Claire’s Rent Shawl Knitting Pattern will allow you to create a large triangle shawl with two different colored stripes in the design.
This shawl is seen in Outlander season 1 episode 5 ‘Rent’ worn over a tartan dress when Claire attends to the wounds of the clan MacKenzie.
Knowledge of intarsia – working with more than one color is needed for this pattern.
Scroll down for the free pattern or you can purchase a printer-friendly ad-free PDF here.
This pattern is part of my Outlander collection, you can see the other Outlander patterns here.
If you are looking for a heavier knit shawl you may like this pattern Claire’s Carolina Shawl or The Highland Forest Shawl
Design Inspired By The Outlander Costumes
If you have been watching the Outlander TV series, in season one, Claire wore a very distinctive triangle shawl.
Inspired by the Claire rent shawl she wears in the Rent episode, the triangle-shaped shawl is knit in garter stitch.
Featuring the intarsia technique, there are two colored stripes worked from the bottom up.
Visit the Outlander Pattern Collection Ebooks in my shop below:
- The Ultimate Outlander Collection – With 39 Knitting Patterns.
- Outlander Pattern Collection 2020 – With 18 Knitting Patterns
- Outlander Pattern Collection 2019 – With 21 Knitting Patterns
Outlander Claire’s Knitwear
Inspired by Claire Fraser wearing beautiful knitted pieces, the shawl is knit by working from the bottom up.
The shawl will grow in size through a series of increases that occur through yarn overs.
This also gives a nice open stitch design down the spine of the shawl and along the edges.
To make the shawl shorter like Claire’s you can make it in a smaller size and fasten it with a pin or by attaching a button.
For a longer version of the shawl, that can be worn tied at the back as seen below you will have to make a larger size.
The Needles You Need
- I used 5 mm (US 8) 40-inch/100cm circular knitting needles for this pattern.
- Using circular needles with a long cable is needed to accommodate a large number of stitches.
- I recommend using a spare cable with caps to hold the stitches instead of a stitch holder when you need to separate the sections.
The Yarn You Need
- I used Cascade 220 – in the colors: Shire 2445 / Black 8555 / Smoke Heather 9450 – each skein is 100g/219yards/200m.
- This yarn is 100% wool and very soft to touch.
- You can substitute this yarn with any yarn that is medium weight (04)/Worsted/Aran/10 Ply.
Yarn Substitutes
- Knit Picks – Wool of The Andes Worsted
- Cascade yarns – Cascade 220 Merino
- Berroco – Lanas
- Knit Picks – Simply Wool Worsted
- Mirasol Yarn – Huni
- Filcolana – Peruvian Highland Wool
- Evoke Hand Dyed Yarn – Woolganic Australian Organic Wool Hand-dyed
Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern:
This Outlander Claire shawl pattern is great for any intermediate knitters.
- You should be comfortable casting on and casting off, as well as knitting in garter stitch.
- You should also know how to yarn over.
- You should know how to change yarn colours.
- You should also be comfortable reading knitting patterns.
- And understanding knitting abbreviations and terms.
Claire’s Rent Shawl Knitting Pattern
Get the ad-free, printable PDF pattern HERE.
Notes
The shawl knits up quickly and the design makes for a relaxing and enjoyable knit.
- Please do not copy, sell, redistribute or republish this pattern.
- If you wish to share this pattern, link to the pattern page only.
- You may sell items produced using this pattern.
- Do NOT use the copyrighted photos for your product listing.
- For the copyright T&C’s please read my Terms of Use.
Video Tutorial
There is a video tutorial to help you with changing the yarn colors and dividing the stitches.
You can view it on my YouTube channel here.
You can also view a video on how to wear the rent shawl on my YouTube channel here.
Skill Level – Intermediate
Gauge
10 x 10 cm/4 x 4 inches = 18 sts and 30 rows in garter stitch.
Measurements / Sizes
*Please note – these sizes are just a rough guide, you can knit this shawl until it is comfortable for you to wear – test it out against yourself to see if you want to make the length shorter or longer before dividing the sections.
The smallest sizes will result in the shawl meeting in the middle of your waist, the larger sizes will allow you to wrap the shawl around your body and tie at the back of the waist.
- M – Width tip to tip – 68 inches/172 cm
- M – Length – top to bottom = 31 inches/79 cm
- You can add fewer or more stitches to adjust the size to increase or decrease.
- Add fewer by – 40 stitches and more by + 40 sts.
- Where you are able to adjust the size is noted in the pattern.
The Supplies You Need…
Yarns
- Yarn A – Cascade 220 – Shire 2445 100g/220yards x 1 (S/M) x 2 (L/XL) x 2.5 (XL/XXL)
- Yarn B – Cascade 220 – Black 8555 100g/220yards x 1 (S/M) x 2 (L/XL) x 2.5 (XL/XXL)
- Yarn C – Cascade 220 – Smoke Heather 9450 100g/220yards x 3 (S) x 4 (M) x 5 (L/XL) x 6 (XL/XXL)
- Yarn Weight – Medium 04/Worsted/Aran/10 Ply.
Yarn notes
- Please note that the skeins of yarn needed for Yarn A and Yarn B will need to be made into two balls for each color.
- This is because of the intarsia technique used in the pattern, you will have to attach one ball at one end of the work and the other at the other end when you are knitting.
Needles
- 5mm (US 8) knitting needles – I used my interchangeable circular needles on a 40″/100cm cable (32″ is also ok) as there were many stitches – I did not join in the round to knit.
- Spare cable 40″ with end caps.
Notions
- Tape measure
- Darning needle
- Scissors
- Stitch markers
- Stitch holder or spare cable with end caps to hold stitches.
Abbreviations
- Beg – beginning
- Cont – Continue
- Foll – following
- K – knit
- K2tog – knit the next 2 stitches together
- YO – yarn over needle
- PM – place marker
- SM – slip marker
- Rem – remaining
- Rep – repeat
- RS – right side
- WS – wrong side
Pattern
- Yarn A – Shire 2445 (dark green)
- Yarn B – Black 8555 (black)
- Yarn C – Smoke Heather 9450 (light green)
With Yarn A – Cast on 3 sts.
- Row 1: Knit.
- Row 2: K1, YO, PM, K1, YO, K1. (5 sts)
- Row 3: K to end slipping marker.
- Row 4: K to marker, YO, SM, K1, YO, K to end.
- Rep rows 3 and 4 until there are 15 sts, then rep row 3 again ready to start the next section on a RS row.
In the next stage, you will join Yarn B.
- Row 1 (RS): Cont to knit with Yarn A, K6, add in Yarn B from the backside and K1 stitch before the marker, YO, SM, K1, YO, K1, attach the second ball of Yarn A, K to end.
- Row 2 (WS): Knit the row, slipping the marker, and maintaining the color pattern.
- Row 3: With Yarn A, K6, With yarn B K to marker, YO, SM, K1, YO, K to color change, K to end in Yarn A.
- Row 4: Rep row 2.
- Rep rows 3 and 4 until there are 27 sts on the needle.
In the next stage, you will join in Yarn C the main color.
- Row 1 (RS): With Yarn A, K6, With Yarn B, K6, add in Yarn C by knitting the first stitch before the marker, YO, SM, K1, YO, K1, attach the second ball of Yarn B and K6, then K6 in Yarn A.
- Row 2 (WS): K across all stitches maintaining the color pattern and slipping the marker.
- Row 3: With Yarn A, K6, With Yarn B, K6, with Yarn C K to marker, YO, SM, K1, YO, K to color change, K6 in Yarn B, K6 in Yarn A.
- Row 4: Rep row 2.
- Rep rows 3 and 4 until you have 145 sts (S) 185 sts (M – as seen in the photos) 225 (L) 265 (XL).
*This is where you can adjust the size.
- If you stop at 145 or 155 sts this will be an S – small size.
- If you stop at 175 or 185 sts this will be the M – medium size.
- If you want to make the L size you will need approx – 225 sts.
- For the XL/XXL size, you will need approx – 265+ sts.
- You can add fewer or more stitches to adjust the size.
- Add fewer by – 40 stitches and more by + 40 sts.
Finish The Right Section
- Row 1: K to 5 sts before the center spine marker (maintaining the color pattern), K2tog, PM, K1, K2tog (remove center marker).
- Place the rem sts (the left side) on a stitch holder or spare cable with caps.
- Turn the shawl to continue working on the right section.
- Row 2: K to the end of the row maintaining the color pattern.
- Row 3: K to 2 sts before the marker, K2tog, SM, K2, turn.
- Row 4: Rep row 2.
- Rep rows 3 and 4 until you have 14 (16, 18, 20) sts left.
Now you will cont to decrease the right section maintaining the color pattern as you knit until you have 3 sts left on the needle:
- Row 1: K to last 4 sts, K2tog, remove marker, K2.
- Row 2: K to end maintaining the color pattern.
- Row 3: K to last 3 sts, K2tog, k1.
- Row 4: Rep row 2.
- Row 5: K to last 2 sts, K2tog.
- Row 6: Rep row 2.
- Row 7: K to last 2 sts, K2tog.
- Row 8: Rep row 2.
- Row 9: K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.
- Row 10: Rep row 2.
- Row 11: K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.
- Row 12: Rep row 2.
- Row 13: K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.
- Row 14: Rep row 2.
- Row 15: K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
- Row 16: Rep row 2.
Row 17: K to last 2 sts, K2tog. - Row 18: Rep row 2.
- Row 19: K to last 2 sts, K2tog.
- Row 20: Rep row 2.
- Row 21: K2, K2tog, K2.
- Row 22: Rep row 2.
- Row 23: K2, K2tog, K1.
- Row 24: Rep row 2.
- Row 25: K1, K2tog, K1.
- Row 26: Rep row 2.
- Row 27: Cast off 3 sts.
Finish The Left Section
Place sts from the spare cable or stitch holder onto the working needles/cable.
Start at the center spine and join Yarn C to the first st.
- Row 1: With Yarn, K2, PM, K to the end of the row, maintaining the color pattern.
- Row 2: K until 2 sts before the marker (maintaining color pattern), K2tog, SM, K2.
- Row 3: K to the end of the row maintaining the color pattern.
- Rep rows 2 and 3 until you have 14 (16, 18, 20) sts left.
Now decrease as follows until you have 3 sts left on the needle:
- Row 1: K to 2 sts before marker – K2tog, SM, K2.
- Row 2: K to end slipping the marker and maintaining the color pattern.
- Row 3: K to last st before marker – remove the marker, K2tog, K1.
- Row 4: K to end maintaining the color pattern.
- Row 5: K to last 2 sts, K2tog.
- Row 6: Rep row 4.
- Row 7: K to last 2 sts, k2tog.
- Row 8: Rep row 4.
- Row 9: K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.
- Row 10: Rep row 4.
- Row 11: K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.
- Row 12: Rep row 4.
- Row 13: K to the last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.
- Row 14: Rep row 4.
- Row 15: K to the last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
- Row 16: Rep row 4.
- Row 17: K to last 2 sts, K2tog.
- Row 18: Rep row 4.
- Row 19: K to last 2 sts, K2tog.
- Row 20: Rep row 4.
- Row 21: K to the last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.
- Row 22: Rep row 4.
- Row 23: K1, K2tog, K2.
- Row 24: Rep row 4.
- Row 25: K1, K2tog, K1.
- Row 26: Rep row 4.
- Row 27: Cast off 3 sts.
To Finish:
Weave in all of the loose ends and try it on!
You can view more Outlander Knitting Patterns here.
I love seeing your finished projects!
If you enjoyed making the pattern, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @handylittleme.
If you are on Facebook, stop over to the handylittleme Facebook page and share a photo! I’d love to see your work!
Mary Douglas says
Thanks so much for the free pattern. I will share.
Louise Bollanos says
Hello Mary, I’m so happy you like the pattern, I hope you enjoy making it! 🙂
Emily says
Hi there! I saved a pin from this link months ago, but my pin shows the shawl longer and a dark green. I’m looking at the Cascade yarns and trying to figure out which you might have used for the green shawl. Is it Hunter Green #8893?
Louise Bollanos says
Hello Emily, I moved that shawl pattern as it was not a true representation of the shawl that Claire wears in the Rent episode in Outlander season 1. So I created a different design and updated the pattern.
However, the shawl you are looking for is now called ‘The Highland Forest Shawl’ and you can find that here – https://www.handylittleme.com/highland-forest-shawl-knitting-pattern/
I hope that helps! 🙂
Louise
Mel says
I’ve been challenging myself by attempting this pattern, but I’ve stumbled upon a problem I can’t seem to work out! I’ve finished the right section, and of course then start on the left, however after a few rows it’s just not looking right. I’m hoping you can help me set some things straight:
The very center stitch, the one in between the yarnover holes, did I make a mistake by not working that on the right section? Because I can’t seem to get the two sides to match at the center. Also, the joint of yarn at the beginning of that left section, how do you go about that without it looking weird?
From what I can tell by a few rows now, it appears that my left section is working upwards instead “out” like the right side did – what am I doing wrong?:-/
Louise Bollanos says
Hello Mel,
When you are at the bit in the pattern where you have to separate the two halves – to continue to work on the right section first, while the other half is waiting on a spare cable, you start to decrease that half close to the spine.
You will be knitting 2 sts together near to the spine to make that decrease happen.
On the left section, you will also decrease the sts close to the centre spine.
Before you separated the two sections – you should have been increasing twice – once on the right side of the spine and again on the left side by making those yarn overs.
When rejoining the yarn to the left section, I used a darning needle to thread the yarn through the first stitch at the back and then continued to knit.
After that when I had finished the shawl I weaved the end in and made it secure.
I hope that helps,
Louise 🙂
Colie says
When decreasing left and right sides, what’s the repeat when knitting a larger size? I’ll need to decrease 4 additional stitched from the pattern as it written, but it’s not clear what the decrease pattern should be.
Thank you! Great pattern btw, easy and forgiving!
Louise Bollanos says
Hello Colie,
When you start to decrease the shawl you will be decreasing the 2 sts closest to the marker every time – until you can cast off the last 3 stitches.
You will cast off the first two colours so that they stop and do not continue with a long stripe down the edge.
When you reach the point where the first edge colour needs to be decreased, you will remove the marker and keep decreasing that colour until it is gone, then you do the same with the next colour and finally, with the main colour, you decrease until you have 3 sts left.
I hope that helps!
Louise