How to create a triangular shawl?

I think I want to make a triangular shawl and need to know the basics. Mostly I want something I can wear around the house that won’t drag things off the desk or get in the way of using the sink, etc. I think it either needs to be fastened or be closed in the front.

I can pick the stitch pattern and I have the yarn. Just need to know how to begin planning it.
Suggestions?

You can start at the point and do increases or start at the wide end and do decreases. Here’s a pattern to see how it was basically done.

http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/crystalcove/crystalcove.html

Lots of ways:

1–start with 3, increase every row, (work in garter) continue till shawl is desired size, bind off
(1 A to 1 Z–add borders, work in stocking knit, add lace, add fringe, (etc))

2–start with 3, Increase on one edge (every row, or every other row) when shawl is 1/2 desired size, switch, and decrease every row, (on same edge that you had previously been increasing)when you have 3, bind off.
(variations 2A to 2Z–add border, add lace, work in stocking knit, add fringe, etc)

3–double V from neck–
Cast on 7,
Mark center stitch.
for first 5 rows, increase either side of center (2 increases every other row) (move marker down as you work)

Change pattern"
Place marker after stitch 5, (leave marker on center stitch) Place marker Before last 5 stitches.

Increase 4 times every other row.
Once at first marker, one each side of center (2) once again before last 5 stitches.

Continue till shawl is large enough. bind off

(variations 3A to 3Z? Keep border in garter, make stitches after the first, (and before the last) markers stocking knit or lace, add a border on lower edge, change border from garter to lace, etc)

4–(last):
Cast on between 600 and 1000 stitches
(or make a border --at least 600 row, up to 1000 rows in border then pick up 600 to 1000 stitches from border edge)

Mark center of your stitch count

Knit, (making a border at first few stitches–if desired)
Every other row, make a raised center decrease at center point (marked center)

continue till you have 3 (to 5) stitches. bind those off, and make a small seam at center back (of neck)

(variation, decrease 4 times every row, (at borders edge, center back, and before border starts)

REALITY? check out this SITE: 352 simple triangular shawls

the patterns are sorted by yardage, and will give you tips on yarn, yardage, needle size, and finished size of shawl (also may have photo’s) NOT ALL ARE FREE–but many, many are!

Still you’ll find, MOST Of the designs are variation of the 4
basic designs i wrote above:
[B]Top down,
side to side
top down double V
Bottom up[/B]

some have borders, some have lace, some have fringe, (etc)
but in the end, these 4 basic shapes cover MOST (not all!) triangular shawl patterns.

(other, “[B]V[/B]” shapes (really a V when laid flat is not a triangle, but a [I]V[/I](there is a small (to large) notch for neck–)

[B]Piecework[/B] (think of knit interesting squares (not granny squares of crochet, but something like a granny square–only knit)some times the square are triangles, or other shapes.

A flat knit V --all the above V are 'half a square" (right triangles) but you can knit other triangles… think of equalateral triangle (all the side are the same size)
start in center, cast on 6, every row (and some times more than every row!) increase 6 times, in 2 pairs, to make a center out triangle… (but this is getting away from easy!)

I think I need to make two trapezoids. Do these measurements sound reasonable? Bottom 30", top 18", sides (neck to bottom) 16"
The plan is to have it stop just past the elbows, lying across the chest close to natural waist level. Am I on track?
Now how to plan it–top down or work up? Where to inc or dec?

I LOVE shawls and have an excessive number of them, but if you plan to wear it while working, why not make a shrug instead? I made a short-sleeved one to wear up here in the knitting/TV room, just by making a chunk of ribbing to fit loosely above my elbow, then working flat, instead of in the round, for a couple of inches, then increasing and decreasing at the bottom just like a side to side triangle shawl until I got back to the number of ribbing stitches, then working the ribbing in the round again. Because it hangs on upper arms and there are no dangling ends, it’s a little easier to move around in than a regular shawl is.

Bottom up - inc 2 sts every other row at beginning and end, or
Neck down - inc 4 sts every other row… beginning and end and 2 on either side of the middle st.

I kind of like this idea but I’m not too experienced yet and shy from making anything where fit is essential. I also wanted to use 3 colors–almond, cream and burgandy. If it’s knit side to side, my stripes would be vertical, right?

I’m still trying to decide if I should make a triangle or two trapezoids sewn tog to be worn 2 ways–seam on shoulders or front and back.

The shrug might be more practical, though… Decisions!!!

I’m making my first triangular shawl myself! Knittin’Mitchie was kinda enough to point me in the direction of a super easy first pattern! CO 3 stitches. Pattern: K1, YO, K to the end. Continue on with the pattern over and over until the shawl is the right size. BO. Add fringe to the YO holes all the way around the shawl. It’s super easy. A great beginner shawl. And if you use a really beautiful textured or busier yarn, it really showcases the yarn!

here is a link