Many Icelanders created new lives near crescent-shaped Birch Bay in Washington state. This small shawl echos the shape of that bay and was inspired by Icelandic lace traditions.

Knit from the top down, the shawl is shaped as a wide triangle with narrow garter stitch borders. Simple rows of eyelets alternate with ribbons of stockinette stitch over the 8-row repeat. The scalloped edging can be started after any repeat, making it easy to customize the size in a variety of yarns. Also, beads can be added to the edging before it is cast-off with centered picots or a plain edge, or the shawl can be cast off with crocheted chains.

This design looks great in a variety of handspun and commercial lace (18+ wpi), fingering (16 & 17 wpi), and Shetland/sport/DK (13–15 wpi) weight yarns. Details are included for a version in Shetland Spindrift yarn.

Skill Level
Intermediate

Size
Can be customized

Sample Icelandic Yarn Shawls
50 g (275 yds/250 m) Lopi Einband lace weight (18 wpi) yarn on US size 3 (3.25 mm) needles with 57 size 5 beads and size 12 (1 mm) crochet hook. Stockinette stitch gauge: 24 sts = 4” (10 cm). Shawls measure 16 x 57” (41 x 145 cm).

Sample Shetland Spindrift Yarn Shawl
Shetland Shawl Yarn
90 g (415 yds/380 m) Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift 2-ply yarn (14 wpi) total in 3 colors:
Color A: 45 g #155 Bramble for top
Color B: 15 g #567 Damask for border
Color C: 30 g #165 Dusk for edging

US size 6 (4 mm) needles and size G (4 mm)
crochet hook for cast off. Stockinette stitch gauge: 16 sts = 4” (10 cm). Blocked Size 24 x 62” (61 x 157 cm).