Inis Oírr, pronounced inish-eer, is the eastern-most and smallest of the Aran Islands of Ireland, located in Galway Bay. Traditional Aran sweaters hail from these Islands, and this wrap, named after this smallest island, was inspired by these designs.
The Inis Oírr is designed to be multi-use – a blanket or an oversized shawl to wrap yourself in during the coldest of the winter months. The main body is constructed first, knit in one piece, and then the border is knit onto it, creating a seamless and continuous flowing cable around the main body.
Schematic
Size
Finished size is approximately 35” [89 cm] x 90” [228 cm]
Yarn
Valley Yarns Northampton (100% wool; 247 yards [226 meters]/100 grams): 03 Fawn, 9 balls
Thanks to Webs for sponsoring the yarn for this design!
Needles
Size US 7 (4.5 mm): 30” circular needles
Size US 7 (4.5mm): double pointed needles
Notions
Stitch markers; cable needle; tapestry needle; waste yarn
Gauge
16 sts and 24 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking.
Abbreviations
Please see our standard abbreviations.
2/2 LC: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front; k2; k2 from cable needle.
2/2 LPC: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front; p2; k2 from cable needle.
2/2 RC: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back; k2; k2 from cable needle.
2/2 RPC: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back; k2; p2 from cable needle.
JN: Work until last stitch, sl 1, pick up stitch through edge stitch, pass slipped stitch over.
PU w&t: Pick up w&t and purl. Work to first wrapped stitch, pick up wrap and work together with stitch, turn and work to end. Note: when picking up, work in pattern (k2tog the k sts, and p2tog the p sts).
w&t: Bring yarn to front, sl 1, bring yarn to back, return slipped stitch to left needle, turn and work as instructed.
Pattern Notes
Red highlighted portion in the body is to be repeated a total of 4 times (40 stitches).
To work the edge join, complete as follows:
- On the ws, work to last stitch;
- Sl st pw on border;
- Pick up main body st through the slipped stitch on the border;
- Psso;
- Turn to work rs;
- Slip first stitch pw.
Each time you follow these six steps it will “eat up” one body st.
You can see a photo tutorial of this join being worked on Kelly’s blog.
- If you want to size the pattern up or down, simply change the repeats, making sure your row and stitch counts are in multiples of 40 (this will allow the border to fit proportionally).
Charts
All charts are clickable and expand
Main Body
Border
Mitered Corner
Main Body
CO 120 sts using long tail cast on method, or your favorite stretchy cast on (this will allow your stitches to be picked up easier when you come around with the border later).
Work rows 1-20 of Main Body chart, repeating 23 times (460 rows).
Work rows 1-18 one more time (478 rows).
BO all stitches loosely.
Border
With a piece of waste yarn, provisionally cast on 24 stitches. Turn (the wrong side will be facing you now).
With ws of the main body facing you, using the needle you just provisionally cast on to, begin attaching the border by locating the first stitch you cast on at the beginning of the piece (bottom right hand corner). If you used the long tail cast on method, this will be the corner opposite your cast on tail.
Using the edge join detailed in the pattern notes section above, attach your border to the body. Turn. This can be a bit finicky for the first few rows, but stick with it, it does become easier to handle!
With RS facing, begin border pattern by working row 1 of the border chart.
Continue in this fashion until you reach the edge, 12 reps of border chart have now been completed (3 reps on the CO and BO edges), ending on row 40 of border chart.
Mitered Corner
Begin row 1 of mitered border chart. Work rows 1-91.
On row 92, you will work a hybrid of the JN and PU w&t stitch as follows:
- Work to the final wrapped stitch;
- Pick up wrapped st and slip both tog onto working needle as if working the join;
- Pick up st through first edge stitch as you would for the join;
- Sl PU w&t sts over picked up stitch.
Continue in established pattern, joining to every other Shawl Body stitch on both the Top and Bottom, until after you complete your final mitered corner. You will now be back at the beginning, at your provisional cast on.
Finishing
Transfer provisionally cast on sts and the sts you just worked to dpns.
Using Kitchener stitch, join the edge you just knit to your provisional cast on.
Weave in ends, wet block, and enjoy!
About the Designer: Kelly G
In 2001 Kelly taught herself to knit by creating a truly hideous scarf full of dropped stitches and unintentional yarn overs. Eternally stubborn and not to be dissuaded, she worked at it tirelessly until she had the fundamentals down, and never looked back. In 2014 she decided the next great thing for her to master was designing her own patterns, and despite many bumps in the road, her stubbornness again persevered, and her first pattern was released in 2015. To this day, Kelly still has that hideous first scarf she knit.
Kelly can be found online at kellygknits.com and on ravelry as tomatl.
Kathi Mullin
I just came across Inis Oirr on Webs’ new site and as my grandmother was born on Inishere (!!) this gorgeous wrap really spoke to me. I absolutely cannot wait to get started on what I hope will become a true family heirloom!
knotions
I’m so glad you like it!
If you’re interested were running a KAL over on ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/knotions-magazine/3484873/1-25
Patricia McLaughlin
This is beautiful! However, I’m a return knitter and am still refresh ening my skills. It’s been a long and slow road. Some of these abbreviations if never seen before so I’ll be doing some research. My question, do you think a return knitter like myself could knit something like this?
knotions
Sorry, I replied to this one a few days ago on my iPhone but I see it’s not here.
I think you *can* knit this as a new-ish knitter. Our KAL.
Judy
I love this pattern and want to start on it right away. However, I haven’t been able to enlarge the charts. I generally open PDFs on my iPad in Good Reader, but when that didn’t work, I opened on my laptop. Unfortunately, clicking the charts still didn’t expand them. I hope you can help. ?
knotions
They definitely should expand.
I’m wondering if you’re clicking on the chart in the PDF? That won’t work. But clicking on the chart in the browser should definitely work. Let me know?
Lauretta Chouinard
I am having trouble reading the chart as well. I have had family member who are more computer savvy than I enlarge the pattern as well. The chart remains blurry. Help!
knotions
I’m not sure exactly what you’re doing. Email me (use the Contact Us form above) and we’ll figure it out.
Barbara
Beautiful design. Can’t wait to make it
Dejana
Thanks a lot for this pattern! Beautiful!!!
Debby Rennert
Beautiful!!! I LOVE this!!! I love it so much that I ordered the Valley yarn from Webs to make it!! Is there going to be a KAL with this pattern???
Jody Richards
Awesome! I’m so glad you like it!
And yes, the KAL is announced tomorrow on the blog and there’s also a contest to win yarn from Webs too (I know you already bought some though).
You can sign up to get notifications of new blog entries too so you don’t have to keep remembering to check (and we don’t sell your email – it’s safe with us!).
Debby Rennert
That’s great! Thanks! I’ve just discovered knotions…happy happy me!!
Valerie Donlon
Thank you for this pattern. We were meant to go over to Inis Oirr this summer but left it too late to book and there was no accommodation left 🙁 Knitting this and wearing it this winter should remind me to book earlier next summer 🙂
knotions
Awesome!
I’m making one myself now (gotta get ahead for the KAL).
Liisa
Oops, there may be a problem with the yarn measurements. Is that total meter age needed?
knotions
Yes it is. Thanks for pointing that out. I’ll fix it now.
Marcia
What is the pattern for the middle of the shawl? The chart is so light and tiny I cannot read it. I tried making it darker and enlarging but lost too much definition.
knotions
thanks for your interest!
if you click on most of the charts in knotions it will bring up a larger version.
the middle of the shawl is Double Moss stitch
allyn
absolutely fabulous. made me look at design from a new direction. Thank you for your vision.
knotions
Thanks! I’m glad you like it.