This is a free shawl pattern that I designed for the Three Rivers Fibershed Sheep to Shawl program. Check out their website and the program here. You can download the pattern for free from the Fibershed.

I love shawls. They keep me warm without constricting my movements. They’re light and airy and can be striped or patterned, long or short. But I don’t like shawls that fall off! Or ones that you constantly have to readjust and fidget with.

So, I took a basic triangular shawl pattern, which normally has two sections, and added one or two more. Presto! A shawl that draped nicely and STAYED on my shoulders!

Not content with a plain shawl, I added my favorite motif, the cat’s paw. It’s a traditional Shetland lace motif that’s often used in shawls---in borders, overall patterns, etc.

And so, the Cat’s Paw shawl was born. I hope you have fun knitting and wearing it.

• Yarn: any solid-colored yarn with a lot of drape. Don’t use a variegated yarn or one that’s really
fuzzy: that will obscure the pattern. The shawl should take between 400 and 600 yards,
depending on the size you want. For the shawl shown above I used 4.9 ounces of a worstedweight handspun.
• Needles: 40-47” circular needle to give a very loose, drapey fabric.