A half-pi (half-circle) shawl is one of the simplest shawl constructions to work. They are worked by doubling the number of stitches each time you’ve doubled the number of rows.
Increases are made all at once in one row, so it’s easy to maintain stitch patterns between increase rows.
Let’s Get Started:
As for all shawls, you’ll want to knit fairly loosely to give your fabric drape. Choose a needle 2-3 needle sizes bigger than your ball band suggests. You can get a very nicely sized half-pi shawl with two 400-yard skeins of fingering weight yarn, and needles somewhere between a US 3 (3.25 mm) and US 5 (3.75 mm). Choose a needle size that gives you a fabric you like.
Abbreviations:
- k: Knit
- kfb: knit into the front and back of the same stitch
- p: Purl
- pm: place marker
- rep: repeat
- RS: Right Side
- st(s): stitch(es)
- sm: slip marker
- WS: wrong side
- yo: yarn over
Step 1: Garter Tab Cast On
Cast on 3 sts. Knit 7 rows. (or 2 rows for every stitch you want to pick up, plus 1 more row)
Row 1 (RS): K3, turn work 90-degrees and pick up and knit 3 sts along edge (I pick up in the garter bumps), turn work 90-degrees, and pick up and knit 3 sts along cast on edge. 9 sts
Row 2 (WS): K3, P3, K3.
It doesn’t look like much, but this 9-stitch “garter tab” is the beginning of your shawl. The first and last 3 stitches of each row form a garter stitch edging; they will always be knit stitches. The body of the shawl grows from the 3 center stitches. Place markers between edging and body stitches to help you remember to knit the edge stitches. You can adjust the number of body stitches to work with your intended stitch pattern, and you can work in any stitch pattern you like. We’re going to work our sample in garter stitch (knit right and wrong side rows), to keep it simple.
Step 2: Begin Working Body of Shawl
Row 3 (RS): K3, pm, yo, kfb, yo, k1, yo, kfb, yo, pm, k3. 15 sts total; 9 stitches in center body, plus 3 sts at the beginning and end of each row for garter stitch edging
Note: Slip markers on all subsequent rows.
Rows 4 – 6: Knit all stitches. (3 rows worked)
Row 7: K3, sm, *k1, yo; rep from * to marker, sm, k3. 24 sts total; 18 stitches in center body, plus 3 sts at the beginning and end of each row for garter stitch edging
You can see that we’re beginning to get a curve after that last increase row.
Rows 8 – 14: Knit all stitches. (6 +1 rows worked, the extra row is so our increases can be on RS rows)
Row 15: K3, sm, *yo, k1; rep from * to marker, sm, k3. 42 sts total; 36 stitches in center body, plus 3 sts at the beginning and end of each row for garter stitch edging
Step 3: Add Even More Curve
Rows 16 – 28: Knit all stitches. (12 + 1 rows worked)
Row 29: K3, sm, *k1, yo; rep from * to marker, sm, k3. 78 sts total; 72 stitches in center body, plus 3 sts at the beginning and end of each row for garter stitch edging
Row 30 – 54: Knit all stitches. (24 + 1 rows worked)
Row 55: K3, sm, *yo, k1; rep from * to marker, sm, k3. 150 sts total; 144 stitches in center body, plus 3 sts at the beginning and end of each row for garter stitch edging
Rows 56 – 104: Knit all stitches. (48 + 1 rows worked)
Row 105: K3, sm, *k1, yo; rep from * to marker, sm, k3. 294 sts total; 288 stitches in center body, plus 3 sts at the beginning and end of each row for garter stitch edging 288 sts.
Step 4: Carry on!
You can end any time after this, or you can work 97 rows and increase again. It doesn’t have to be precise; you can fudge a few rows in either direction if you’re in the middle of a pattern repeat and need to finish your rows.
Finish your shawl with a pretty edging; your choices are limitless!
Related Videos: How to Work the Garter Tab Cast On, Half Pi Shawl Math Basics, Knit a Garter Stitch Half Pi Shawl
Thanks for the shawl pattern
I don’t have a website.
No website
Thanks
Thank you for including a link to the pattern on Ravelry. I love half pi shawls. You explained it very well. I had never considered using a slip stitch as part of the pattern before. Very clever.
Can’t wait to try it!!
Thank you for such clear instructions. Makes thought of having a go making up my own pattern stitches very exciting now I know how. Looking forward to getting started.
Hello,
Is there a way to adjust this recipe to create a 3/4 (or so) circle? Would the change have to be to the cast-on, increases, both? Thank you.
Hello Vee,
Thank you for contacting us.
You would need to change the cast on to accommodate the shape. You may also need to play around with the increases as well. You could also start the shawl as a three-wedge shawl and then switch to the pi shaping to achieve a ¾ circle shape as well.
If you have any other questions, please chat, email, or call Customer Service.
Sincerely,
Sarah
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
Can you tell me the name of the yarn used in this shawl? I love the colors.
Hello Pat,
The shawl is Half the Knit Sky by Michele Lee Bernstein, and you can find the pattern here: https://pdxknitterati.com/patterns/patterns-shawls-and-wraps/half-the-knit-sky/
The yarn she used for the particular sample shown in the blog post is:
Knit Picks Hawthorne Fingering Kettle Dye, color 26694 Delphinium
Knit Picks Hawthorne Fingering Speckle, color Blueberry Speckle
I believe the white is also a Knit Picks fingering weight yarn.
Jen
TKC Expert
Thank you for the pattern
I am definitely going to knit this shawl
This is a welcome pattern. Thank you! Elizabeth Zimmerman invented this shawl, but I never saw it explained this way. How nice!
Can this be knit in stockinet (sp) stitch?
Hello Maureen,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
Absolutely! I would maintain a garter stitch edge (knitting on both right and wrong sides) for the first and last 3-4 stitches to help prevent rolling. But working the rest of the shawl in Stockinette stitch will be beautiful!
Jen
The Knitting Circle Expert
I only have email or do you require a mailing address??
Hello Beverly,
Thank you for contacting us. Are you referring to signing up for the membership? If so yes you will need a billing address.
This is for members to our online community. We do have a $2.34 annual entrance offer if you are interested? This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Below is the link to join if you are interested: https://go.knittingcircle.com/C30158
Sincerely,
Sarah
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
Looks great! What length of circular needle do you recommend?
Hello Susan,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
It’s really personal preference. I would use at least a 32” circular, but if the shawl gets really big, I might switch to a 40” circular. Happy knitting!
Sincerely,
Sarah
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
I too am going to attempt to make this pattern but am a little. Nervous because I haven’t knit with a circular needle in Yeats I am a little intimidated by them along with also using the do needlrs
Once you get used to working with a circular needle you’ll never want to use anything else!
And I don’t see the flower stitch in the directions. Is this the directions to make this exact shall, or just a general pattern for how to increase to create this shape?
Hi Nancy!
Here is what our experts had to say: The post is for the general pattern for how to increase for this shawl shape. The shawl shown in the first photo is available for purchase here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/half-the-knit-sky
Let us know if other questions come up by emailing or calling at 1-833-622-6523.
Sincerely,
Codi
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
So pretty! What did you do to decorate the edge?
I really would like to try this one.
I’m an ious to try this one.
I will probably ask questions…knitting first time in a long while. You will probably get tired of hearings from me but Thanks!
If you get a half Pi shawl, and once you increase it to the size you want, if you continue on and do decreases in the same way, will you end up with a circle or would it be wonky?
Hello Christina,
Thank you for contacting us.
You would not end up with a circle, it would get wonky. It is possible to knit a full pi shawl, which makes a circle. The math is the same as the half pi shawl. You would start with a small number of stitches and then join in the round. You would work in the round, working the increases in the same increments as described for the half pi shawl. The pi shawl actually came before the half pi shawl!
If you have any additional questions, please email or contact Customer Service at 1-833-622-6523.
Sincerely,
Lindsay
The Knitting Circle Video Membership