Spring Blossoms Bandana Shawl
A free pattern using knit below’s and yarn overs to create a delicate Spring Shawl
We’ve entered a new period here in South Western Pennsylvania – that time when Mother Nature can’t make up her mind. It’s spring, then it’s Winter, and sometimes it feels a little like fall in between. The bamboo leaves that our previous home owner planted, are falling off from the freeze and thaw cycle, and the tree above them has gone to bud – and then lost them. So with weather being this unpredictable, it’s nice to have a light shawl or scarf on hand to keep the chill off of your neck.
This pattern came together as kind of a happy accident. I saw and fell for the dandelion stitch, and really wanted to incorporate it into a pattern. Originally I had been planning something in the round and the directions for the stitch are worked flat (later I figured it out through a bit of trial and error). I also had three skeins of Wool of the Andes™ Tweed from KnitPicks just begging to be used.
This shawl had to be worked from the bottom up, because the “blossoms” are made using knit below’s. Which presented a bit of a challenge – all of the triangular shawls’s I’ve made are top down. So I tried a few times and got a pattern of stitches to work. But it was a bit thin as there were only two new stitches made per row, and I was nervous that all would be for not. I stuck with it and eventually it was finished. Again, I wasn’t sure of the shape and the size and thought that it might end up being something for kids. But then I put it on and started to play with it and my fiancé remarked at how nice it looked and that I should definitely keep it. (I end up giving most of my things away or selling them).
The yarn I chose for this exact pattern was the Wool of the Andes Tweed by Knit Picks. I love the color and the feel of the yarn, plus it holds its shape well, which is great for patterns using unique stitches like the Spring Blossoms or Dandelion stitch. When I soaked this yarn to block it, the color did bleed a bit – I still love this yarn but this is the first time I’ve worked with it so I’m not sure how much the dye will do this. I’ve made my own tutorial for this flowery stitch which you can find here.
Needle: Size US 8 circular needle, Tapestry Needle
Gauge: 11STS X 10 Rows
Abbreviations:
CO: Cast On
STS: Stitches
K: Knit
P: Purl
*M1: Make One
YO: Yarn Over
**Flower
*Make One: Insert needle below bar between the next two stitches, from back to front and knit it, resulting in a new stitch.
**Flower: A series of six stitches in this pattern. If you click the link above to the dandelion tutorial, you’ll see their flowers are offset. For ease of this pattern, I’ve lined them up vertically.
To knit the flower: Knit into the 3rd stitch below the second stitch on your left hand needle, K2, Knit 3 below into the same stitch, K2, Knit 3 below into the same stitch again.
Care Instructions: Machine washable, tumble dry (or whatever the skein label normally says.)
Begin Pattern:
CO: 2 Stitches
Row 1: Knit 2 stitches
Row 2: K1, M1, K1
Row 3: Knit 3 stitches
Row 4: K1, M1, P1, M1, K1
Row 5: K2, P1, K2
Row 6: K2, YO, K1, YO, K2
Row 7: K2, P3, K2
Row 8: K2, YO, K3, YO, K2
Row 9: K2, P5, K2
Row 10: K2, YO, K5, YO, K2
Row 11: K2, P7, K2
Begin Pattern Section
Row 12: K2, YO, k1, Flower, K1, YO, K2
Row 13: K2, P2, P2Tog, P1, P2Tog, P1, P2Tog, P2, K2
Row 14: K2, YO, K9, YO, K2
Row 15: K2, P11, K2
Row 16: K2, YO, K11, YO, K2
Row 17: K2, P13, K2
Row 18: K2, YO, K5, Flower, K4, YO, K2
Row 19: K2, P5, P2Tog, P1, P2Tog, P1, P2Tog, P5, K2
Row 20: K2, YO, K15, YO, K2
Row 21: K2, P17, K2
Row 22: K2, YO, K17, YO, K2
Row 23: K2, P19, K2
Row 24: K2, YO, *K2, Flower* Repeat twice, K1, YO, K2
Row 25: K2, P2, *P2tog, P1,* Repeat 8 Times, P2Tog, P2, K2
Row 26: K2, YO, K21, YO, K2
Row 27: K2, P23, K2
Row 28: K2, YO, K23, YO, K2
Row 29: K2, P25, K2
Row 30: K2, YO, K5, Flower, K2, Flower, K2, Flower, K4, YO, K2
Row 31: K2, P5, *P2Tog, P1* Repeat 7 Times, P2Tog, P6, K2
Row 32: K2, YO, K27, YO, K2
Row 33: K2, P29, K2
Row 34: K2, YO, K29, YO, K2
Row 35: K2, P31, K2
Row 36: K2, YO, *K2, Flower* Repeat 4 Times, K1, YO, K2
Row 37: K2, *P2Tog, P1* Repeat until last 4 Stitches, P2, K2
Row 38: K2, YO, K33, YO, K2
Row 39: K2, P35, K2
Row 40: K2, YO, K35, YO, K2
Row 41: K2, P37, K2
Row 42: K2, YO, K5, *Flower, K2* Repeat 4 Times, K5, YO, K2
Row 43: K2, P4, *P2Tog, P1* Repeat until Last 6 Stitches, P4, K2
Row 44: K2, YO, K39, YO, K2
Row 45: K2, P41, K2
Row 46: K2, YO, K41, YO, K2
Row 47: K2, P43, K2
Row 48: K2, Yo, *K2, Flower* Repeat 6 Times, K1, YO, K2
Row 49: K2, P2, *P2Tog, P1* Repeat until last 2 STS, K2
Row 50: K2, YO, K45, YO, K2
Row 51: K2, P47, K2
Row 52: K2, YO, 47, YO, K2
Row 53: K2, P49, K2
Row 54: K2, YO, K5, *Flower, K2* Repeat until last 6 STS, P4, YO, K2
Row 55: K2, P5, *P2Tog, P1* Repeat until last 6 STS, P4, K2
Row 56: K2, YO, K51, YO, K2
Row 57: K2, P53, K2
Row 58: K2, YO, K53, YO, K2
Row 59: K2, P55, K2
Row 60: K2, YO, K2, *Flower, K2* Repeat till 3 STS left, K1, YO, K2
Row 61: K2, P2, *P2Tog, P1* repeat until 4 STS Left, P2, K2
Row 62: K2, YO, K57, YO, K2
Row 63: K2, P59, K2
Row 64: K2, YO, K59, YO, K2
Row 65: K2, P61, K2
Row 66: K2, YO, K5, *Flower, K2* Repeat until last 6 STS, K4, YO, K2
Row 67: K2, P5, *P2Tog, P1* Repeat until last 6 STS, P4, K2
K2, P63, K2, YO, K63, YO, K2
Row 68: K2, P65, K2
Row 69: K2, YO, K65, YO, K2
Row 70: K2, P67, K2
Row 71: K2, YO, K20, *Flower, K2* Repeat 3 times, Flower, K19, YO, K2
Row 72: K2, P20, *P2Tog, P1*, Repeat 14 times, P19, K2
Row 73: K2, YO, K69, YO, K2
Row 74: K2, P71, K2
Row 75: K2, YO, K71, YO, K2
Row 75: K2, P73, P2
Row 76: K2, YO, K29, Flower, K2, Flower, K2, Flower, K28, YO, K2
Row 77: K2, P29, *P2Tog, P1* Repeat 8 Times, P29, K2
Row 78:
Row 79:
Row 80:
Row 81:
Row 82: K2, YO, K38, Flower, K37, YO, K2
Row 83: K2, P38, *P2Tog, P1* Repeat 2 times, P37, K2
Row 84: K2, YO, K81, YO, K2
85:purl row
86:knit
87:purl
88:knit
Continue working in this pattern until the shawl reaches the desired size/fit. For this project I had three balls of KnitPicks City Tweed.
Final Rows
Round 1: K2, YO, K1, *K2tog, YO* repeat until the end, YO, K2
Round 2: Knit all stitches
Round 3: Knit all stitches
Round 4: Knit all Stitches
Finishing:
I’ve used the stretchy sewn bind off, instructions for which are below:
Step 1: Break yarn, leaving quite a long tail, maybe a yard and a half to two, and thread your darning needle. (Note: I pull a little less than half through to shorten the yarn and make it easier to work with. Be careful of knotting the yarn.)
Step 2: Insert the darning needle purl-wise, into the first two stitches on the left knitting needle and pull yarn through.
Step 3: Then Insert the darning needle knit-wise through the first stitch on the left knitting needle, and pull yarn through.
Step 4: Once the yarn has been pulled through the first stitch, you can allow it to drop from the knitting needle.
Repeat this process until the last stitch. Work the darning needle back through that purl-wise and begin to weave in the excess. (Note, if you run out your yarn tail part way through, I’ve cut another section of yarn, tied them together and then worked in the yarn tails from this knot at the end as well.)
Bind off. Weave in all yarn tails
Questions or edits? Please email me
