Many Victorian shawl patterns use the same general slip stitch technique to create a decorative design element. In the 1846 edition of Miss Lambert’s Handbook of Decorative Needlework this stitch variation is referred to as a “star pattern.” The same combination of stitches for shawl pattern receipts appears as early as 1838 in The Workwoman’s Guide as well as the 1838 edition of The Ladies Knitting and Netting Book.

In an effort to make it easy to learn this stitch and its applications to mid-century Victorian shawls, I have compiled a 4 pattern (3 shawls and one fringe) primer (or tutorial). Each of the shawl patterns uses the “star pattern” stitches. The patterns have been arranged from easiest to most difficult, so that they may be used as a colorwork tutorial for novice knitters. The more experienced knitter, who is comfortable switching between colors on a single row, may wish to skip right to the most difficult pattern in the collection: “Spotted Shawl, in two colors.”

The “star pattern” set of stitches can be found in several other patterns from the time period including the “Warm Half Square Shawl” in Miss Lambert’s 1846 Handbook of Decorative Needlework.

This Primer includes a full stand-alone tech-edited pattern for:

a) A Pretty Knitted Half Handkerchief - The Workwoman’s Guide by A Lady (1838)

b) Spotted Shawl, without a border - The Ladies’ Knitting and Netting Book by Miss Watts (1838)

c) Fringe, No. 9 - The Ladies’ Knitting and Netting Book by Miss Watts (1838)

d) Spotted Shawl, in two colors - The Ladies’ Knitting and Netting Book by Miss Watts (1838)