Beginner Garter Stitch Bias Shawl by Marly Bird
My newest pattern is FREE here on my blog. You can all enjoy the Beginner Garter Stitch Bias Shawl with a FREE pattern and a video tutorial. Join me to learn a new bind off in this pattern as well.
*This post contains affiliate links. By clicking one of these links and making a purchase, a small portion of the purchase goes to the blog. The price you pay is not changed. Thank you for your support.*
Red Heart recently came out with a new collection of striping yarn. Super Saver Stripes, Super Saver Ombre and With Love Stripes are a wonderful addition to the Red Heart collection. For each of these yarns, you’ll find a selection of new FREE patterns on Red Heart’s website. Today, I want to share my newest shawl pattern featuring With Love Stripes.
One of the benefits of these new yarns is that they have stripes built in. If you look at the finished shawl, you might assume there’ll be lots of ends to weave in. In reality, the yarn does all of the color-changing work. With six color options to choose from, it wasn’t easy. But I finally narrowed it down.
To complete this garter stitch bias shawl, you’ll want to watch both of the tutorial videos. The first video, shown below in this post, will show you how to start the shawl and work the body of it. In the second video, you will learn how to finish the shawl with a special garter stitch bind-off. A garter stitch bind-off will allow both sides of your shawl to mirror each other.
Just start, and you’ll memorize the simple row repeat of this pattern. Make it easier on yourself to know where you are in the pattern by using a removable stitch marker to denote the right and wrong sides. By doing this, you can work on the project without looking at the instructions. Don’t have a removable stitch marker, don’t worry I just released a video on how to make your own! Here’s a video on making knitting stitch markers for a matching set for this project.
Beginner Garter Stitch Bias Shawl Materials:
- Red Heart With Love Stripes (3 skeins) (pattern uses Baroque Stripe E400_1978)
- Size 10 (6mm) 36″ Circular Knitting Needles
- Removable Stitch Marker (optional) (Learn to make your own in a previous blog post)
- Stitch Marker (Learn how to make your own in a previous blog post)
- Tapestry Needle
- Scissors
Let’s Get Gauge:
For this project, gauge is not as important as it would be in a fitted garment. I still recommend you make a gauge swatch so you know if you‘re close to my measurements. The required 2 skeins of yarn for this project are based on my gauge.
Final Measurement: 84” long x 18” deep
Gauge: 14 sts and 28 rows = 4” in garter stitch
Notes:
- Shawl is knit flat. Use circular needles to accommodate number of stitches.
- Shawl is knit on the bias. There are increases on one side and decreases on the other, strategically placed to give the tapered biased shape.
- When a new ball is added, match the previous color sequence.
Garter Stitch Bias Shawl: Special Stitches
- Knit front and back (kfb): Knit next st but do not remove from needle, knit into back loop of same st and remove from needle.
- Knit 2 together through back loop (k2togTBL): insert right-hand needle through the back leg of the next two stitches on the left-hand needle, knit together. This is a 1 stitch decrease, or in the case of this pattern a 1 stitch bind off.
Let’s Get Started:
Set-Up Rows:
CO 2 sts (using long tail cast on)
Row 1 (WS): Kfb, k1–3 sts
Row 2 (RS): Kfb, k1, kfb–5 sts
Row 3 (WS): Kfb, place marker, k4–6 sts
Place a removable marker to indicate the RS of shawl.
Body Increase Stitches and Bias Shaping:
Row 4 (RS): Knit to marker, slip marker, knit to last stitch, kfb –increase 1 st.
Row 5 (WS): Kfb, knit to 2 stitches before marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit to end –bias shaping, no increase.
Repeat rows 4 and 5 until piece measures 84” or until your desired length. (remember that you will need yarn for the garter stitch edging/bind off.) Make sure you end with a RS row.
Finishing:
(WS): CO 2 sts, Kfb, k2togTBL (one stitch that is cast on and one from the body of the shawl) — 3 sts apart from body.
(RS): Kfb, k1, Kfb — 5 sts apart from body.
(WS): K4, k2togTBL (one stitch from garter edging and one from the body)
(RS): K5
Repeat the last two rows until all live stitches are used. Bind off loosely.
Weave in ends.
Head to Video 2
Be sure to browse the other posts on the blog:
Categories: Our Free Patterns, Pattern
Sounds like and awesome design. Can’t wait to get my hands on some of the new yarn.
Have you made video 2 for the Beginner Garter Bias Stitch Shawl?
I just updated this post with Video 2 information. All of the information can be found on the blog! Thanks!
Is anyone having trouble find the striping yarn?
Hi Marly, I love your video and designs! Is there a link to print out a copy of the Garter stitch bias shawl that I can use? Thanks so much for your help.
Love the pattern. Where do I measure the 85 inches?
You measure the *84″ from the beginning of the project, you will start the edging when it measures 84″.
Loved the videos. Didn’t understand the finishing directions that read Knit 5…the video showers me that I turn the work around and knit 5. If I missed it in the directions, my bad: sorry. Will definitely be trying this one!! Thank you.
I think it’s the length of the boarder (4 stitches)
Hi
Is there a way of working out how much you need for the finishing band?
Is it 10% of the yarn ball?
Hi Marly! I just finished the garter stitch bias shawl.. i started it in late March 2019 and finished in april 2019. I live it! Thank you for being an awesome teacher!
I am so happy to hear that you love the pattern and that it turned out well. I would love to see your finished shawl! Did you get a chance to post it on Ravelry yet?