24 Beautiful Shawl Knitting Patterns With Lacy Edgings

There is something quietly magical about a knitted shawl. It wraps around your shoulders like a second skin, offers warmth without bulk, and carries within its stitches a kind of artistry that never goes out of style. But if you want to take your shawl knitting to the next level, adding a lacy edging transforms a beautiful project into something truly breathtaking. Lacy edgings give shawls movement, delicacy, and a finishing touch that makes them look heirloom-worthy even when knitted by a beginner.

Whether you are drawn to sweeping crescent shapes, classic triangles, or dramatic rectangular wraps, there is a shawl pattern with a lacy edging to match every skill level, yarn weight, and personal style. In this collection, we are sharing 24 beautiful shawl knitting patterns with lacy edgings — complete with descriptions, design details, and tips to help you choose your next favorite project.

Why Lacy Edgings Make All the Difference

Before we dive into the patterns themselves, it is worth taking a moment to appreciate what a lacy edging actually does for a shawl. On a purely practical level, it defines the boundary of your work — the outer border that the eye naturally travels to first. On an aesthetic level, it adds texture, dimension, and visual interest that elevates even the simplest stockinette body into something special.

Lacy edgings can be knitted simultaneously with the shawl body using a live stitch pickup method, added afterward by picking up stitches along the finished edge, or worked separately and sewn on. Each approach creates a slightly different look, and experienced knitters often have a strong preference for one method over another. Picked-up edgings tend to integrate seamlessly, while separately knitted and sewn edgings often have a more pronounced, three-dimensional quality.

For yarn choice, lighter weights shine in lacy edgings. Fingering and laceweight yarns let the open stitches breathe and block beautifully. Plant-based fibers like cotton and linen have excellent stitch definition, while animal fibers like merino and silk blends have a gorgeous drape that enhances the flowing quality of lace. If you are new to lace knitting, starting with a smooth, light-colored yarn makes it far easier to see your stitches and correct any mistakes.

The Patterns

1. Ishbel

Designed by Ysolda Teague, Ishbel is one of the most beloved shawlette patterns in the modern knitting world, and for good reason. This small crescent-shaped shawlette features a simple garter stitch body with a beautiful lace panel near the lower edge that culminates in a deeply scalloped picot cast-off. The contrast between the plain body and the delicate lace section is what makes this pattern so satisfying to knit. It is beginner-friendly enough for someone tackling their first lace project, yet polished enough to gift or wear to a special occasion.

2. Annis

Another gem from Ysolda Teague, Annis is a circular shawlette worked from the center out. Its lace edging is worked simultaneously in rows while the body grows, resulting in a pretty fanned border that sits beautifully against the neck. It uses very little yarn, making it an excellent choice for a special skein you have been saving, and it knits up quickly enough to be a weekend project.

3. Hitchhiker

The Hitchhiker by Martina Behm is a wildly popular pattern that takes a completely unique approach to shawl construction. It is worked at an angle using short rows, so the shawl grows one sawtooth point at a time. Each tooth forms its own small lacy point, resulting in a finished edge that looks like a row of little shark fins or mountain peaks. It is meditative to knit, endlessly customizable in terms of length, and the jagged lacy edge gives it a graphic quality that stands out from more traditional designs.

4. Herbivore

Herbivore by Tina Whitmore combines a simple garter stitch body with a graceful lace border knitted simultaneously along the straight edge. The result is a long, rectangular scarf-shawl that feels modern and wearable. The lace motif features leaf shapes, which are rendered in crisp yarnovers and decreases. The pattern is suitable for intermediate knitters and produces a shawl with a lovely organic quality.

5. Shetland Triangle

This traditional design draws on the rich heritage of Shetland lace knitting, one of the most refined lace traditions in the world. The Shetland Triangle features an all-over lace body worked from the center spine outward, finishing with a classic Print o’ the Wave or Razor Shell edging that is picked up and worked perpendicularly to the main fabric. Blocking is essential here — before blocking, the piece looks like a crumpled mass; after, it opens into an airy, geometric masterpiece.

6. Citron

Citron by Hilary Smith Callis is a free pattern on Ravelry and one of the most downloaded shawl patterns ever published. Its body is worked in concentric half-circle segments of garter stitch and eyelet rows that create a ruffled, lettuce-like texture. The outer edge naturally forms a rippled, lacy border through the construction method itself rather than a separate edging. It is playful, modern, and incredibly satisfying to knit.

7. Laminaria

Laminaria by Elizabeth Freeman is a stunningly graceful circular shawl worked entirely from the center out. Named after a type of kelp, it features flowing lace motifs throughout the body that grow more elaborate as the shawl gets larger. The outermost border is a deep, pointed edging that gives the finished piece a dramatic, organic silhouette. This is a project for an intermediate to advanced knitter who wants to spend time with a truly beautiful design.

8. Haruni

Haruni by Emily Ross is a crescent shawl knitted with a lace body and a deep, rippling lace border. The construction is clever — the shawl is worked from the top edge down using short rows, so the outer edge gets progressively more lace-heavy as you knit. The edging is a traditional leaf-and-vine motif that cascades beautifully when the shawl is blocked. It works particularly well in silk or silk-blend yarns that enhance the fluidity of the lace.

9. Myrtle

Myrtle by Sarah Fama is a triangular shawl with a bold leaf motif center panel flanked by garter stitch panels, all finished with a leafy lace border. It is a versatile design that works in everything from fingering to DK weight, and the lace border scales nicely with the yarn weight. This is a good choice for knitters who want something with visual impact but do not want to commit to an all-lace project.

10. Travelling Woman

Travelling Woman by Liz Abinante is a crescent shawlette with a clean, modern aesthetic. The body is worked in a combination of stockinette and a simple eyelet repeat, and the lower border features a sweet leaf lace pattern. The edging is shallow enough that it does not overwhelm the design, making this an excellent first lace edging project. It knits up in about 400 yards of fingering weight yarn, making it ideal for a single special skein.

11. Celestarium

Celestarium by Audry Nicklin is a circular shawl that maps the northern hemisphere’s night sky using beads and lace. Each star is represented by a placed bead, and the constellation outlines are rendered in subtle lace motifs. The outer border is a deeply pointed picot edging that echoes the geometric quality of the star charts. This is a conversation piece as much as a knitting project — people will ask you about it.

12. Holden Shawlette

The Holden Shawlette by Mindy Wilkes features a beautiful horseshoe lace panel along its lower edge, one of the most classic lace motifs in the knitting canon. The horseshoe pattern is approachable for intermediate knitters and creates a deep, elegant border. The body is simple garter stitch, so the lace section is where all the attention and care is focused. Blocked aggressively in a laceweight yarn, the horseshoe motif opens up spectacularly.

13. Girasole

Girasole by Jared Flood (Brooklyn Tweed) is a large, circular shawl worked from the center out in a sunflower-inspired design. The outer edge features a delicate lace border that references the petals of the central motif. This is a showstopper project — large, dramatic, and complex enough to keep an experienced knitter engaged for weeks. It looks stunning in a heathered fingering weight wool.

14. Wisp

Wisp by Jared Flood is a delicate crescent shawl with a beautiful allover feather-and-fan lace pattern and a simple picot bind-off edging. It is worked in laceweight yarn and requires patience to knit, but the finished piece is gossamer-thin and breathtaking. This is one of those projects that photographs poorly because it is almost too delicate to be seen clearly — in person, it is extraordinary.

15. Wingspan

Wingspan by Natalie Larson is worked in short-row wedges, similar to Hitchhiker, but produces a long, flowing shape with gentle waves. The outer edge formed by the short-row construction creates a natural lacy scallop that requires no additional edging work. It is a meditative knit using fingering or DK weight yarn, and the finished shawl has a dramatic wingspan that looks stunning draped over the shoulders.

16. Print o’ the Wave Stole

This is a traditional Shetland pattern that has been adapted by many designers, including a popular version by Eunny Jang. The Print o’ the Wave stole features a wave lace motif worked throughout the body and a deeply scalloped edging worked perpendicularly after the body is complete. It is a project that requires commitment — typically worked in laceweight over hundreds of rows — but the finished piece is an heirloom. The scalloped edging is architectural in its precision.

17. Ashberry

Ashberry by Kate Davies is a rectangular shawl with a bold, colorwork-inspired lace panel along the lower edge that draws on Scandinavian folk motifs. The combination of texture, lace, and subtle colorwork makes it stand out from more traditional shawl designs. It is knitted flat in fingering weight and rewards careful blocking.

18. Nurmilintu

Nurmilintu by Mirkka Hanski is a triangular shawl with a sweeping lace border featuring stylized bird and flower motifs. The lace is charted and requires chart-reading ability, but the motifs are intuitive once you understand the repeat. This pattern comes from the rich tradition of Finnish lace knitting, and the finished shawl has an elegant, fairy-tale quality that is completely distinctive.

19. Evenstar

Evenstar by Susan Pandorf is a large circular shawl inspired by the Lord of the Rings, specifically the star of Evenstar worn by Arwen. The design features intricate all-over lace with a deeply scalloped and pointed outer border. This is a project for advanced lace knitters with patience and attention to detail, but the finished result is one of the most remarkable lace shawls in the knitting world. It is the kind of thing you knit once in your life and treasure forever.

20. The Elephant in the Yarn

This cheerful triangular shawl by Martina Behm features a whimsical elephant parade knitted into the lace border using a slip-stitch colorwork technique. It is worked in two colors, with the main shawl body in garter stitch and the lower border featuring the elephant silhouettes dancing along the edge. It is unusual, fun, and deeply charming — a wonderful gift for someone who appreciates something a little out of the ordinary.

21. Swallowtail Shawl

The Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark is a classic triangular lace shawl that has been a staple in the knitting community for years. The design features lily of the valley nupps in the body and a deeply pointed edging with budding lace motifs. It is best knitted in a smooth, plant-dyed fingering weight wool that shows off the stitch detail. The edging is worked simultaneously with the final section of the shawl, which makes the finishing process feel seamless and satisfying.

22. Damask

Damask by Kieran Foley is an asymmetrical triangular shawl with a sumptuous all-over lace pattern inspired by woven damask fabric. The outer border has a deeply textured, almost three-dimensional quality achieved through a combination of yarnovers, cables, and elongated stitches. It is a complex pattern that requires experience, but the result is unlike anything else in shawl knitting — it truly does look like woven fabric rendered in yarn.

23. Beekeeping in January

Beekeeping in January by Laura Aylor is a free pattern available on Ravelry that has garnered thousands of devoted fans. It features a simple crescent shape with a honeycomb-inspired lace border that nods to the title’s beekeeping theme. The edging is deep and dramatic, creating a shawl with a bold lower border that contrasts beautifully with the plain upper body. It is an accessible intermediate pattern that works in any fingering weight yarn.

24. Cobblestone Path

Cobblestone Path is a modern triangular shawl featuring a central spine worked in garter stitch flanked by a repeating cobblestone lace motif. The outer edging is a deeply pointed picot border worked simultaneously with the final rows of the shawl. The design works in fingering through sport weight yarns and produces a wearable, contemporary-feeling piece that is equally at home at a farmers’ market or a gallery opening.

Tips for Knitting Lacy Edgings Successfully

Now that you have 24 beautiful options to choose from, here are some practical tips to help your lacy edgings come out beautifully every time.

Always block your lace. Unblocked lace knitting looks like a crumpled mess. Wet blocking — soaking the finished piece in cool water, pressing out excess moisture, and pinning it aggressively to the correct dimensions — is what opens up the yarnovers and reveals the true beauty of the pattern. Do not skip this step.

Use a lifeline when working complex edgings. Thread a piece of smooth waste yarn through all live stitches at the end of a correctly knitted repeat row. If you make a mistake several rows later, you can rip back only to the lifeline instead of the entire piece.

Read the pattern twice before casting on. This sounds obvious, but with lace edgings, understanding how the edging attaches to the body before you start knitting saves enormous frustration later. Some edgings are worked perpendicular to the body and joined stitch by stitch; others are added after the fact by picking up stitches.

Use blocking wires for straight edges and rustproof pins for points and scallops. Blocking wires thread through the edge stitches and allow you to create perfectly straight lines with minimal effort. Individual pins work better for the points and curves of scalloped edgings.

Keep a consistent yarn tension throughout. Lace edgings are often worked on slightly larger needles than the body to help them lie flat. If your edging curls or pulls, try going up a needle size.

Choosing the Right Yarn for a Lacy Shawl

The yarn you choose for a lace shawl matters enormously. For fingering and laceweight projects, look for yarns with a tight twist — they hold their shape better after blocking and show stitch definition clearly. Loosely spun singles can pill or distort over time. Merino, Bluefaced Leicester, and silk blends are all excellent choices. Cashmere blends feel luxurious but can be slippery and are less forgiving of mistakes.

For beginners, a smooth, light-colored yarn in fingering weight is the safest choice. Avoid dark colors when you are learning lace, since it is genuinely difficult to see what your stitches are doing in a deep navy or charcoal. Once you are comfortable, a hand-dyed semi-solid or tonal yarn adds gorgeous depth to lace motifs without interrupting the pattern the way a highly variegated colorway might.

Getting Started

If you are brand new to lace knitting and shawl construction, start with patterns 1, 3, 6, or 23 from this list — they are forgiving, well-written, and produce genuinely stunning results without requiring years of experience.