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To see a video of this shawl, please click here.

String of pearls is a triangular brioche shawl, worked top down in 3 colors, with simple brioche lace and cables.

There are no complicated cast-ons or bind-offs, and shaping and patterning occur only on light color, light side rows, so there are many “resting” rows. This will be a fairly relaxing knit!

The bind off has bobbles, but don’t let them put you off - they are deceptively easy and you don’t need to turn the work at all! If you’d prefer not to have them, instructions for a bind off without bobbles are also included.

I’ve added a 19-page Photo tutorial & Tip sheet PDF - it contains tips for color choices, tutorials to walk you through the brioche lace, cables and bobble bind off, and instructions for a practice swatch.

The pattern is written and charted, and has been tech edited and tested. Charts are included in full (for use on a digital device) as well as in split form (for printing).

Inspiration for this design comes not from a necklace but from a plant! Looking at pictures of succulents one day, my eyes were drawn to the beautiful String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus). It’s usually grown as an ornamental vine in a hanging basket, and its trailing stems cascade downwards with attractive rounded leaves that look like pearls. You can see a photo on my project page here.
I became even more intrigued when I discovered that in its native Africa, this vine creeps and twists horizontally along the ground. So I put in eyelet lines to represent the stems and cables to show the twists. The plump bobbles along the lower edge were an afterthought - they look and feel like those pearl-shaped leaves.

Skill level: Intermediate to experienced (familiarity with brioche increases and decreases, reading stitches on needles and all-over brioche).
This shawl is knitted up easily by brioche enthusiasts, but it’s also perfect as an introduction to brioche lace and cables - you don’t need any prior experience because the tutorial has you covered!

Yarn: Fingering weight, about 400 yards each of a light color (LC) and 2 dark colors (DC1 and DC2). Solid/tonal colors with sufficient contrast are preferred. (Of course, you can use just one DC if you prefer!)

For shawl in photo: Eden Cottage Yarns (ECY) Titus 4-ply; 75% superwash extrafine merino, 25% mulberry silk; 436yds/400m/100g; colors Coppice (LC) and Loganberry (DC1); ECY Pendle 4-ply; 100% superwash extrafine merino; 436yds/400m/100g; color Cedar (DC2); one skein each.
Actual yardage used: LC 96g (419yds/384m); DC1 39g (171yds/156m); DC2 72g (314yds/288m)

Needles & notions: 3.25mm (US 3) circular needles (32” or longer); 3.75mm (US 5) dpn or short circular needle for bind off; cable needle, locking stitch markers, ring stitch markers, tapestry needle

Gauge: 18 sts/16 rows (32 passes) = 4” in Body pattern with 3.25mm needles after light blocking.

Finished size: 66” (168cm) along top edge, 28” (71cm) height at center, 47” (120 cm) along each side edge, after blocking

Link to test page and progress photos

Many thanks to my wonderful testers: sapryo36 knitting-princess svetula27

Acknowledgement: This pattern uses techniques and stitches developed by Nancy Marchant. Modern brioche knitting owes everything to her! For further information, please see briochestitch.com