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Highland Forest Shawl Knitting Pattern

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The Highland Forest Shawl Knitting Pattern will allow you to create a large triangle shawl with a stripe in the design.

This Outlander-inspired design is very similar to Outlander Carolina Shawl Pattern.

Knit from the top down, the shawl is knit using bulky yarn.

If you are looking for Claire’s Rent Shawl you can find that pattern here – Claire’s Rent Shawl Knitting Pattern.

Scroll down to view the free pattern or you can grab the printer-friendly ad-free PDF in my shop here.

Highland forest shawl knitting pattern

Design Inspired By The Outlander Costumes

If you have been watching the Outlander TV series, Claire wore a few distinctive crossover triangle shawls in season four.

Inspired by the Outlander shawls this shawl is knit from the top down with a center spine and collar detailing created by a series of yarn overs.

If you have never knit a shawl in this way before, it is pretty easy and you can see a photo tutorial below to help you or watch the video on my Youtube channel.

The design of the shawl is made so that you can wrap it around your body and tie it at the back.

Visit the Outlander Pattern Collection Ebooks in my shop below:

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Highland forest shawl

The Needles You Need

  •  I used 8 mm (US 11) 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 larger size needle to cast off – this helps to keep the stitches loose.
  • The size I recommend to cast off is 10mm (US 15) needles – if you have interchangeable needles this will be easy for you to do.
Highland forest shawl

The Yarn You Need

  • I used Alize SuperLana Maxi (100g (3.53 oz)/100mt (109 yards) – in the color 426 – Green for the main body of the shawl.
  • This yarn is a wool/acrylic blend and very soft to the touch.
  • For the black stripe, I used Alize SuperLana Maxi (100g (3.53 oz)/100mt (109 yards) – in the color 60 – Black.
  • You can substitute this yarn with any yarn that is bulky weight (05)/chunky/12 Ply.

Yarn Substitutes

  • I love this chunky – Hobby Lobby
  • Comfort chunky – King Cole
  • Softee chunky – Bernat
  • Chunky cakes – Caron
  • Re: Treat – West Yorkshire Spinners
  • Simply chunky – Paintbox yarns
outlander shawl

Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern:

This shawl pattern is great for any advanced beginner or intermediate knitters.

Video Tutorial

There is a video tutorial showing you how to start knitting this shawl over on my YouTube channel here.

highland forest Outlander Claire shawl

Highland Forest Shawl Pattern

Notes

The shawl knits up quickly and the design makes for a relaxing and enjoyable knit.

There is a video tutorial showing you how to start knitting this shawl over on my YouTube channel here.

Skill Level – Intermediate

Copyright info

  • 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 copyrighted photos for your product listing.
  • For the copyright T&C please read my Terms of Use.

Grab The Ultimate Outlander Pattern Collection Here…

Gauge

10 x 10 cm /4 x 4 inches = 10 sts and 24 rows in garter stitch.

Measurements / Sizes

*Please note – these measurements 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 casting it off.

  • S / M – width tip to tip – 80 inches / 203 cm
  • Length – top to bottom = 36 inches / 91 cm
  • L /XL – width tip to tip – 100 inches /  254 cm
  • Length – top to bottom = 39 inches / 100 cm
  • XL/XXL –  width tip to tip – 110 inches / 279 cm
  • Length – top to bottom = 42 inches / 107 cm
Outlander Claire shawl

The Supplies You Need…

Yarns

Needles

  • 8mm (US 11) knitting needles – I used my interchangeable circular needles on a 40″/100cm cable as there were many stitches – I did not join in the round to knit.
  • 10mm (US 15) interchangeable circular needles to cast off.

Notions

Abbreviations / Knitting Abbreviations And Terms (US And UK) List

  • Beg – beginning
  • Cont – Continue
  • Foll – following
  • K – knit
  • YO – yarn over needle
  • PM – place marker
  • SM – slip marker

Shawl Pattern

Highland Forest Shawl Knitting Pattern

Step 1 – The Set Up

  • In Yarn A – Cast on 3 sts.
  • Work 4 rows in garter stitch.
  • Row 5: Pick up and knit 3 sts along row edges, and pick up and knit 3 sts along the cast-on edge. (9 sts)
Shawl Step 1

Step 2 – Row 6

Row 6: K3, PM, K2, PM, K1, PM, K3.

Shawl step 2

Step 3 – Rows 7 and 8

  • Row 7: (RS) K3, SM, YO, K1, YO, SM, K1, YO, K1, YO, SM, K3. (13 sts)
  • Row 8: Knit all sts slipping markers.
Shawl step 3

Step 4 – Rows 9 and 10

  • Row 9: K3, SM, YO, K to next marker, YO, SM, K1, YO, K to the last marker, YO, SM, K3.
  • Row 10: Knit all sts slipping markers. 
Shawl step 4

Step 5 – Work The Main Section Of The Shawl

  • Rep Rows 9 and 10 until there are S/M – 220 sts / L/XL – 275 sts / XL/XXL – 330 sts
  • Change to Yarn B (black) and cont in the pattern (rows 9 and 10) for 6 rows.
  • Change to Yarn A (green) and cont to work in the pattern (rows 9 and 10) for 4 rows.
  • Change to Yarn B (black) and cast off loosely (using 10mm (US 15) needles if required).
  • Weave in all loose ends.
highland forest shawl knit in green yarn

Share your work with us…

I love seeing your finished projects on social media.

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 group and share a photo.  

I’d love to see your work!

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9 Comments

    1. Hello Rene,
      Yes – the number of stitches either side of the outer markers should be even.
      As you increase they will grow but the outer markers should always have the same number.
      The centre stitches will be uneven – as there is 1 st near to the center marker that will be the one stitch that causes them to be uneven if that makes sense.
      If you look at row 9 – you will have 3 sts either side of the outer markers and inside you will have 11 stitches.
      This will mean that the st nearest to the marker is the centre st and either side of that st you will have the same number of sts.
      I hope that helps!
      Louise

  1. Hi Louise, Hope you’re well. Firstly thanks for the wonderful patterns on your website, am enjoying them and spreading the word…I would like to ask you….I want to make this shawl however I want to do so using DK light worsted weight as that’s what I have ….the recommended needle size it says is size 6 US. So to proceed with my wool, would you recommend I do a swatch, adjust needle size accordingly as per gauge and carry on with your instructions from there? Thank you for your answer, kind regards , Erica

    1. Hello Erica,
      Thank you for your kind words, I’m so happy you like the patterns and my website!
      If you want to make this shawl using DK/Light worsted/8 Ply yarn, you can follow the instructions as they are but you would have to match your needle size to the yarn.
      So, yes if you do a swatch and change your needle size to 4mm (US 6) you can see?
      I think it will work out, but you will definitely need a lot more yarn!
      Let me know how it goes!
      Thanks,
      Louise

    1. Hello AT,
      Sorry at the moment I only have knitting patterns for shawls, but crochet shawls and in particular a crochet version of the Carolina shawl is on my list of makes for next year, so I will be adding them.
      Thanks,
      Louise

  2. I started working this highland pattern. I like how it’s looking so far. Although I can’t quite visualize the final project- the edge on the needles, is that the long edge along the neck or the bottom edge?I’m using a muliticolored yarn, but I need to put it on hold , because my 40” cord hasn’t arrived yet!!
    Thanks for the pattern.

    1. Hello Tamara,
      The shawl is worked from the top down, this means you are starting out at the neck edge, so the final edge you will be casting off will be the V of the bottom edge.
      I hope that makes sense!
      Thanks,
      Louise