling the purls), working double stitches as single stitches as you come to them (see Special Instructions), k1.
Next Row (wrong side): Slip 1, work in stitch pattern to last stitch, working double stitches as single stitches as you come to them, slip 1.
CONTINUE
Repeat Shape Slope section one more time.
With right side facing you, bind off in stitch pattern (working slip stitches at beginning and end of row as knits).
FINISHING
Weave in the ends and gently wet block.
Learn About Nigh DK + All Our Beautiful Yarns
Cast on for one of our free knitting patterns in Nigh DK, made with the most exquisite, amazingly soft 100% Mongolian cashmere you can imagine! This DK-weight yarn has four even plies and knits into a beautiful, even fabric with a soft halo that floats above the fabric’s surface, a distinctive characteristic of fine cashmere yarns. Cast on with nearly two dozen colors for incredibly special accessories, baby gifts, and even socks! For more inspiration, explore all of our knitting patterns and all of our beautiful yarn!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Nigh DK knitting patterns and cast on!
More Light Worsted/ DK-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
- 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 Fiber
- Shop cashmere yarn (What makes cashmere so special? Learn all about this amazing fiber in our guide to cashmere 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!
This is beautiful! Weird question: If I knit it in fingering, approximately how much smaller would it be?
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for writing in! That would depend on the gauge you achieve with the fingering weight yarn, which can actually vary quite a lot. I would recommend knitting up a gauge swatch in pattern first. Once you know how many stitches per inch you’re getting you can divide the cast-on number (348 stitches) by that number. That will give you the new length, and the width will be in proportion to that!
All the best,
Lili
How can I make this shorter and use just 2 skeins of yarn?
Hi Erica,
Yes, you can totally do that! This pattern works over a multiple of 4 stitches, so just be sure to cast that on when you start!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, can you please clarify short row 3-6, when the pattern says 6 stitches before double stitch, is it the last double stitch I should count from? There are multiple double stitches after I knit row 3&4 the first time and my shawl seems to shorten very quickly. Thanks.
Hi Ivy,
Thanks for writing in! It’ll be the first double stitch you reach on that row, so the one you made on the previous repeat of the same row you’re currently on. You’re right that the shawl shortens pretty quickly!
All the best,
Lili
I am confused about where to continue after making the double stitch.
Do I begin the new row that I turned to? Or do I return to and complete the row I was on before the making the double stitch?
Hi Julie,
Thanks for writing in! Once you complete the double stitch, you will be facing the other side of the knit fabric, so you’ll continue knitting from there. It’s a “short” row, so you will not complete the initial row! If you’d like to see this demonstrated, then I’d recommend taking a look at our German Short Rows tutorial.
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I love this pattern. I have 2 skeins of Flax Down, which is unfortunately discontinued, that I believe will be perfect for this pattern. To keep as true to the pattern with the yarn I have how many stiches would you recommend casting on? Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for writing in! I would recommend knitting up a swatch in Flax Down to see if you can meet the gauge of the pattern. Since it’s also a DK weight yarn, then you should be able to do that (though you might need to change your needle size)! As long as you’re able to meet the gauge, then you can knit the pattern as written. Let me know if you’re struggling to match the gauge though, and we can go from there!
All the best,
Lili
Hi. I have one skein of your line weight and one of your tussock which I purchased for another pattern.
If I knit these together, do you think they would work for the shawl collar?
Hi Marilyn,
That will be a lovely combination of textures! I would recommend knitting up a gauge swatch to see if you can match the gauge of this pattern. You should be able to do so pretty easily, but you may need to size your needles up or down!
All the best
Lili
Hi!
I am considering making this shawl. How many skeins does it require in the cashmere DK?
Many thanks,
Elena
Hi Elena,
Thanks for writing in! You can find the yardage requirements for this pattern in the MATERIALS section. For quick reference though, you’ll need 3 skeins of Nigh DK!
All the best,
Lili
II want to make this shawl for my daughter. Will you please suggest another yarn as I am on a fixed budget. I love Nigh, have used before but cannot afford right now.
Thanks.
Hi Diana,
Thanks for writing in! Nigh DK is a DK weight yarn, and based on the gauge of the pattern (28 stitches and 34 rows = 4 inches in 2 x 2 ribbing, relaxed after blocking), most of our other DK weight yarns and sportweight yarns would work great. In particular, I’d recommend Season Alpaca or Good Wool.
All the best,
Lili
Hello, I love this yarn and I’m finding knitting this pattern so relaxing during this hectic holiday season. However, I was so relaxed that I neglected to realize how off my row gauge is (as usual, I didn’t swatch!?). I’m up to Row 7 of the second Shape Slope and already close to 12”. I’m hoping to have enough yarn to finish Row 16. Question: is there a place in this section that I can stop without ruining the shape/drape of the shawl or should I just order more yarn? Much thanks for your help.
Hi Peggy,
Thanks for writing in! The great thing about this pattern is that the curvature of the shape is maintained pretty consistently throughout. I think stopping anywhere along the way would work just fine, but you might want to shorten your subsequent short rows to speed up the slope and distribute the curve across the whole second edge. That will also conserve your yarn usage!
All the best,
Lili
Hi,
Can you clarify “Short Row 7: Work in pattern to last stitch”, what does the last stitch mean? Is this the last stitch before the first stitch? Or is this the last stitch before the last double stitch which means that I need to complete the entire circle?
Hi Ivy,
For short row 7, you will work to the last stitch of the row. So you will leave one last stitch on your left needle which you will then knit. I also noticed you mention knitting in a circle and I just wanted to be sure you were working this pattern flat (turned every row) as it is not knit in the round.
All the best,
Gavriella
This has been a fun project so far and I haven’t even cast-on yet…well, to be fair i’ve casted on and ripped back four times now, knit several swatches, learned Norwegian purling and several new cast-on methods!
My question is: can you recommend other cast-on methods that would give the same distinct line that the BO in pattern gives? I’d like both sides to match and link the distinct line of the BO looks nice for this shawl. Thanks!
Hi Lena,
I’m so glad that you’re looking forward to this project! I think the best way to make your cast-on edge look like the bind-off edge is to cast on all your stitches provisionally. Then, knit the project as normal and bind off in pattern. Finally, you can slip the provisionally cast-on stitches back onto your needles and bind off that side the same way!
All the best,
Lili
I am curious if it would be too difficult to do a long tail tubular 2 x 2 cast on for the Shawl Collar Shawl? Often times my cast on edge is not as neat as I would like, and with 348 stitches would hate to do over. I just read the above comment on a provisional cast on & wonder if that would be better. Thank you!
Hi Carol,
You could absolutely use a long tail tubular cast-on for this project! Let us know how it goes if you give this a try.
All the best,
Lili
Hi Carol & Lili – I hope my experience helps you! I swatched many cast-ons and several cast-offs and coincidentally enough, decided on the provisional cast-on method described by Lili above, specifically the COWYAK method….a funny name for simply casting-on with waste yarn and knitting a couple of rows…Yes a couple of 348 rows. After all my trials, I agree with Lili that this will make the best edge for me!
Thank you Lili and Lena – I will try a swatch with both!
I am having a problem with row 2 and the double stitch. When I turn the work I have 4 stitches on right needle it does not match up with established pattern on k2p2. Do I just do whatever stitch is required to keep in pattern?
Can I use a wrap & turn instead of double stitch.
Thank you
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in! It sounds like you may not have worked the “k2, p1” before making the double stitch on Short Row 2. Once you’ve worked in pattern to the final 5 stitches, you work three more stitches, which are k2, p1 before making the double stitch. That means that you should have 3 stitches, not 4 stitches, on your right needle when you make the double stitch and begin Short Row 3. Once you have the correct stitch count and create the double stitch in the correct place, the pattern should line up!
In answer to your other question, yes you can totally modify this pattern so you can use wrap + turn short rows instead of German short rows! You’ll just need to knit one fewer stitch before working the wrap + turn. So if the pattern says “*K2, p2, repeat from * to last 5 stitches, k2, p1, make double stitch,” you’ll actually need to “*K2, p2, repeat from * to last 5 stitches, k2, wrp-t.”
All the best,
Lili
I am about to start the Shawn Collard Shawn pattern. I was wondering if you could make it longer as lengthwise so I can cover my shoulders and part of my arms. Would that be possible? If so, what do I have to do?
Thank you,
Hi France,
Thanks for writing in, and you can absolutely make this shawl longer! This pattern works over a multiple of 4 stitches, so as long as you cast on a multiple of 4, then the pattern will work as written. You may also want to add more short rows if you’d like to increase the width of the shawl proportionally, but that’s totally optional!
All the best,
Lili