I’ve knit One Cloudy Night twice, and both versions came traveling with me. Along the way, I found a small change in how I organized the knitting that made a big difference in what I needed to pack.
This easy garter stitch shawl knitting pattern combines three colors in sweeping, modular sections called Cloudlets. The stitches are soothing, the shape keeps things interesting, and an i-cord join brings the pieces together without any sewing. You can also customize the size, whether you love a generous shawlanket or prefer something a little smaller.
Here are a few things to consider as you plan your own.
Planning Travel with This Easy Garter Stitch Shawl Knitting Pattern
Simple stitches are lovely travel companions, but packing a project involves more than choosing something relaxing. How much yarn will you need before you get home? And how much room will it take up?
With One Cloudy Night, working through one whole Cloudlet at a time can mean bringing all three colors. Even if you’re only using one right now, you might reach the next section while you’re away. Suddenly, your little knitting project has a rather substantial yarn entourage.
For my second shawl, I changed my approach: I worked all the Highlights first, then all the Rims, then all the Pedestals, and finally all the Edges.
That meant I sometimes carried more than one piece, but the Highlights and Rims were small enough that it hardly mattered. Usually, I only needed one yarn color with me, which made the project much easier to pack.
If you’re taking yours on a trip, consider grouping the knitting this way. Before you leave, check how much of your current color remains and whether you’re likely to finish that stage. Label each piece by Cloudlet number so it’s easy to return to the right instructions, and follow the pattern’s assembly sequence when you’re ready to join them.
It’s a personal preference, but if your project bag is already competing with snacks, books, and everything else you need, carrying fewer yarn colors is a lovely little win.
Choosing Three Colors That Work Together
A good starting point is one standout Highlight color, paired with light and dark variations in the same color family for the Pedestal and framing sections.
In my sample, the peach Highlight brings warmth, the pale speckled Pedestal gives it room to shine, and the deeper teal Rim and Edges define the curves. The contrast helps you see the shape of each Cloudlet, even when the shawl is gathered around your neck.
When choosing your own colors, think about their jobs:
- C1 — the Highlight: A smaller area where a favorite accent color can make an impact.
- C2 — the Rim and Edges: The framing color. Choose enough contrast with both C1 and C3 to keep those outlines visible.
- C3 — the Pedestal: The largest area of fabric. Choose a color you love enough to wear in generous amounts.
You could try a golden Highlight with pale blue and navy, a rose Highlight with lavender and deep plum, or a vivid accent against light gray and charcoal. You can also reverse the light and dark placement for a darker shawl with lighter outlines.
Before committing, photograph the skeins together and look at the photo in black and white. This helps you check whether the colors differ in lightness as well as hue. If the framing yarn blends into its neighbors, the outlines will be subtler. That can be beautiful, too—it’s simply useful to know which effect you’re choosing.
Making the Size Right for You
The sample is generously sized, but the pattern includes instructions for adjusting it. There are three ways to make changes: needle size, yarn weight, and the number of rows.
One important detail: in this design, row gauge affects the size more than stitch gauge. The rows influence both the wingspan and the depth, so paying attention to them helps you plan the proportions you want.
Change the Needle Size
For a modest adjustment, the pattern suggests moving up or down one or two needle sizes. Swatch and block before deciding: changing needles affects the fabric as well as the dimensions. You still want a shawl whose drape and texture you enjoy.
Change the Yarn Weight
For a smaller shawl, try sport or fingering weight yarn with correspondingly smaller needles. For a larger version, try worsted weight with larger needles. The pattern includes needle-size starting points for these changes.
This is also a chance to think about how you’ll wear it. Would you reach more often for a lighter wrap or a substantial outer layer? Yarn weight can help move the project in that direction. Recheck your yarn requirements when making changes; the DK quantities below describe the original size.
Change the Number of Rows
You can also reduce the size while keeping your chosen yarn and fabric. The Cloudlets use specific proportions, so the adjustments need to stay coordinated between the Highlight and Pedestal and consistent across all three Cloudlets.
The pattern walks you through those ratios. At the sample gauge, one reduction set in each Cloudlet trims approximately 2 inches / 5 cm from the wingspan. Five sets in each trim approximately 10 inches / 25 cm.
Before casting on, measure a shawl you already love wearing and compare it with the sample dimensions. That gives you a useful target for deciding whether to follow the original size or use the customization notes.
The I-Cord Join: No Sewing Required
One of my favorite moments in this project is bringing the Cloudlets together.
The join combines the idea of a three-needle bind-off with an i-cord, connecting the pieces while creating that rounded cord detail along the joining edge. It becomes part of the design, carrying the i-cord look through the finished shawl.
It’s surprisingly easy, and watching two pieces become one is so satisfying. If sewing knitted pieces together is the part you tend to put off, you’ll be happy to know there’s no sewing involved here.
Take your time as you learn the join and follow the pattern step by step. It’s a lovely finishing technique to add to your knitting repertoire.
Easy Garter Stitch Shawl Pattern Details
Size
Wingspan: 81” / 206 cm
Depth: 19.75” / 50 cm
And as a bonus, it comes with instructions to tweak the size to make it perfect for you!
Yarn
3 colors of DK weight yarn.
C1 – 140 yds / 130 m
C2 – 255 yds / 235 m
C3 – 675 yds / 620 m
Recommended Yarn
Magpie Fibers Swanky DK (80% superwash merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon), 250 yds / 230 m, 115 g:
- 1 skein of No Spain No Gain (C1)
- 1 skein of Witchy Woman (C2)
- 3 skeins of Superstition (C3)
Needles & Notions
- US 4 / 3.5 mm – 36” / 90 cm circulars (or size needed to get gauge)
- US 3 / 3.25 mm – 24” / 60 cm circulars (or 1 size smaller than gauge needles)
- US 7 / 4.5 mm for BO (or 2–3 sizes larger than gauge needles)
- 9+ stitch markers, tapestry needle
Gauge
17 sts & 37 rows = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette, with gauge needles, after blocking.
Gauge is not crucial to this project; however, it will affect your finished size and yarn usage.
Techniques to Indulge In
- Modular construction, one section at a time
- Soothing, squishy garter stitch
- Three colors arranged in sweeping sections
- A generous shawl to wrap yourself in
Love this shawl? Save it to your knitting board so you can find it when you’re ready to cast on.
Knit Your Own One Cloudy Night
Pick a Highlight you love, choose its companions, and decide how much shawl you want to wrap yourself in. Whether it travels with you or keeps you company at home, I hope One Cloudy Night is a project you enjoy from the first Cloudlet to that satisfying final join.
I’d love to see your color choices! Tag @nurtureknitwear when you share your project.
For another relaxing knit, explore Fortnight, an easy knit shawl pattern.
