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There are 2 versions in this pattern file:

Pippin’s shawl (shown in Red and Purple) is asymmetrical and is worked from side-to-side in ever-widening rows. It has a stepped bind-off to create ridges on the final row.

Merry’s shawl (shown in Purples and Lilacs) is symmetrical, The first part of the shawl is worked like Pippin’s, side-to-side in ever-widening rows. Then the pattern switches to decreasing rows and eases the shawl into symmetry.

I used 1 Caron Cake for each model, but each of the 2 versions can be made with different weight yarn, and to different sizes by increasing the number of rows worked.

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“I trust you kept up with your knitting since our last ‘Nazgûl Knit-Night’,” Gandalf said sternly to Merry and Pippin. The Hobbits lounged on a boulder at the gates of Isengard, smoke rising lazily from their pipes. “Peregrin Took! Bring forth your NAZGÛL FIGHTING CLOAK!”

“I really did try, Gandalf,” said Pippin, reluctantly pulling an enormous wadded garment from his pack, “but I must have gone wrong somewhere.”

Gandalf spread out the massive shawl. “Fool of a Took! You missed the turning! Dropping a few stitches along the way, I might add.” Frowning, he turned to Merry. “Meriadoc Brandybuck! Bring forth your NAZGÛL FIGHTING CLOAK!” Merry cautiously handed over his shawl.

“Ah!” exclaimed Gandalf brightly. “Good work – you’ve managed to ‘turn’ the shawl at just the correct row!” He nodded his head in approval.

“Even the smallest person can change the course of a shawl,” Merry muttered to himself.

“What’s that?” Gandalf demanded.

“Oh, just something Frodo said in his sleep the night we left Lothlórien,” Merry replied. “…or was it ‘change the fate of the world’?”

“No matter,” said Gandalf. “It amounts to the same thing: concentration, deliberation, courage in the face of adversity, and the determination to succeed – these are all important battle skills you can learn from knitting.”

“But Gandalf - no one expects us to actually FIGHT the Nazgûl in these cloaks, do they?” Pippin asked nervously. “Do they, Gandalf?”

“My heart tells me you hobbits have some part to play yet,” said Gandalf, looking askance at Pippin’s cloak, “for good or for ill - before the end…”

“Harooom-aroom,” Treebeard interjected, watching intently from above. “That doesn’t make sense to me. But then, he is very small - perhaps he could hide under the cloak,” the Ent continued thoughtfully.

“Maybe Treebeard is right - it’s just too big for me!” Pippin said dejectedly. “But Gandalf, look!” he then added cheerfully, pointing to a dangling strand of yarn on Gandalf’s White Wizard Cloak. “Even your own shawl isn’t perfect – you didn’t weave in some of your ends!”

“I daresay,” replied Gandalf disgruntedly, grabbing his darning needle. “Even the wisest cannot see all ends…”