Have just included a schematic for stitches for the 3 button shawl, and wanted to include the free knitting pattern here. It’s a similar one to a very popular 3 button shawl as featured on the Today Show with Hoda and Kathy Lee long ago.

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A very easy knitting pattern, great for beginning knitters,  just a rectangle you can add your own creativity to. Very versatile in the different looks you can get by buttoning the shawl differently, and a most practical knitting project for spring and fall.

This 3 button shawl is really a simple pattern-it’s a rectangle measuring about 18 X 64″ inches (or make it longer for a taller person). It has one buttonhole that is knit 12 to 14″ up from the bottom, and about 4-5 inches in from the inside edge. The three buttons allow 3 different looks: geometric, even, or buttoned half way up the shoulder. You’ll need about 620 yards of each yarn and 3 two inch flat buttons. Use the yarn’s gauge to determine how many stitches to cast on. If 4 st to the inch, CO 72 st. Do a long tail cast on, or double cast on for a looser result. It is best to do a sample swatch, if you are using two strands of yarn like this one to determine just what look you want. I used a Size US 10.5 circular for this shawl.

aishlings-shawl.jpgThis wrap is meant to curl around the neck edge so work the inside edge in stockinette stitch (k right side, P wrong side). If you want the shawl to lie flat on the outside edge, then work 5 stitches in moss stitch or garter stitch on the outside edge. The same is true of the cast on and finished edges. I worked 6 rows of garter stitch on the bottom to start and finished with 6 rows of garter stitch (knit every row). Cast off with a stretchy method: purl two together, then place the stitch back on the left hand needle and continue purling together, placing stitch back on the left hand needle.

Alpaca and boucle mohair were used for yarns.

Finished size is 62″ long by 23″ wide. I used 620 yards of each yarn, 6 balls each strand,

12 balls total.

Buttons are placed 4 inches apart and 5 inches from the inside edge, depending on your desired length. There are several sources for handmade wooden buttons on Etsy. Viscount Wood Turning is one. Crochetess is another. Just make sure the buttons are not too heavy for the shawl. The type and style of the buttons will depend on the color of yarn and style you prefer.

This shawl is perfect for Mommies, knit one for the coming fall or knit it in cotton for the summer’s cool nights!

* Remember that this shawl was knit with two strands of yarn, it can be equally accomplished with a single strand of bulky. Help for buttonholes, go to Knitting Help and don’t be put off by title of the page ‘advanced knitting techniques‘, it’s not. You’ll have to scroll down for the buttonhole video. If you don’t get it the first time, play it over again, and believe me, I have forgotten how to long tail cast on, every time the pattern demands it, and always return to the video: long tail cast-on method at KnittingHelp.com. The long tail cast-on is also known as the Continental or double cast-on.

So to recap, cast on 72 stitches for gauge, 4 stitches= 1 inch, to start, work 6 rows in garter stitch (knit every row, back and front)

Right side: On the inside neck edge work all stitches in stockinette stitch for length of shawl,  knit all the way across to the outside edge border, then moss stitch 5 (RS: P1, K1,P1, K1, P1) on the outside edge.

On the wrong side outside edge, moss stitch 5 (WS: p1, k1,p1,k1,p1) then purl to the end. When the piece is 12-14 inches long, work the buttonhole on the inside neck edge, about 4-5 inches from the start of your RS row. Add on the cast off buttonhole stitches on the next row. (# of buttonhole cast off stitches will depend on the size of your button.) Work the last two rows until you have a finished length you desire. End with 6 rows of garter stitch (that’s knit every row) and cast off in stretchy method as described above. If you need a visual, print out the rough schematic to better understand the pattern of stitches.

Click here: Three button shawl schematic download

 

* Enjoy knitting the 3 button shawl and this free pattern. It’s a great tv-watching project. If you have any questions at all, please email me. These free patterns are protected under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License. These patterns are for personal and non-profit use only.

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