Crochet Shawl Instructions

A crochet shawl is shaped like a triangle. The top of the triangle hangs down your back while the other two points become the pieces to wrap around your arms. Any crochet stitch can be used for the body of the shawl, but a chain loop pattern gives the shawl a lacy appearance, even when made with worsted weight yarn. This pattern is also easy for beginners to make because it uses the basic chain stitch and single crochet stitch throughout.

The Chain Loop Shawl

Worsted weight yarn and a size J hook will give you a crochet fabric with a nice texture for a shawl that is warm but not too heavy. Feel free, though, to experiment with different weight yarns and different sized crochet hooks to find the fabric style that is right for the shawl you want to make. Stitch a 4-inch swatch following the shawl pattern to get a feel for the result before you tackle the entire garment.

For a simple chain-3 loop shawl, start with by making six chain stitches, then join with a slip stitch into the first chain to form a loop. In this starting loop work a single crochet, chain 3, single crochet, chain 3, and another single crochet. Now you have two loops on the second row, one more than you started with. This is how the pattern will work throughout. Each subsequent row will add one more chain-3 loop to the fabric, thus creating the triangular shape.

For the next row and every row afterward, work a chain-6 to start, then single crochet in the first chain-3 loop. For the remainder of the row, chain 3 and single crochet into the next chain-3 loop across. When you get to the end of the row, chain 3 again and single crochet once more in the last chain-3 loop. Turn at the end of every row and repeat this pattern row for the length of the shawl.

Decorative Edging

The shawl will have a nice, straight edge when it is completed and this is perfectly fine to keep. However, if you would like an edge with more curves to match the loop stitches of the body, a chain-3 edging will give you that.

At the end of the last row, do not turn and do not fasten off. Instead, working in the ends of the rows back up to row one, make one single crochet stitch and chain 3 in the end of every row. When you get to back to the first row, single crochet, chain 3 single crochet in the starting loop, then repeat the single crochet-chain 3 pattern up the other edge of the shawl, back to the last row.

When you are back at the last row, chain 1, pull up the loop of yarn to cut it and weave in the loose yarn ends to finish.

References

• Annie's Attic: Crochet Stitch Guide

Resources

• Annie's Attic: Chain Stitch Instructions
• Annie's Attic: Single Crochet Instructions
• Craft Yarn Council of America: Yarn Weight and Recommended Crochet hook sizes