Free knitting patterns for shawls knit with the simple pi method of increasing invented by Elizabeth Zimmerman. Elizabeth's discovery allowed her to design shawls where a few increase rounds will create a circle or half-circle shawl without needing to increase every other round in pattern. This derives from the mathematic principle Circumference = π[pi] × diameter, so if you double the radius it also doubles the circumference. Updated 3/10/24
To get the knitting patterns, scroll down the page to the individual pattern you want and click on the link to that pattern.
These patterns are not my designs but links to other designers who have generously shared their patterns. If you have questions about how to knit a specific pattern, please contact the designer directly.
All links on this site are for informational purposes, but please note that some links are to affiliate sellers that pay me a small commission on purchases.
Follow me for more patterns:
Free Patterns
Desert Bloom Shawl
A half-pi shawl with sections of chevron lace, mesh lace columns, and more, forming a graceful half-circle shape. Worsted weight. Designed by Ravin Sekai Designs / Rachel Hill.
- Get the free knitting pattern
Get Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitter’s Almanac with the orignal pi shawl patterns on Amazon (Paper, Kindle, or Hardcover)
Welcome Emily Shawl
Celebrate love with this lace pi shawl featuring symbols of love - diamonds, roses, and hearts. This would make a wonderful wedding shawl! Lace weight. Designed by Priscilla White-Tocker.
Stash-Berry Pi Shawl
Create a stunning shawl and bust your yarn stash with this easy pi shawl pattern that uses a marled effect to blend your yarns together. Fingering weight. Designed by Shaina Scott. Pictured project by britgolds
Hike to Marion Falls
Lace Half Pi-shaped shawl with lace that mimics the play of the rocks and the water. Pi shawls are ideal for newer lace knitters because the shaping takes place outside of the patterning. Fingering weight yarn. Designed by Mary E Rose. Web version with charts is free. PDF with written instructions as well is available for purchase.
Garter Stitch Half Pi Shawl
Half circle shawl knit with garter stitch and finished with a ruffled edge. Aran weight. Designed by Michelle Greenberg for The Snugglery. Perfect showcase for gradient yarn.
Miami Vice Shawl
Mesh lace half Pi shawl perfect for the beginner or for someone looking for a fast fun knit. According to the designer, using worsted weight you can knit it up in two days. Designed by Hilary Latimer of Threebagsfulled.
Firmaments Lace Shawl
A circular lace shawl constructed using Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Pi Shawl shaping. It was inspired by a poem by Emily Dickinson (included in the pattern).Lace weight yarn. Designed by Bonnie Sennott.
Shipwreck Shawl
A Pi Shawl tribute to the sea with seaweed lace motifs in the center, surrounded by lace like a fisherman’s net. Fingering weight. Designed by Bethany Kok.
More Free Patterns
EZ 100th Anniversary PI Shawl: Camping
This shawl by Mwaa Knits is a tribute to Elizabeth Zimmermann who developed an easy, versatile, and innovative idea for creating circular shawls using the geometry of Pi–the relationship between a circle’s circumference and its radius– with just 6 shaping rounds. This tribute design was published in 2010 in honor of the 100th anniversary of her birth on August 9th, 1910 (8/9/10). Modifications to Elizabeth’s original design have been applied so that the lace design stitch repeats and the number of rounds are multiples of 8, 9, and 10 (the numbers in her birthday). The camping theme to the lace patterns is in honor of Elizabeth’s love of camping.
Demiluna Shawl
A one skein semicircular shawl based on Elizabeth Zimmermann’s classic Pi Shawl pattern, finished with a garter stitch rib edging. Designed for one skein of sock/fingering yarn, but information is included on increasing the size. Designed by Lhevinne Amor
Gratitude Shawl
A big lace pi shawl inspired by nature, beginning with short, quick rounds, and ending with long, hypnotic rounds. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Christian McGinty.
Flower Pie shawl
A simple but stuning lace flower pattern designed to fit between the increase rounds of the Pi Shawl. Once you set up the lace, there is no counting! Includes charts and instructions for the lace insertions for the Pi Shawl originally created by Elizabeth Zimmermann but does not include the original Pi Shawl instructions. Designed by Megan Ellinger. Pictured project by Corali
Pi Poncho
Sampler poncho with 3 different lace sections. Worked top-down in the round, this pattern allows you to adapt the length as you go. DK weight yarn. Designed by Cris Dvic for Knotions.
All My Love
A gorgeous lace and bobble design that can create either a half pi shawl or a bolero cardigan from one pattern. Fingering weight yarn. Designed by Helle Slente Design. Available in English, Danish, and Norwegian
Wavedeck Shawl
Half pi lace shawl. Designed by Kate Atherley. Pictured shawls by Ilovepearls and reveirie used just 1 skein of Lion Brand Mandala yarn each..
- Get the free knitting pattern
- See the Ravelry page
- Get the pictured Lion Brand Mandala yarn (pictured colorways Valkyrie and Spirit)
- Consider supporting Knitty on Patreon
Gimli Beach Shawl
Sampler shawl in a half pi shape so that the increase rows are made separately between the sections of stitches. Great stash buster. Sport weight yarn. Designed by Sandra Buzza. Pictured project by MagdalenaEska
Patterns for Purchase
Original Pi Shawls or Blankets
Elizabeth Zimmerman first published her easy, versatile, and innovative idea for creating circular shawls in 1987. Her recipe used the geometry of Pi–the relationship between a circle’s circumference and its radius — to create circular shawls containing only six shaping rounds that makes it easy to incorporate many lace designs, as many knitters have done. Her original design included 2 patterns – a basic design and one with floral and diamond lade motifs. Pictured projects by rubycat who added extra repeat of 48 row section and a different lace border, and yarnstormer. Included in Elizabeth’s book, The Knitter’s Almanac.
Laramie Shawl
Laramie is a flowing circular shawl starting with a flower ringed with leaves, moving into a Pi shawl with tiers of leaves, finishing off with a ripple. Lace patterns are both charted and written out. Lace weight yarn. Designed by Rae Blackledge
Avian Melody Shawl
Half-pi shawl is worked from the top down. A border of delicate lace patterns creates a dramatic effect contrasting with garter stitch. Both charts and written instructions are given for the lace patterns. Lace weight yarn. Designed by Kirsten Kapur
Fellowship The Shawl
Half-circle pi shawl based on characters of the Fellowship of the Ring, featured in the novel The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Each of the nine members of the Fellowship are represented in this shawl by a distinct lace chart. Fingering weight yarn. Designed by Amy Noelle Walker
Miss American Pi Shawl
Lace pi shawl based on the mathematical principle that the circumference of a circle doubles as the radius doubles. Lace weight yarn. Designed by Elizabeth Lovick
