3 Free Ways You Can Knit Simple Shawls in a Snap
No need to fear shawl knitting… try one of these super-simple free knitting patterns
Does the idea of knitting a hug for someone going through an ordeal touch your heart?
Would you love to knit a shawl for someone in emotional or physical need, but find the idea of shawl knitting intimidating?
For sure, there are some stunning shawls out there that might immediately make us think, “That’s beautiful, but I could never knit it.”
That doesn’t, however, mean that every shawl pattern is an exercise in complexity. In fact, you might be surprised at how many truly simple shawl knitting patterns are available!
The collection below features 3 beautiful knitting patterns from the Lion Brand design studio. And every single one of them is simple and accessible to knitters of every skill level!
Tips on Avoiding Knitting Monotony
If you’re like me, sometimes knitting simple projects can grow monotonous. Try these tips to keep your knitting delightful rather than dull!
- Use a multicolored yarn. Whether it is simply variegated, or it’s self-striping or self-patterning, your continually changing yarn will keep your senses alive and your knitting rewarding.
- Add stripes. Similar to the preceding tip, when you add stripes, you’re adding another level of interest to your knitting. As a bonus, you’ll be “rewarded” for knitting X number of rows with a new color!
- Pair your knitting with an enjoyable hands-free activity. This could be audiobooks, podcasts, movies, even YouTube videos. And with borrowing apps like Overdrive, Libby, and Hoopla, you don’t need to spend money to be entertained while you knit!
Photo: Lion Brand
1. Tender Shawl
- What you’ll need to make it: 555 yards bulky weight yarn; US Size 10.5 needles
- Why you’ll want to: Shawls don’t get much simpler than this garter-stitch based shawl. Because garter stitch creates such a squishy, comforting fabric, your recipient will treasure this shawl! (The simple stitch pattern also means this will make a terrific prayer shawl.)
Looking for somewhere to donate one of these lovely shawls? Take a look at these blog posts featuring charities accepting shawls!
Photo: Lion Brand
2. Heartfelt Shawl
- What you’ll need to make it: 555 yards bulky weight yarn; US Size 10 needles
- Why you’ll want to: The simple knit 3, purl 3 stitch pattern creates a deeply ribbed effect that produces yet another fabulously squishy shawl. Like the Tender Shawl, this simple stitch pattern can create a wonderful prayer shawl.
Yummy Yarns for
Snuggly Shawls
The Lion Brand yarns listed below are perfect fits for these shawls. So if you’re running low on bulky multi-colored yarn (or multi-colored worsted weight yarn), try one of these!
Note: the following links are affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking, I may receive a commission. Thank you for supporting Knitting for Charity!
Beautiful Bulky Weight Yarn
- Homespun: Long a Lion Brand favorite among charity knitters, this yarn’s boucle “waves” creates a delightful texture that begs to be cuddled.
- Scarfie: You won’t often find a bulky yarn with this kind of yardage! Created specifically for scarves, it weaves ombre stripes into scarves and shawls alike. It’s spellbinding!
- Mandala Impressions: The gorgeous self-striping capabilities of this yarn were designed to mimic the look of hand-dyed yarn. The result is nothing short of extraordinary.
Wonderful Worsted Weight Yarn
- Landscapes: This is one of my favorite Lion Brand yarns. I love its single ply and absolutely gorgeous colorways. You’ll find everything from muted neutrals to bright, almost neon tones.
- Ferris Wheel: Here’s another lovely yarn with a wide variety of ombre-like, self-striping colorways.
- Scarfie Lite: If you’re looking for a wool blend variegated yarn in beautiful pastels, this is your yarn! With 349 yards a ball, it’s an economical choice, too.
- Mandala Ombre: Like Mandala Impressions, this yarn is designed to have a hand-dyed look in an easy-care acrylic. It offers both neutral colorways and brighter ones, so there’s a choice for every taste.
Photo: Lion Brand
3. Redwood Shawl
- What you’ll need to make it: 880 yards worsted weight yarn; US Size 8 needles
- Why you’ll want to: While the Redwood Shawl was originally created for Lion Brand’s beautiful Amazing yarn, it has since been discontinued. However, as you can see in the box above, Lion Brand carries plenty of delightful alternatives. All work well with Redwood Shawl’s beautifully simple textured stitch patterns.
You don’t need complex patterns to create beautiful shawls. Any one of these lovely patterns would make great gifts and/or prayer shawls. Pick one and enjoy creating a gorgeous shawl!
