Super Simple Two Ball Shawl || Free Beginner Knit Shawl Pattern
The Super Simple Two Ball Shawl is a free beginner knit shawl pattern by Marly Bird, worked in garter stitch with just two balls of worsted weight yarn. Two colors alternate every two rows — no cutting! — creating a beautiful striped triangle shawl you can customize to any size. Finished wingspan: approximately 54.5 inches.
⚡ Quick Answer:
This beginner knit shawl needs just 2 balls of worsted weight yarn and US 9 (5.5 mm) needles. Alternate two colors every two rows in simple garter stitch — carrying the yarn up the side so there’s no cutting! Finished shawl measures approximately 54.5" wingspan × 15" down the center spine, with optional tassels to finish.
Hey, bestie! 💛 Some patterns are meant to challenge you… and some are meant to fill you up with pure crafting joy from the very first stitch. This is that pattern for me.
I knit this shawl sitting on the beach in Cancun and loved every single minute of its simplicity. The garter stitch is meditative, the two-color stripes happen practically on their own, and when you run out of yarn? That’s your finish line. 🎉
Got two balls of your favorite worsted weight yarn sitting in your stash? This is your sign to cast on right now.
Why You'll Love This Pattern 💖
🎉 Only Two Balls of Yarn. Raid the stash, pick two colors you love, and you’re ready to go. This is the perfect excuse to finally use those two beautiful skeins you’ve been saving for just the right moment.
🌈 Learn a Real Skill in a Zero-Pressure Setting. Carrying yarn up the side instead of cutting it is one of knitting’s most useful tricks… and this shawl is the perfect place to try it for the first time without any stress.
📐 Completely Customizable Size. Keep knitting until you love it — or until you run out of yarn. More yarn means a bigger shawl. It’s genuinely that simple.
This is your pattern if you’ve been curious about two-color knitting but weren’t ready for full colorwork… or if you need a quick, satisfying gift that looks way more impressive than the time it took.
You’ll come away knowing KFB increases, yarn-over increases, how to carry yarn without cutting, and how to work a stretchy bind-off. Four real knitting skills in one relaxing, gorgeous project. 💛
Is the Super Simple Two Ball Shawl Right for You?
✅ You're a beginner ready for your first shawl. This pattern uses only knit stitches and KFB increases — no decreases, no lace charts, no complicated shaping. If you can knit a garter stitch swatch, you can make this shawl.
✅ You have two coordinating skeins sitting in your stash. This is literally the pattern for those two beautiful balls you bought together and haven't used yet. The two-color carry-up-the-side technique does all the visual work for you.
✅ You want to learn two-color knitting without floats. Carrying yarn up the side is the gentlest possible introduction to two-color knitting — no stranding, no bobbins, no color math. Just alternate every two rows and watch the stripes appear.
✅ You need a gift that looks impressive but knits up fast. The stripe effect looks intentional and polished, but the construction is entirely garter stitch. One of those beautiful happy deceits of handmade gifting.
❌ You're looking for a lace shawl. This is solid garter stitch — beautiful, warm, and drapey, but not lacy. Check out the Bluebonnet Lace Shawl if lace is what you're after.
❌ You only have one ball of yarn. The two-color stripe is the whole design — you really do need two. (Both are worsted weight, so finding a pair at any yarn shop is easy.)
Quick Pattern Overview
🧵 Craft: Knitting — flat, worked back and forth in rows
📐 Shape: Symmetric triangle with a center spine, growing from the top down
🎨 Technique: Two-color garter stitch stripes with yarn carried up the side — no cutting between color changes!
🏆 Skill Level: Beginner
📏 Finished Size: Approx. 54.5″ (138.4 cm) wingspan × 15″ (38 cm) down center spine
🪡 Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm) circular, 24″ or longer
🧶 Yarn: 2 balls worsted or heavy worsted weight (sample: approx. 200g / ~400 yds total)
✨ Optional Finishing: Tassels along the wingspan for added weight and flair
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Knitting Two Colors Without Cutting — It's Easier Than You Think! 🎨
One color rests at the edge. One color works. You never cut. And the two-tone stripes practically knit themselves.
When this shawl calls for alternating colors, you don’t cut the yarn and start fresh each time. Instead, the color you’re not using simply rests at the edge of your work while you knit two rows with the other. Then you pick it right back up. This is called carrying the yarn up the side — and it’s one of the most satisfying skills to learn as a beginner knitter.
The carried strand anchors itself with each new row, creating a tidy selvedge edge. You’ll only have ends to weave in from the cast-on, bind-off, and any yarn joins — nothing from the color changes themselves. That’s a very happy finishing session. 🎉
Once you’ve tried carrying yarn on this shawl, you’ll use it everywhere — striped hats, colorblock cowls, two-tone socks. It’s one of those foundational skills that opens up a whole world of projects. And for another relaxing garter stitch knit to try next, check out the Beginner Garter Stitch Bias Shawl!
Yarn & Materials
Any worsted or heavy worsted weight yarn you love will work beautifully here — so go ahead and dig into that stash!
Sample Yarn
The original shawl was made with Malabrigo Rios in Lettuce and Winter Lake. Malabrigo Rios is a 100% superwash merino worsted weight yarn with hand-dyed colorways… it’s luxuriously soft, beautifully saturated, and blocks like an absolute dream.
Yarn Substitutes
Any worsted or heavy worsted weight yarn will give you a beautiful result. Here are some favorites that work especially well for this shawl:
- Malabrigo Rios — 100% superwash merino, 210 yds/100g, hand-dyed colorways (sample yarn!)
- Cascade 220 Superwash — 100% superwash wool, 220 yds/100g, excellent stitch definition and a huge color range
- KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Worsted — 100% Peruvian Highland wool, 200 yds/100g, beautifully affordable
- Berroco Vintage Worsted — 52% acrylic / 40% wool / 8% nylon, 218 yds/100g, soft, machine washable, and comes in gorgeous colors
- KnitPicks Brava Worsted — 100% premium acrylic, 218 yds/100g, budget-friendly and machine washable
Notions
- US 9 (5.5 mm) circular needles, 24″ or longer
- 2 stitch markers
- Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
- Blocking wires — blocking makes this shawl really shine!
- Eucalan wool wash for wet blocking
- Ball winder & swift if your yarn comes in hanks
Video Tutorials 🎬
If you’re a visual learner, Marly has YouTube walkthroughs for several techniques in this pattern. Watch before you cast on!
🪢 KFB Increase: Watch Marly’s KFB tutorial on YouTube — it walks you through every step in real time.
🎀 Making Tassels: Watch the pom & tassel maker tutorial — or if you don’t have a tassel maker, the no-tool tassel video has you covered!
🛡️ Lifeline — 3 Ways: Adding a lifeline while you knit is a great safety net for any project. Watch the video below for Marly’s three favorite methods!
Super Simple Two Ball Shawl || Pattern Details
Skill Level
Beginner 🌟 — Perfect if you know how to knit, purl, and increase. No colorwork experience needed!
Finished Measurements
Approx. 54.5″ (138.4 cm) Wingspan × 15″ (38 cm) down the center spine
Gauge
18 sts = 4″ (10 cm); 22.5 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in Garter Stitch. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge. Your finished size will vary based on your gauge and how much yarn you use.
Materials
Yarn: Any worsted or heavy worsted weight yarn. Sample was made with Malabrigo Rios in Lettuce (Color A) and Winter Lake (Color B). Approx. 200g / ~400 yds total.
Needles: 5.5 mm [US 9] 24″ (61 cm) circular or longer
Abbreviations
- K — Knit
- KFB — Knit front and back (1 st increased)
- PM — Place marker
- SM — Slip marker
- S / Sts — Stitch / Stitches
- YO — Yarn Over (1 st increased)
- RS — Right Side
- WS — Wrong Side
- CO — Cast on
- BO — Bind off
Special Stitches
⭐️ Knit (K): Standard knit stitch.
⭐️ Knit front and back (KFB): Knit into the front of the stitch; don’t let it go off the left-hand needle. Knit into the back of the same stitch; let it go off the left-hand needle. 1 stitch increased. Watch the KFB tutorial on YouTube for step-by-step help!
⭐️ Place Marker (PM): Place marker on needle. You can make your own stitch markers in a pinch!
⭐️ Stitch or Stitches (S or Sts)
⭐️ Stretchy Bind-Off: K2 from left-hand needle; insert left-hand needle into front leg of the 2 sts on the right-hand needle; k2tog [1 stitch remaining on right-hand needle]; *k1 from left-hand needle; insert left-hand needle into front leg of 2 sts on right-hand needle; k2tog; repeat from * to last stitch. Fasten off.
⭐️ Yarn Over (YO): A yarn over makes an extra stitch on your needle and creates a deliberate little hole in your fabric. Bring the knitting yarn between the needles from the back to the front, then back over the top of the right-hand needle. 1 stitch increased.
Notes
If you want a safety net as you knit, adding a lifeline every so often is a great idea — just in case you need a point to rip back to! See the Video Tutorials section above for three ways to add one.
Do not cut the yarn each time you change colors. Carry each color up along the side of the shawl. See the “Knitting Two Colors Without Cutting” section above for tips on keeping the selvedge tidy!
Super Simple Two Ball Shawl || Pattern Instructions
Tassels (Optional)
To make sure you have enough yarn for the tassels, you should make those first. Then you will be able to use all the remaining yarn for the shawl. These are of course optional but they really help add weight to the wingspan of the shawl.
To learn how to make tassels, watch this video. Or, if you don’t have a pom and tassel maker, watch this video.
Set-Up
With Color A
Cast-on 3 sts.
Row 1: Kfb (see special stitches), pm, k1, pm, kfb — 5 sts.
Body
With Color B (see notes)
Row 1 (RS): Kfb, knit to marker, yo (see special stitches), slip marker, k1, slip marker, yo, knit to last stitch, kfb — 4 sts increased.
Row 2 (WS): Kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb — 2 sts increased.
With Color A
Row 3 (RS): Kfb, knit to marker, yo (see special stitches), slip marker, k1, slip marker, yo, knit to last stitch, kfb — 4 sts increased.
Row 4 (WS): Kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb — 2 sts increased.
Continue working rows 1–4 nineteen more times then rows 1 and 2 once, or until you have approx 15″ (38 cm) down the center, or until you have just enough yarn left to do the bind off. Make sure you are changing colors every two rows.
Bind off with the last color used on the body of your shawl. You can bind off in any traditional way or use the stretchy bind off (see special stitches).
Finishing
Weave in / bury all tails. Watch Marly’s video below for her favorite method!
Wash and lightly block. See Blocking Tips below!
Add tassels if using (see optional Tassels section above).
Blocking Tips 💧
Blocking transforms this shawl! Even if it looks great right off the needles, a wet block will open up the fabric, set the stripes beautifully, and stretch the wingspan out to its full 54.5 inches.
Soak the finished shawl in cool water with a little wool wash for 15–20 minutes. Gently squeeze out the water (never wring!), then roll in a towel to remove excess moisture. Lay flat, run blocking wires along the long straight edges, pin the wingspan corners to your desired measurements, and let dry completely before wearing.
More Free Shawl Patterns You'll Love
Ready to cast on something else? Here are more shawl patterns from Marly Bird:
- Beginner Garter Stitch Bias Shawl — another relaxing garter stitch knit in a beautiful bias shape
- Cityscape Knit Shawl — a stunning beginner-friendly shawl with architectural clean lines
- Waterline Knit Lace Shawl — for when you’re ready to dip into beginner lace
- Almond Brittle Knit Wrap — a cozy, elegant wrap for advancing beginners
- Free Crochet Shawl: No Stopping Me Now — love shawls? Try the crochet version!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much yarn do I need for the Super Simple Two Ball Shawl?
You need exactly two balls of worsted weight yarn — about 200g total, or around 400 yards depending on your yarn. The sample used two 100g balls of Malabrigo Rios. You can stop knitting whenever you have about six inches of yarn left for the bind-off, so the size is completely flexible!
Can I use any worsted weight yarn for this shawl?
Honestly, yes! Any worsted or heavy worsted weight yarn gives a beautiful result. The sample used Malabrigo Rios, but gradient yarns, self-striping cakes, and basic solid acrylics all work beautifully. Grab two balls in colors you love and you’re ready to go.
Do I need colorwork experience to make this shawl?
Nope! This isn’t traditional colorwork at all. You simply alternate two colors every two rows, carrying the unused yarn up the side instead of cutting it. It’s one of the easiest color techniques in knitting — and this shawl is the perfect low-stakes project to learn it.
What does “carrying yarn up the side” mean in knitting?
It means you let the color you’re not using rest at the edge of your work while you knit with the other color. After two rows, you simply pick it right back up. No cutting, no extra ends from color changes — just a clean, beautifully striped shawl with minimal finishing work.
What is a KFB increase?
KFB stands for “knit front and back.” You knit into the front of a stitch as usual, then without letting it slip off the needle, you knit into the back of that same stitch, creating two stitches from one. Watch the KFB tutorial on YouTube if you’re a visual learner!
Can I make the shawl bigger or smaller?
Absolutely! Just keep knitting until the shawl is the size you want — or until you run out of yarn (same thing 😂). Want it bigger? Grab more yardage or use a heavier yarn like Premier Puzzle. Want smaller? Stop a few repeats earlier and bind off when you’re happy.
Do I have to add tassels?
Totally optional! The tassels add gorgeous weight to the wingspan and really complete the look, but the shawl is fully wearable without them. If you do want tassels, the pattern recommends making them FIRST so you know exactly how much yarn you have left for the shawl body.
Final Thoughts
This shawl is pure joy. Two balls of yarn, a pair of needles, and a little time to yourself — that’s all it takes. I knit mine on the beach in Cancun and it was absolutely perfect. But honestly? Your couch, a road trip, a waiting room… this one goes everywhere.
If you cast it on, please share your progress! Tag me @marlybird on Instagram or Facebook and use #MMMDI (Marly Made Me Do It), #MarlyBird, or #SuperSimpleTwoBallShawl so I can see it. 💛 Nothing makes me happier than seeing your beautiful finished makes!
Happy knitting! 🧵
❤️ Your BiCrafty Bestie,
Marly Bird
Categories: Free Patterns, Knit Shawl Patterns, Knitting, Our Free Patterns, Pattern
