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| Photo above © Athanasia Andritsou |
Birds Nest Shawl by Athanasia Andritsou is a beautiful deep triangular lace shawl that brings together delicate lace knitting and traditional Estonian-inspired stitches.
Designed for lace-weight yarn, the shawl features intricate texture, elegant openwork and the distinctive raised details created by nupps. Best of all, the designer still offers the pattern as a free Ravelry download.
✓ Free Pattern Availability
Birds Nest Shawl is currently available as a free download directly from the designer's Ravelry store. The designer specifies that the pattern is offered for personal, non-commercial use, so please read and respect the usage terms included with the pattern.
Birds Nest Shawl at a Glance
Pattern: Birds Nest Shawl
Designer: Athanasia Andritsou
First Published: February 2015
Craft: Knitting
Category: Shawl / Wrap
Shape: Deep triangle
Yarn Weight: Lace
Suggested Yarn: Posh Yarn Miranda Lace
Yardage: 766–875 yards / 700–800 m
Needle Size: US 2 / 2.75 mm
Notable Techniques: Estonian-inspired lace and nupps
Sizing: Modular / adjustable
Current Availability: Free Ravelry download
About the Birds Nest Shawl
Designed by Athanasia Andritsou, Birds Nest Shawl is a lace project intended for knitters who want to explore something beyond basic triangular shawl construction.
The designer describes it as a deep triangular shawl featuring some of the beautiful stitches associated with Estonian knitting, including the characteristic raised details known as nupps.
The combination of open lace and dimensional texture gives the finished shawl an intricate appearance that can look especially striking after careful blocking.
The Inspiration Behind Birds Nest
The name has a lovely connection to the designer's surroundings. Athanasia Andritsou originally introduced the design while observing the birds nesting in the trees around her home.
That natural inspiration suits the pattern particularly well: the lace has an organic appearance, with repeating motifs and textured details that create movement across the triangular fabric.
Yarn and Yardage
The original shawl was designed using Posh Yarn Miranda Lace, a luxurious lace-weight yarn.
The published yardage is approximately:
766–875 yards / 700–800 metres
The original Miranda Lace yarn combines fine fibres that produce a soft fabric with a gentle halo.
If you substitute another lace yarn, consider both stitch definition and drape. Highly textured lace details can appear quite different in a very fuzzy yarn compared with a smooth, tightly spun yarn.
Needle Size
The published needle size is:
US 2 / 2.75 mm
Treat the recommended needle size as a starting point. Lace knitters often adjust needle size depending on the yarn and the amount of openness or drape they want in the finished fabric.
A Modular Shawl
One particularly useful feature of Birds Nest Shawl is that its size is modular.
The designer also notes that gauge is not particularly important for this project. That gives the knitter more flexibility than a fitted garment, where a small gauge difference can significantly affect the final size.
Yarn quantity still matters, however. If you plan to make a larger shawl, allow additional yarn rather than relying only on the quantity used for the original project.
What Are Nupps?
Nupps are small raised decorative elements strongly associated with Estonian lace knitting.
They create tiny dimensional points within the lace rather than remaining completely flat like ordinary openwork stitches.
They can require more attention than basic yarn-over lace, particularly when several loops must be handled together. If this is your first project using nupps, practicing the technique on a small swatch before beginning the shawl can make the main project more comfortable.
Charts and Written Support
Birds Nest Shawl is primarily a chart-based lace pattern.
The designer also provides written instructions after the charts, but explains that these are intended as support for the charts rather than a complete replacement for them because the chart repeat boxes need to be taken into account.
For that reason, this pattern is best approached by a knitter who is comfortable reading knitting charts or is willing to learn how chart repeats work.
Skills That Help
Useful skills for Birds Nest Shawl include:
- Knit and purl stitches
- Working yarn overs
- Working decreases
- Reading lace charts
- Following chart repeat boxes
- Working Estonian-style lace techniques
- Making nupps
- Managing fine lace-weight yarn
- Blocking a lace shawl
Blocking the Finished Shawl
Blocking is particularly important for lace knitting.
Freshly knitted lace can look compressed because the stitches have not yet opened into their intended shapes. Careful blocking helps reveal the openwork, defines the triangular shape and allows the decorative motifs to become much easier to see.
Always follow the care instructions appropriate for the yarn you choose.
Pattern Corrections and Updates
Because Birds Nest Shawl has been available for many years, it is worth downloading the current version rather than relying on an old saved copy.
The designer uploaded a corrected version in 2018 addressing specific chart rows. Using the current Ravelry download helps ensure that you are working from the latest version provided by the designer.
Is Birds Nest Shawl Still Free?
Yes. Birds Nest Shawl is currently available as a free Ravelry download from Athanasia Andritsou.
There is an important condition: the designer states that the pattern is provided for personal, non-commercial use.
Please check the designer's complete current terms when downloading the pattern. “Free pattern” means there is no purchase price for the download; it does not mean the designer has given up copyright or usage conditions.
Get the Free Birds Nest Shawl Pattern
Download the current version directly from the designer's Ravelry listing.
Get the Free Birds Nest Shawl Pattern →
More Free Lace Shawls
If you enjoy this style of project, Amazing Knitting has more shawl and lace knitting ideas in the archive.
Explore Free Lace Shawl Patterns →
You can also browse free knitted shawls, lace knitting patterns, and triangular knitted shawls.
Before You Start
Download the latest version of the pattern first and read through the charts before casting on. If nupps are new to you, make a small practice swatch so you can become comfortable with the technique before reaching the more intricate sections of the shawl.
Also check that you have enough yarn for the size you intend to make, particularly if you plan to enlarge the modular design.
Pattern credit: Birds Nest Shawl was designed by Athanasia Andritsou. The existing project photograph on this Amazing Knitting page is credited to Athanasia Andritsou. The pattern remains the designer's copyrighted work and is currently offered free under the designer's stated personal, non-commercial usage terms. Amazing Knitting does not reproduce the designer's charts or row-by-row instructions.