Shawl Geometry: Triangle with Wings #1
This is the seventh post in a series about different shawl shapes and how to knit them. All the posts in the series can be found right here.
Triangle with Wings #1 from the top down
The second variation on the traditional right angle triangle has “wings,” which makes the top edge of the shawl curve up around the shoulders helping the shawl stay in place more easily. This type of shawl is also occasionally called a heart shaped shawl, but I’ve always seen wings rather than a heart.
To shape a Triangle with Wings, you work the first half of your shawl as if you were working a Right Triangle, then at your halfway point, you increase the rate at which you work the shaping along your top edge, from every other row, to every row. This additional shaping produces the wings of your shawl.
Knitting Instructions
CO 7sts.
{4 border sts + 2 sections + 1 spine}
R1: k2, yo, k1, yo, pm, k1, pm, yo, k1, yo, k2.
R2: purl across.
R3: k2, yo, k to marker, yo, sm, k1, sm, yo, k to last 2sts, yo, k2.
R4: purl across.
Rep R3&4 to half your desired shawl depth.
R5: k2, yo, k to marker, yo, sm, k1, sm, yo, k to last 2sts, yo, k2.
R6: p2, yo, p to last 2sts, yo, p2.
Rep R5&6 to desired dimensions.
Bind off loosely.
Triangle with Wings from the bottom up
To create a bottom up triangle with wings is totally possible, but the math to figure out the number of stitches to cast on at your hem is a bit tricky. I found the easiest way to calculate the number of hem stitches was to think of the shawl in two halves: top & bottom.
For the top half of the shawl (which would be the second half you work) you’ll decrease 4 stitches every other row. For the bottom half of the shawl (the first half you work) you’ll decrease 6 stitches over two rows.
Calculating your row count
Determine your final gauge and desired depth along center back spine.
[Desired depth] / 2 = [Z]
[Z] x [1.4142] = [magic number]
[Magic number] x [row gauge] = [# of rows]
[# of rows] / 2 = [# of rows in each shawl half] AND [half # of rows in shawl]
Calculating your stitch count for the top shawl half
[half # of rows in shawl] / 2 = [# of dec rows in top shawl half]
[# of dec rows in top shawl half] x [4sts decreased per dec row] = [# of sts decreased in top shawl half]
Make sure this number is divisible by 4.
Calculating your stitch count for the bottom shawl half
[half # of rows in shawl] / 2 = [# of dec reps in bottom shawl half]
[# of dec reps in bottom shawl half] x [6sts decreased per dec rep] = [# of sts decreased in bottom shawl half]
Make sure this number is divisible by 6.
Calculating your cast on
[# of sts decreased in top shawl half] + [# of sts decreased in bottom shawl half] = [# of sts decreased total]
[# of sts decreased total] = [# of sts to CO]
Calculating your stitch marker placement
[# of sts to CO] / [2 shawl sections] = [# of sts in one section aka Y]
Knitting Instructions
CO [# of sts to CO].
R1: ssk, kY minus four, k2tog, pm, ssk, kY minus four, k2tog.
R2: p2tog, p to last 2sts, p2togtbl.
R3: ssk, k to 2sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k to last 2sts, k2tog.
R4: p2tog, p to last 2sts, p2togtbl.
Rep R3&4 to [# rows in each shawl half] AND also until [# of sts decreased in bottom shawl half] have been decreased.
R5: ssk, k to 2sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k to last 2sts, k2tog. R6: purl across.
Rep R5&6 to 4sts AND also [# of rows] have been worked.
Bind off loosely.
The previous post: Shallower Triangles
The next post: Side to Side Triangles
Thank you for sharing this…I have always liked this shawl style 🙂 m.
🙂
Hello! I’m wondering if the formula for shaping a Shallow Triangle Shawl will also produce a triangle with wings, as that also has increases on the edge at every row (in addition to the spine increases every third row). What do you think? Thanks for all the great information! Shayna
Hey Shayna! I’m so glad you’ve enjoying the Shawl Geometry series, and I’m so sorry for the delayed response! Short answer to your question: no, they won’t produce the same shape. Though you might be able to aggressively block a Shallow Triangle shaped shawl to have small wings.
Long answer: While both the Triangle with Wings and the Shallow Triangle have shaping along the top edge every row, they have different rates of shaping down the spine. The Triangle with Wings has more frequent shaping (every row), while the Shallow Triangle has less frequent shaping (every third row). This means that in the Shallow Triangle the fabric produced or consumed along the top edge goes into the main triangular body of the shawl to create a triangular shape. While in the Triangle with Wings the fabric produced or consumed along the top edge creates “extra” fabric that becomes the wings.
I hope this helps explain!