Skill level: Intermediate (read more about skill levels of knitting patterns here)
Time: varies, but about 50 to 60 hours
This (free) knitting pattern for a lace shawl with written instructions accompanied by the chart is without extra complicated details, but still interesting enough to knit. You won’t get bored – I promise and please don’t choose it to be your TV watching project! It won’t work – I tried!
I made this shawl in white, but it will be perfect in any color. To get some ideas, go check out the Ravelry project pages made for the Solitaire Shawl.
Now, let’s start knitting!
Items used:
- 3 balls (150 g / 5,28 oz or 525 m / 573 yards) lace weight yarn (I used DROPS Baby Merino, but it’s easily replaceable);
- pair of long needles size 3,25 mm / US 3 (or use circular needles);
- stitch markers (not obligatory, but helpful);
Gauge: 10×10 cm (4″x4″) = 18 sts x 38 rows
Measurements:
- Length: 114 cm / 45 inches
- Width: 35 cm / 14 inches
The shawl is knitted flat (back and forth).
Little behind the scenes story! I broke my bamboo needles twice while knitting this shawl. Actually, my husband broke one pair and I broke the other.
I usually cast on with two needles together and I have to get one needle out to start knitting. I cast on too tightly and, of course, I was too lazy to just start picking my stitches one by one. So he helped me…and the needle broke.
And I still had to pick up my stitches one by one. Oh, and I broke one because I have a nasty habit – I tend to sit on my needles. So all my wooden needles will get broken and all my metal ones are bent (according to the shape of my butt).
Get the printer-friendly pattern here:
Abbreviations:
- sts – stitches;
- rep – repeat;
- k – knit (video instructions);
- YO – yarn over (video instructions);
- k2tog – knit 2 stitches together (video instructions);
- ssk – slip, slip, knit together through the back loop (video instructions);
- sk2p – slip 1 stitch, knit next 2 stitches together, pass 1st stitch over (video instructions);
Cast on 81 stitches and knit 10 rows.
Start with the lace pattern.
NOTE! First five and last five stitches are knit stitches on both rows for edging (and these are already counted in written instructions so you don’t have to add another 5 stitches).
Row 1 (RS): k5, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k3, *k4, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k3*rep total of 3 times, k4, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k5;
Row 2 and all the wrong side rows: k first 5 sts, purl until 5 sts are left, k last 5 sts;
Row 3: k9 (first 5 are edge stitches, next 4 are from pattern), YO, ssk, k2,*k3, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, ssk, k2* rep total of 3 times, k3, k2tog, YO, k9 (first 4 sts from pattern and last 5 sts for edging);
Row 5: k5, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk,*k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk* rep total of 3 times, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k5;
Row 7: k6, YO, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, *(sk2p, YO, k3, YO) 3 times* rep total of 3 times, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, sk2p, YO, k6;
Row 9: k8, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO,*k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k7, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO* rep total of 3 times, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k8;
Row 11: k9, YO, sk2p, YO, k1,*k2, YO, sk2p, YO, k9, YO, sk2p, YO, k1* rep total of 3 times, k2, YO, sk2p, YO, k9;
Row 13: k8, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk,*k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k7, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk* rep total of 3 times, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k8;
Row 15: k7, k2tog, YO, k3, YO,*sk2p, YO, k3, YO, ssk, k5, k2tog, YO, k3, YO* rep total of 3 times, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, ssk, k7;
Row 17: k5, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO,*(k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO) 3 times* rep total of 3 times, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k5;
Row 19: k9, YO, sk2p, YO, k1,*k2, YO, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, sk2p, YO, k1* rep total of 3 times, k2, YO, sk2p, YO, k9;
Row 21: k5, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k3,*k4, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k3* rep total of 3 times, k4, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k5;
Row 23: k6, YO, sk2p, YO, k4,*k5, YO, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, sk2p, YO, k4* rep total of 3 times, k5, YO, sk2p, YO, k6;
Row 24: k first 5 sts, purl until 5 sts are left, k last 5 sts;
Repeat rows 1 to 24 total of 15 times. If you want longer stole then add pattern repeats.
Knit last 10 rows and cast off.
Wave in ends and block (usually this means that you make it wet and lay flat to dry somewhere).
If you knit according to the chart:
*Add 5 knit stitches before and after main lace stitches for edging and repeat middle section for 3 times (or more if you want wider shawl).*
You may like this pattern as well:
This is lovely and I have some Dale of Norway Baby Uhl just waiting for this pattern.
I thought the. Mother’s Day shawl was amazing and then you appear with this one. Thank you so much.
No, thank you 🙂
I have an issue, I’m trying to knit this but I cant seem to make row 5 equal 81 stitches. Am I missing something?
Hi Jennifer, thanks for reaching out! Are you using stitch markers? This is the row where stitch markers are not helping but are confusing instead. The first thing to do is to count all your stitches and identify if you’re having too much or too little stitches. Then you can start searching for mistakes. It might be too many yarn overs or maybe you forgot to do some yarn overs – either on row 5 or on row 3. I hope that helps!
I have tried row 5 twice and am not getting a total of 81 sts. When I read the row I get 31stitches after the rep total of 3 times. Adding 31 stitches plus 14 stitches to the remainder of pattern my count comes to 45. Please tell me where is the miscount. I’m 36 sts short of finishing row. Thanks.
Hi Nancy, I’m sorry you’re having trouble.
Let’s see if we can make sense of this.
First, you have 13 sts for the edge (before marker) -> 5 (garter sts) + 8 (pattern sts)
Then, between markers, you should have 18 x 3 sts = 54 sts.
Lastly, you have 14 sts -> 9 (pattern sts) + 5 (garter sts).
The first thing to do is to make sure your row 3 is correct. Check your yarn overs and if your “sk2p” is correct (this is for the double decrease). Then check your other decreases.
Then do the same for row 5 – do you have all your yarn overs in place? And your decreases?
The pattern says on my copy:*k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk*. So 13 sts for edge, in between markers 6×3=18. There’s where it’s proving difficult for me. I’m not getting the 54 sts. There’s something I’m missing. Thanks for your patience.
I’m not sure what copy you have, but please refer back to the blog post here: https://pattern-duchess.com/shawl-of-solitaire-pattern/ and check the row 5.
Thanks.
I’ve had the same trouble with row five. I’ve ripped it out several times. I’m thinking from your responses that maybe the issue are the stitch markers, because when I get to the end of the 8 pattern stitches, I have to ssk so that the first slip is on one side of the marker, and the other is after the marker. Is this the way it should work? Or am I totally missing something? I’ve watched your video, but you’re fast and I can’t slow it down to really see. Any help you have, I’d really appreciate it!
Yes, it might be stitch markers that are messing this up. It seems to me that you’ve figured this out. By the way, you can use YouTube to slow a video down. Here’s the tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUymMkTpScw
Thank you! I love your pattern and I’m so wanting to get it right!
Thank you for this lovely pattern. Its not to difficult and not to easy and my 12 year old nephew has asked me to teach him how to knit this for his mum.
Thank you and good luck for him 🙂
Beautiful and thank you so much for sharing it.
Thank you, Nilda 🙂
You are a brilliant designer and so generous to share your wonderful patterns with us. Thank you! Some day you will have enough patterns to publish in a book and I’ll be in line to purchase it!
Thank you, June. My own book is my dream actually 🙂
Thank you for sharing, very elegant. BTW, I’ve broken a needle or two and feel your pain.
It’s good to know that I’m not the only one 🙂
I love your blog! I’ve been trying to knit this stole and keep coming up short on row 5. When I get to row 7 I only have 5 stitches for the edge instead of 6. I noticed that I only have 80 stitches coming out of row 5 when I should have 81, but I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. UGH!
Maybe you missed one yarn over somewhere – it happens to me all the time and then I’m searching this one stitch that seamed to disappear. It’s hard to help you… maybe you can take a picture of your knitting and email me? mariliis at patternduchess dot com – maybe I could help you?
Yeah, I did it! This time I left my markers in so it was easier to see where a mistake was without going through the whole row. You’re right, I must have missed a yarn over somewhere.
hello!!!thanks again for sharing this pattern!looks beautiful, but, as some comments before, I get to row 7, I have 81 st. total, I marked everything with stich markers, but still in the first part of the row (before the repeating part) I end up with an extra stich…and if i use that stich for the Sk2p I get an extra stich in every part as well…any suggestion?
Make sure that you have every YO and decreases on the right places. Most of the mistakes are coming from loosing yarn over at wrong side or decreases made wrong. Hope this helps 🙂
Bravo, il est merveilleux ce châle je l’adore, merci pour le pas à pas ! wonderful! I love it ! thank you so much for the pattern !
I’m glad you like it 🙂
Dear patternduchess
I saw this pattern on pinterest and I loved it so I wanted to try it myself. I started knitting but I failed in row 1 already and I just can’t figure out what I am doing wrong.
When I count the stitches in row one there are 97 (15+3×22+16) which is already wrong cause I only have 81.
Maybe you know what I am doing wrong?
I want to knit this shawl so badly and I get frustrated that I am failing all the time
Greetings
Hi, Liedeke. First of all, I’m glad you like my pattern. I checked and you should have 81 stitches. You have exactly right amount. Where did you get the 97? Maybe I have a mistake in somewhere? 13 (edge) + 3×18 (middle) + 14 (edge). You should be good to go. Let me know how you’re doing.
I began this shawl because I find it magnificent. So, I translated the tutoriel into French. I must be very concentrated to make it ! It is not complicated but the number of rows returns the work, complex . It is impressive that you manage to make a pattern like that! Congratulations ! Thank you very much for the sharing !!
Thank you Celine. I try my best to make my patterns interesting. That makes it…well.. not too easy 🙂 Show me your outcome if you’ve finished it.
I understand why you choose this name… 🙂 no one must perturbs you while you re doing it
Yes 🙂
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this pattern 🙂
I want to try it but I don’t see row 10…am I missing something? :0
Hi 🙂 Row 2 and all the wrong side rows: k first 5 sts, purl until 5 sts are left, k last 5 sts – including row 10
Hello Pattern Duchess! Your ideas and work is absolutely enchanting. I have a question: should I assume that all slipped stitches are slipped knitwise unless otherwise stated? Thank you for sharing such intriguing patterns and all of your lessons. It is much appreciated.
Hi and thanks 🙂 And you got that right 🙂
Help! I get 22 in the middle, rather than 18. On both Row 1 and Row 3. So I can’t repeat 3 times.
K2tog = 1 stitch, YO increases = 2 stitches.
Lovely pattern, can anyone help as to how I’m going wrong???!!! Trying to knit for mothers birthday as I have no money to buy anything, and thought it would be ideal to keep her shoulders warm. (Knitting newbie).
Do you have total of 4 decreases and 4 YOs on Row 1 for middle part?
Sorry, figured out where I was going wrong. I was counting the YO as a YO, K1 then adding K1 as an extra stitch! Thanks again for the pattern 🙂
I’m glad you found your mistake 🙂
Oh,, it is sooooo beautiful! Wish it were crochet since I can’t knit. (sad face)
I’m sure it can be made – when I’m in my crochet mode then I’ll try 🙂
I am having trouble with row 11. i am only getting 17 stitches between the * and only 13 stitches at the end of the row instead of 14. Any help?
Try counting all your “yarn over”s – usually it’s the part where the differences are coming from.
Thanks! I found my problem…i was doing k2tog instead of k2.
I’m glad you found it 🙂
Hello, when you say 3 balls 150g, do you mean 150g total or 3x 150g balls?
Total of 150 grams (if you have same yarn or similar to this)
Hi,
On row 13, it says “k8, k2tog, YO, k, YO,” so it’s missing the numbers of knit in between the two YO’s I looked thru the comments and could not find an answer. Would appreciate knowing as I would love to make this for my sister. Thank you. This is a gorgeous, gorgeous shawl!!!
Please disregard, I found the answer by looking at the chart. (Why didn’t I think of that before?) But nonetheless, you might want to fix the pattern for the many others who will want to make this beautiful shawl. Oh by the way, it’s a k1.
Hi Deb, thank you so much for noticing. I messed with this post the other day, so I might have made the error then. It’s fixed now.
Hi! I have gone through to row 23. Then the purl row…but then it says to knit 5 and purl to last 5 again (row 24) won’t this ruin the pattern? It will be 2 purl rows
You will knit first 5 stitches, purl to last 5 stitches and then knit those last 5 stitches. First 5 and last 5 stitches are for edging. I hope this make sense.
Love it!❤️
Having a problem with row 7. I have the right amount of stitches,13, but I keep having one stitch left plus if I YO it will give me 14 stitches
Which part are you having problems? Let’s count this way – you should have 13 sts before pattern repeat (with all the YOs); one pattern repeat is 18 sts (repeated 3 times), and 14 sts after pattern repeats. Check those sections, and compare row 5 too this way. Maybe that will show you, where’s the error.
It was the beginning and the end of row 7. I have the right amount of stitches, beginning 13 and 14 at the end. I would end up with the reverse, 14 beginning and 13 at the end after I went through row 7, I have no problems with the 18 between stitches.
I think it is beautiful in the color you have used. Part of its beauty is the gentle colorit is.
Hello. I searched for a shawl, not too big and not too small and fell for yours. I recognized your problem with cast on with double needles. Been there done that. Until…. I got this idea. I have a set of 13 cm long double pointed needles (app. 5 inches).
I have 11 different sizes. And I now cast on with my circular needle and a double point in a matching size. Then the stitches calmly slide on to the soft part of the circular needle and the short double pointed is easy to remove.
Hope I have explained OK, since I am an elderly Danish “girl” and my English is a bit lacking. It has worked for me ever since and you can decide how loose you want the cast on by the size of the smaller needle. Hope you can see the point.
Thank you for the wonderful pattern.
Many regards
Annette
Thank you Annette!!! I will absolutely try it 🙂
Is there a way to download the pattern and print it off?
Hi Mary Ann, thank you for noticing. I have an option to get the printable pdf now. 🙂
Loved the music on the video. Just wish the printed words were dark color. Very hard to see and read when the color is similar/blends in with the background.
Thank you for the feedback! It’s really appreciated. I will try to do better next time 🙂
I started doing this pattern love it but I’m stuck on row 5. Not sure what I’m supposed to do after doing the ones in ()3x. Not sure what I’m supposed to repeat total of 3 times
Yes, I see where the confusion came from – I had a small miss-typing. Repeat the instructions between * * 3 times. I fixed the error and I hope it make sense now.
Row 5: k5, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk,*k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk* rep total of 3 times, k1, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, ssk, k1, k2tog, YO, k5;
Hi I’ve just started knitting the shawl and I’m stuck on row 5, I’ve tried doing the bits between the * * and it doesn’t seem to use all the stitches between the start of the pattern including the 5 for the edges, have I missed something out
Hi Laura! Are you using stitch markers? This is the row where stitch markers are not helping but are confusing instead. The first thing to do is to count all your stitches and identify if you’re having too much or too little stitches. Then you can start searching for mistakes. It might be too many yarn overs or maybe you forgot to do some yarn overs – either on row 5 or on row 3. I hope that helps!
Could I work this pattern in a lace weight for a bridal wrap/shawl using the same size needles etc?
Yes, absolutely.
I am on row 7 and in the k6, YO, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, doesn’t that end up with an extra stitch as you start out at 13 stitches, knit 5 for the border, start new section, knit 1(8-1=7), YO, sk2p (7-3=4), YO, knit 3 (4-3=1), YO. I end up with an extra stitch. Any advice?
Row 7:
k6, YO, sk2p, YO, k3, YO, -> 13 stitches (1 stitch increased)
*(sk2p, YO, k3, YO) -> 6 (this is the repeat)
sk2p, YO, k3, YO, sk2p, YO, k6; -> 14 stitches (1 stitch decreased)
I hope this makes sense.
Hi! thank for your patterns, I was hooked the first time I saw them and I want to ask can I use your patterns to knit products for sale?
Yes, you may sell the items you’ve knitted, but not the patterns (which you wouldn’t anyway, I’m sure). Thank you for asking! 🙂
Tere Mari-Liis!
Otsisin mustrit uue olasalli jaoks ja komistasin sinu blogi otsa. Oh kui onnelik olen! See muster on imeilus ja tegelikult ju suht lihtne. Suured tanud! Nagu sinagi, oppisin kudumist oma vanaema kaest, kuigi ka koolis kasitoo tundides opetati, aga see pole sama, onju?
Mul on kahtlane tunne , et viidan oh kui mitmeid tunde sorides labi su mustrite, naib et Yks on ilusam kui teine 🙂
Paikest ja monusat kudumist, ja ole ettevaatlikum oma varrastega! 😀
Aitäh sulle heade sõnade eest! 🙂
Ok I too am having a problem with row 7. After the k6 YO, sk2p, YO, k3, YO I have an extra stitch before the pattern repeat. I have started from row 5 twice now and did fine with the rows until row 7. Guess I’ll rip out and start the lace pattern again 🙁
Yes, you should have one extra stitch before the pattern repeat. You will decrease it after you’ve done all pattern repeats at the end of the row. Hope this helps 🙂
Yes it did help. One tip I would like to give is after completing the odd row put in a life line. This way you won’t have to start over. I have started doing this so that if the next row I have a problem, it’s hard for me to tink back especially with the ssk stitches.
Lovely! Wish me luck!