Reyna Shawl. Photo © Noora Laivola
Reyna by Noora Backlund is a free
one-skein shawl knitting pattern designed especially for those beautiful
skeins of variegated sock yarn that can sometimes be difficult to match
with the right project.
Alternating sections of simple garter stitch and open
mesh allow the yarn's changing colors to remain the star of
the project. The shawl is worked from the top down in one seamless
piece and requires approximately
380–420 yards (347–384 m) of fingering-weight yarn.
Reyna Shawl Pattern Details
- Designer: Noora Backlund
- Published: June 2015
- Craft: Knitting
- Category: Shawl / Wrap
- Pattern availability: Free Ravelry download
- Shape: Triangle
- Style: Adult / teen / unisex
- Yarn weight: Light Fingering / fingering sock yarn
- Yardage: Approximately 380–420 yards (347–384 m)
- Suggested needle: US 4 (3.5 mm)
- Gauge: No fixed gauge specified by the designer
- Construction: Top down and worked flat
- Construction style: One piece and seamless
- Stitches: Garter stitch and mesh
- Pattern format: Written instructions
- Languages: English, French and German, with an additional Hungarian translation available separately
A One-Skein Shawl for Variegated Sock Yarn
Reyna was created to solve a problem familiar to many knitters:
finding the right project for a gorgeous skein of
variegated sock yarn.
Highly variegated yarn can sometimes hide complicated lace or textured
stitches. Reyna takes the opposite approach and uses relatively simple
stitch patterns that give the colors room to shine.
One skein of fingering-weight yarn is enough for the original shawl,
making this a particularly useful pattern for special hand-dyed yarn
waiting in your stash.
Garter Stitch and Mesh
The shawl alternates between
garter-stitch sections and open mesh sections.
Garter stitch creates calm bands of texture where the yarn's colors can
flow naturally, while the mesh opens the fabric and adds a lighter,
airier appearance.
The contrast between these two simple textures gives the shawl its
distinctive look without competing with a colorful yarn.
Top-Down Triangle Construction
Reyna is a top-down triangular shawl.
The project begins at the middle of the long upper edge and gradually
expands outward as you work toward the lower point.
The entire shawl is knitted flat as one continuous piece, so there are
no separate sections to sew together afterward.
Finished Size
Noora Backlund's original blocked sample measures approximately
58 inches (148 cm) along the top edge.
From the middle of the top edge to the center tip, it measures about
21½ inches (55 cm).
These measurements are for the designer's sample. Your finished size
can vary depending on yarn, needle size, gauge and how many rows you
choose to work.
No Fixed Gauge Required
One unusual and useful feature of Reyna is that the designer
intentionally does not specify one required gauge.
Instead, Noora recommends choosing a needle size that creates a fabric
you like.
The goal is to achieve enough drape for a comfortable shawl without
making the fabric excessively loose and see-through.
The listed 3.5 mm (US 4) needle is therefore a useful
starting point rather than a rigid requirement.
The Original Reyna Yarn
The original sample was knitted with
Miss Babs Cosmic Hand Painted Sock in the
Gal Noir colorway.
This fingering-weight sock yarn contains 80% merino wool and 20% nylon
and has approximately 400 yards per skein.
That combination fits the central idea behind Reyna perfectly: take one
beautiful skein of colorful sock yarn and turn it into a wearable
shawl.
Other Suggested Yarns
The current pattern listing also suggests popular fingering and sock
yarns such as:
- Malabrigo Yarn Sock
- Hedgehog Fibres Sock
- Miss Babs Cosmic Hand Painted Sock
You do not need to use one of these exact yarns. A fingering-weight yarn
with suitable yardage and a fabric you enjoy can work well.
Solid, Tonal or Variegated Yarn?
Although Reyna was specifically designed with
variegated yarn in mind, the pattern does not require
it.
A solid yarn will emphasize the contrast between garter stitch and
mesh, while a tonal yarn can provide subtle color movement.
Speckled and highly variegated yarns can be particularly fun because
the simple stitch patterns allow their colors to remain clearly visible.
An Adjustable Shawl Pattern
Reyna is also easy to adapt if your skein contains slightly more or
less yarn than the original.
The designer explains that the number of rows in the
garter and mesh sections can be changed to adjust the
finished size.
This flexibility is especially useful for one-skein projects because
yarn quantities can vary from one brand or hand-dyed skein to another.
Can You Use a Different Yarn Weight?
Yes. Noora Backlund specifically notes that
heavier or lighter yarn weights can also be used.
Changing the yarn weight will change both the finished dimensions and
the amount of yarn required, so choose an appropriate needle size for
your yarn rather than automatically using the original 3.5 mm needles.
The most important goal is a fabric with enough drape for a shawl.
Skills Used in the Reyna Shawl
Useful techniques for this project include:
- Knitting and purling
- Garter stitch
- Working flat
- Yarn overs
- Basic increases
- Basic decreases
- Working a simple mesh pattern
- Top-down shawl shaping
- Binding off
- Blocking a shawl
A Good Introduction to Simple Lace and Mesh
Reyna can be an appealing next step if you are comfortable with basic
knitting and want to try an openwork shawl without starting with a
highly intricate lace pattern.
The mesh creates the airy look of lace while the garter sections provide
simpler stretches of knitting between the openwork sections.
The result is enough variation to keep the project interesting without
hiding the colors of the yarn beneath a very complicated stitch pattern.
Tips for a Successful One-Skein Reyna
If you have a limited amount of yarn, it is helpful to keep track of how
much remains as the shawl grows.
Remember that later rows contain many more stitches than the early rows,
so they consume yarn more quickly.
Because the designer allows the garter and mesh sections to be adjusted,
you have some flexibility to finish the shawl according to the amount
of yarn available.
Blocking the Finished Shawl
Blocking helps the mesh open and allows the triangular shape to settle
into its finished dimensions.
After washing according to your yarn's care instructions, gently shape
the shawl so the top edge and center point are clearly defined.
Avoid overstretching if you want to preserve the contrast between the
denser garter sections and the more open mesh.
A Popular Free Shawl Pattern
Reyna has become a favorite one-skein shawl project among knitters
because it combines simple construction with a clever approach to
colorful yarn.
Instead of requiring the perfect solid yarn for complicated lace, it
embraces the color changes already present in hand-dyed and variegated
sock yarn.
The combination of an adjustable size, modest yardage and straightforward
garter-and-mesh construction also makes it a pattern that can be knitted
again with very different results.
Why Knit Reyna?
Reyna is particularly useful when you have
one skein of colorful sock yarn and want a project
designed specifically to show it off.
With approximately 380–420 yards, simple garter and
mesh sections, flexible sizing and no rigid gauge requirement, the
pattern gives you plenty of freedom to work with the yarn already in
your stash.
And because the shawl is worked top down, flat and in one piece, the
construction remains straightforward while the changing texture and
yarn colors provide the visual interest.
Get the Free Reyna Shawl Knitting Pattern
The complete Reyna by Noora Backlund is currently
available as a free downloadable knitting pattern from the designer's
Ravelry store.
Get the Free Reyna Shawl Knitting Pattern
Pattern availability was checked when this article was updated.
Availability on external websites may change over time.
