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| Photo above © sonomahead |
Shivaree Throw by the Berroco Design Team is a richly textured knitted blanket featuring dramatic braided cables surrounded by classic double seed stitch.
Designed in Berroco Ultra Alpaca, the combination of cables and textured background gives this throw a timeless, substantial appearance. Best of all, the original Shivaree Throw knitting pattern is still available free directly from Berroco.
✓ Free Pattern Availability
Good news: Shivaree Throw is still available as a free knitting pattern from Berroco. We have updated this guide to direct readers to the current official Berroco pattern page rather than relying on older third-party links.
Shivaree Throw at a Glance
Pattern: Shivaree Throw
Designer: Berroco Design Team
Craft: Knitting
Project Type: Throw / Home
Skill Level: Intermediate
Finished Size: Approximately 48 × 60 inches
Suggested Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Yarn Required: 13 hanks
Main Needle: US 8 / 5 mm circular needle
Notions: Cable needle
Main Textures: Braided cables and double seed stitch
Current Availability: Free official Berroco pattern
About the Shivaree Throw
Shivaree is a generously sized knitted throw built around a repeating combination of braided cables and double seed stitch.
The cables create strong vertical lines across the blanket, while the surrounding textured stitch provides contrast and helps the cable motifs stand out.
Unlike a blanket assembled from individual squares, Shivaree is worked as one large piece. This creates a continuous pattern across the entire throw and avoids the need to join multiple knitted blocks afterward.
Finished Size
Berroco gives the finished dimensions as approximately:
48 inches wide × 60 inches long
That makes Shivaree large enough to work as a substantial sofa throw or an extra layer for a bed or reading chair.
Berroco Ultra Alpaca
The original design uses Berroco Ultra Alpaca.
The official pattern calls for:
13 hanks of Berroco Ultra Alpaca
The photographed Berroco version was made in the colour Sweet Potato #6229.
If you substitute another yarn, matching the original gauge and creating a fabric with good cable definition are more important than simply choosing a similar colour.
Needles and Equipment
Berroco specifies a:
29-inch US 8 / 5 mm circular knitting needle
The circular needle is used to comfortably hold the large number of stitches in the blanket; the throw itself is worked flat rather than joined in the round.
You will also need a cable needle for the braided cable pattern.
Gauge
Because Shivaree combines two different textures, Berroco provides gauge information for both.
For the double seed stitch section:
20 stitches × 28 rows = 4 inches
For the cable pattern:
13 stitches = 2 inches and 28 rows = 4 inches
These measurements are based on the US 8 / 5 mm needle.
Berroco specifically recommends checking gauge before beginning. With a project this large, even a modest gauge difference can affect both the finished dimensions and the amount of yarn required.
Braided Cable Design
The cables are the visual centerpiece of Shivaree.
Rather than using a single simple rope cable, the pattern creates a more elaborate braided effect through a repeating cable sequence.
Each cable section is worked over 13 stitches, with the cable pattern repeating over eight rows.
The official Berroco pattern provides the complete cable instructions and stitch glossary, including the required front- and back-crossing techniques.
Double Seed Stitch Texture
Between the braided cables is a textured stitch pattern that Berroco identifies as Double Seed Stitch.
This creates a small-scale knit-and-purl texture that contrasts nicely with the larger flowing cable motifs.
The combination is particularly effective because the quieter background texture allows the braided cables to remain the dominant feature.
How the Throw Is Constructed
Shivaree is worked flat on a circular needle.
The pattern begins with a large cast-on and establishes alternating sections of double seed stitch and cable motifs across the row.
Once the stitch patterns are established, the knitter continues the repeating textures until the piece reaches the required length.
Use Berroco's original pattern for the exact cast-on count, cable crossings, stitch sequence and row-by-row instructions.
Why Use a Circular Needle for a Flat Blanket?
A circular needle does not necessarily mean a project is knitted in the round.
Large blankets can contain hundreds of stitches, making conventional straight needles uncomfortable or impractical. A circular needle allows the flexible cable between the needle tips to support much of the weight of the project.
You simply turn the work at the end of each row and knit back and forth as you would with straight needles.
Skill Level
Berroco classifies Shivaree as an Intermediate knitting pattern.
Useful skills include:
- Casting on a large number of stitches
- Knitting and purling
- Following repeating stitch patterns
- Working with a cable needle
- Crossing cable stitches to the front and back
- Maintaining several pattern sections across a long row
- Checking gauge
- Binding off evenly
- Blocking a large knitted project
A Good Project for Learning Cable Rhythm
Although Shivaree is not a small project, repeating cable designs can become easier to follow once their rhythm becomes familiar.
Stitch markers placed between major pattern sections may also help you notice mistakes earlier instead of discovering them several rows later.
If you are relatively new to cables, consider practicing the cable motif with spare yarn before casting on the full blanket.
Choosing a Substitute Yarn
When substituting yarn for a cable blanket, look beyond yarn weight alone.
A yarn with good stitch definition can make the braided structure easier to see. Very fuzzy yarns may soften the appearance of the cables, while a smoother yarn can emphasize every crossing.
Also consider durability, warmth and washing requirements. A throw may receive considerably more everyday use than a decorative shawl or occasional garment.
Is Shivaree Throw Still Free?
Yes. Shivaree Throw remains available as a free knitting pattern directly from Berroco.
This is the best source to use because it comes from the company and design team responsible for the original pattern.
Amazing Knitting does not reproduce Berroco's copyrighted row-by-row pattern instructions. Instead, we provide project information and direct knitters to the legitimate original source.
Get the Free Shivaree Throw Pattern
Berroco currently provides the complete free pattern on its official website.
Get the Free Shivaree Throw Pattern →
More Free Knitted Blankets
If you enjoy textured throws and cable knitting, continue exploring the Amazing Knitting archive for more free blanket patterns.
Explore Free Blanket Knitting Patterns →
You can also browse cable knit blankets, free knitted throws, and seed stitch blankets.
Before You Start
Download or open the current Berroco pattern first, then make a gauge swatch that includes the relevant textured stitches.
Because this is a large project using 13 hanks in the original version, make sure you have enough yarn before casting on. If possible, purchase the yarn for the complete blanket at the same time to reduce the chance of noticeable dye-lot differences.
Pattern credit: Shivaree Throw was designed by the Berroco Design Team. The existing project photograph on this Amazing Knitting page is credited to sonomahead. The knitting pattern remains the property of its respective rights holder. Amazing Knitting does not reproduce Berroco's copyrighted row-by-row instructions.
