Knitted Shawl “Schwalbe”

Designed by Blickfang-Design

Dear fellow crafter,

Today I’d like to show you how to knit a beautiful shawl with a slightly unusual shape.

With my free knitting pattern, you can knit the “Schwalbe” without complicated stitch patterns. It’s easy to knit, and its special shape combined with the beautiful colour changes of the yarn makes it a real eye-catcher.

First, I’ll tell you a little about the design and the techniques used. If you’d rather get started right away, you’ll find the complete written pattern further down.

The Shape Makes All the Difference

If you look around Pinterest and social media, you’ll find countless different shawl shapes. Classic triangular shawls, worked from the bottom upwards, and asymmetrical triangular shawls are particularly common. Baktus-style shawls and dragon-tail scarves are also very popular.

The special feature of the “Schwalbe” knitted shawl is its shape. To me, it resembles the slightly forked tail of a swallow. This unusual shape is created by carefully placed increases at the edges and in the centre of the shawl.

I particularly like this shape because the shawl sits beautifully around your neck. Of course, the “Schwalbe” also makes a lovely shoulder shawl. But if, like me, you prefer to wear your shawl wrapped around your neck more like a scarf, this shape is ideal.

Simple to Knit – Big Effect

The entire shawl is worked in garter stitch. So you don’t need any complicated stitch patterns or advanced knitting skills.

The shawl starts at the bottom point with a cast-on of three stitches. From there, it gradually grows in both width and height through regular increases.

The increases at the edges and in the centre gradually create the characteristic shape of the “Schwalbe”.

The lovely thing about this shawl shape is that you can decide for yourself when your shawl is big enough. This means you can easily adjust the size to suit your preferences and the amount of yarn you have available.

The Size

The sample “Schwalbe” shawl measures approximately 180 cm × 55 cm.

However, you can knit your “Schwalbe” to whatever size you like. Simply stop when it has reached your desired size.

This means the pattern works equally well for a small neck shawl or a larger shawl to drape around your shoulders.

Materials

For my “Schwalbe” knitted shawl, I used Rico Creative Wool Tonality.

• 200 g = approx. 670 m
• 50% wool
• 30% polyacrylic
• 20% polyamide
• Needle size: 4 mm
• Gauge: 10 × 10 cm = 27 stitches × 18 rows
• Washable at 30°C
• Colour used: Pastel

Rico Creative Wool Tonality is a wool blend with a beautiful striping effect. The colour changes appear naturally as you knit, so you can create an interesting colour effect without having to combine several different yarns.

Of course, you can use a different yarn as well. The important thing is that the needle size suits your yarn and your individual knitting tension.

The stated gauge is simply a guide. Depending on how tightly or loosely you knit, the finished shawl may differ slightly in size and drape. For this shawl, however, I think you can also happily skip the gauge swatch.

Choosing the Right Circular Needle

I initially started with a short circular needle with a 60 cm cable. Later, I switched to a longer circular needle with an 80 cm cable.

At the beginning, a shorter circular needle is comfortable to work with. You don’t have to keep moving the stitches back and forth along a long cable.

As the shawl gets bigger, however, the number of stitches increases considerably. At that point, a longer circular needle is much more comfortable. Otherwise, fitting all those stitches onto a short needle can become quite a nuisance.

The Colour

Rico Creative Wool Tonality is available in several beautiful colour combinations. For my “Schwalbe” shawl, I chose the colour Pastel.

I particularly like the way the soft colour changes gradually appear as you knit. The striping creates a lively and interesting shawl, even though you are working with just one yarn and using only knit stitches.

Of course, you can choose your own favourite colour. The “Schwalbe” can be knitted in a solid colour, with a gradient yarn or with another type of self-striping yarn.

The choice of yarn and the size of the shawl will influence the final appearance and drape of your finished project.

Perhaps you already have a beautiful yarn hiding in your stash? Then this project might be a wonderful opportunity to finally put it to good use.

Care Instructions

The yarn I used is washable at 30°C.

If you use a different yarn, always follow the care instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Cast-On: Long-Tail Cast-On

For the “Schwalbe” shawl, we begin with the long-tail cast-on.

The long-tail cast-on is a classic cast-on method and creates a firm but flexible edge.

Make sure not to cast on too tightly. The stitches should be even and still have a little bit of give.

The Knotted Edge

The knotted edge is particularly simple: the first and last stitch of every row are knitted.

• Right-side row: Knit the first stitch, work the stitches according to the pattern, then knit the last stitch.
• Wrong-side row: Knit the first stitch, work the stitches according to the pattern, then knit the last stitch.

Because the edge stitches are knitted in every row, small knots form along the edge.

For the “Schwalbe” shawl, the edge stitches are already included in the stated stitch counts and are worked according to the pattern.

The Stitch Pattern

The entire shawl is worked in garter stitch.

This means you knit every stitch on both right-side and wrong-side rows.

The Increases

The special shape of the “Schwalbe” is created by regular increases at both outer edges and in the centre of the shawl.

The increases are worked differently on right-side and wrong-side rows:

• Every right-side row increases by a total of 4 stitches.
• Every wrong-side row increases by a total of 2 stitches.

Increases on Right-Side Rows

On every right-side row, 1 stitch is increased using kfb at each outer edge. In addition, 1 yarn over is worked before and after the centre stitch.

This creates a total of 4 new stitches on every right-side row:

2 stitches from kfb + 2 stitches from yarn overs = 4 increases

Increases on Wrong-Side Rows

On every wrong-side row, only the two outer-edge increases are worked. At each outer edge, 1 stitch is increased using kfb.

This creates a total of 2 new stitches on every wrong-side row:

1 kfb increase at each edge = 2 increases

This regular alternation of 4 increases on right-side rows and 2 increases on wrong-side rows allows the shawl to grow evenly while creating its characteristic shape.

Edge Increase: kfb

kfb – knit front and back of one stitch:

Knit the stitch through the front loop first, but do not slip it off the left needle.

Then insert the right needle into the back loop of the same stitch and knit another stitch.

This turns 1 stitch into 2 stitches.

Throughout the pattern, this increase is consistently referred to as “kfb” or “knit front and back”.

Centre Increases

Regular increases are also worked in the centre of the shawl.

A yarn over (yo) is worked before and after the centre stitch. This creates the characteristic little eyelets along the centre of the shawl.

I recommend marking the centre stitch with two stitch markers.

Place one stitch marker before the centre stitch and a second one after it. When you reach the marked section while knitting, you will immediately know where to work the two yarn overs.

As you knit, simply slip the stitch markers from the left needle to the right needle.

A Lifeline Can Be Helpful

With larger knitting projects, a lifeline can be very useful.

If your circular needle has a lifeline hole in the cable, you can insert the lifeline particularly easily. The yarn is threaded through the hole and is pulled through the entire row as you move the stitches along the cable.

If your circular needle doesn’t have a lifeline hole, you can use a tapestry needle to thread the lifeline through all the stitches of a complete row.

If you later notice a mistake or drop a stitch, you can undo your work back to the lifeline without losing the entire shawl.

For the “Schwalbe”, a lifeline isn’t absolutely necessary because the pattern itself is quite simple. But if you are still gaining confidence as a knitter or find it difficult to undo your work, a lifeline can certainly give you some peace of mind.

Binding Off

Once your shawl has reached the desired size, it is time to bind off the stitches.

For the finishing edge, you can choose between two options:

• a classic bind-off
• a bind-off with a picot edge, which creates a pretty little decorative border.

Simple Bind-Off

Start by knitting the first two stitches.

Now use the left needle to lift the first knitted stitch over the second stitch and slip it off the needle. You now have just one stitch left on the right needle.

Knit the next stitch. Again, lift the stitch that is already on the right needle over the stitch you have just knitted and slip it off the needle.

Repeat this process to the end of the row:

Knit one stitch – lift the previous stitch over the stitch just knitted.

At the end, one stitch remains on the right needle. Cut the yarn and pull it through the final stitch. Gently tighten the yarn and weave in the end on the wrong side of the shawl.

Important: Don’t Bind Off Too Tightly

Especially with a shawl, it is important that the bind-off edge remains sufficiently stretchy. If you pull the stitches too tightly while binding off, the edge may contract and affect the beautiful shape of the shawl.

A little trick can help: use a knitting needle one size larger than the needle you used for knitting the shawl.

For example, if you knitted your shawl with 4 mm needles, you could use a 4.5 or 5 mm needle for binding off. This makes the stitches slightly larger and keeps the bind-off edge nice and flexible.

A Playful Finish: Picot Edge

If you would like to give your shawl a slightly more playful and decorative finish, you can work a picot edge instead of the simple bind-off.

This creates small, evenly spaced points along the edge. For the “Schwalbe”, I chose small picots with 4 stitches between each picot.

The result is a delicate decorative edge that doesn’t overpower the simple design.

How to Work the Picot Edge

Start by knitting the first two stitches.

Now lift the first stitch over the second stitch and slip it off the needle.

The First Picot

For the first picot, cast on 2 new stitches.

To do this, form a new stitch from the working yarn and place it on the left needle.

Insert the right needle between the first two stitches, bring the working yarn to the front and place the resulting loop onto the left needle.

Repeat this once more.

You now have 2 new stitches on the left needle.

Next, bind off the two newly cast-on stitches again.

To do this, knit the first new stitch and then lift the previous stitch over the stitch you have just knitted.

Repeat this process until both of the newly cast-on stitches have been bound off.

Then bind off the 3rd stitch as well.

This creates the first little picot.

The Space Between the Picots

Next, knit 4 stitches and bind them off as you would with the simple bind-off.

These four stitches create the space between the first picot and the next one.

Then work another picot:

cast on 2 stitches → bind off 3 stitches → bind off 4 stitches.

Repeat this sequence to the end of the row.

One More Little Tip

When binding off the picot edge, make sure not to work too tightly. The edge should not pull together. If necessary, you can also use a slightly larger needle for the bind-off.

At first, working the picot bind-off may feel a little unfamiliar. Once you have worked the first two picots, though, you will quickly find your rhythm.

And then, one stitch at a time, a little, playful picot edge appears, giving the simple garter-stitch shawl a lovely decorative finish.

If you would like larger picots, you can cast on 3 stitches instead of 2.

Free Knitting Pattern for the “Schwalbe” Shawl

The “Schwalbe” shawl is worked back and forth in rows. It starts at the bottom point. Through carefully placed increases, it gradually grows in both height and width. Turn your work after every row.

Cast-On

Cast on 3 stitches.

Row 1

kfb, knit 1, kfb, turn.

= 5 stitches

Row 2

Knit 2, yo, knit 1, yo, knit 2, turn.

= 7 stitches

Row 3

Knit 1, kfb, knit 1, yo, knit 1, yo, knit 1, kfb, knit 1, turn.

= 11 stitches

Row 4

Knit 1, kfb, knit to the last stitch, kfb, knit 1, turn.

= 13 stitches

Row 5

Knit 1, kfb, knit 4, yo, knit 1, yo, knit 4, kfb, knit 1, turn.

= 17 stitches

Row 6

Knit 1, kfb, knit to the last stitch, kfb, knit 1, turn.

= 19 stitches

Row 7

Knit 1, kfb, knit 7, yo, knit 1, yo, knit 7, kfb, knit 1, turn.

= 23 stitches

Row 8

Knit 1, kfb, knit to the last stitch, kfb, knit 1, turn.

= 25 stitches

Continue Knitting

From this point onwards, continue with the increase principle of alternating right-side and wrong-side rows:

• Right-side row: increase 4 stitches in total
• Wrong-side row: increase 2 stitches in total

On every right-side row, work 1 kfb increase at each outer edge. In addition, work 1 yarn over before and after the centre stitch.

On every wrong-side row, work only the 1 kfb increase at each outer edge.

Continue knitting until your shawl has reached your desired size or you have used up your yarn.

Checking the Size

Because the stitches at the two outer edges are still sitting on your knitting needle, it can be difficult to see the actual size of the shawl.

A second knitting needle can be helpful here:

Carefully thread it through the stitches of the last row. You can then spread the shawl out a little and easily measure its size.

Don’t have a second knitting needle to hand? No problem! Simply take a long piece of yarn and thread it through the stitches of the last row. This is a little trickier to handle, but works just as well.

Finishing

For the finishing edge, you can choose between:

a classic bind-off or a picot edge.

Both techniques are explained in detail above.

The picot edge is a lovely way to give your shawl a little playful finishing touch. If you prefer a simple look, the classic bind-off works just as well.

I blocked my “Schwalbe” by gently steaming it at the end to help the stitches settle into place.

Finished!

And there you have it – your very own “Schwalbe”! 🧶

I hope you enjoyed knitting it as much as I did. Since the shawl is worked entirely in knit stitches, you can relax and concentrate on the beautiful shape and the colour changes of your yarn.

Whether small and practical as a neck shawl or a little larger to drape around your shoulders – you can decide for yourself how you want your “Schwalbe” to look. And perhaps there is already another beautiful yarn waiting in your stash, just hoping to become your next favourite shawl.

I wish you lots of fun knitting and wearing your “Schwalbe”!

Here is an overview of the increases

The stitch count then develops as follows, for example:

3 → 5 → 7 → 11 → 13 → 17 → 19 → 23 → 25 → 29 → 31 → 35 → 37 → …

So the increases alternate consistently:

+2 / +4 / +2 / +4 / +2 / +4 …

Copyright and Sharing

I created this pattern with lots of joy and heart. It is my own design and is protected by copyright owned by Blickfang-Design.

Please understand that the pattern – including parts of it – may not be copied, shared, published or sold. Commercial use of the pattern is also not permitted. You are, of course, very welcome to use the pattern for your personal projects and knit your own shawl from it.

If you like the “Schwalbe” and would like to tell others about the pattern, I would be especially happy about that! You are expressly welcome to recommend and share my blog post.  Please simply link to my original blog post so that others can find the free pattern there as well.

By respecting my pattern, you support my work and help me continue creating new designs and sharing free patterns with you in the future.

Thank you so much for that, and most of all, happy knitting! 

Warmest wishes,
Birte from Blickfang-Design