Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern: A Happy Lace Wrap With Photos
This easy crochet shawl pattern makes a lace wrap 24 in (61 cm) wide and 70 in (178 cm) long from one 3.5 mm hook, one repeat row and a chain of 126. You learn two rows only: a foundation row, then a single row you repeat until the shawl is long enough. Below you get a photo for every stage, the stitch counts for each row, a chain table for other widths and a yarn estimate that the pattern itself does not print.
The correction up front: the pattern calls its yarn lightweight and pairs it with a 3.5 mm hook, but a true light yarn (category 3) is worked on 4.5 to 5.5 mm. A 3.5 mm hook is the top of super fine and the bottom of fine yarn, so the word on the ball band matters more than the word lightweight. The pattern also prints no yardage and no gauge, so we worked out both below and say how.
- Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern at a Glance
- What You Need for This Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern
- Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern: Step by Step
- Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern Stitch Counts and Widths
- How Much Yarn an Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern Takes
- Where an Easy Crochet Shawl Goes Wrong
- Five More Free Shawl Patterns
- Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern FAQ
- Browse More Free Lace and Accessory Patterns
Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern at a Glance
The easy crochet shawl pattern here is a rectangle worked from the short side. You chain the full width, work one foundation row, then repeat a single row of clusters and chain spaces. There is no shaping, no change of stitch and no counting beyond the chain.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Finished size | 24 in (61 cm) wide, 70 in (178 cm) long, as the designer states |
| Hook | 3.5 mm |
| Yarn | Lightweight wool and mohair blend, 2 balls (no yardage printed) |
| Starting chain | 126 chains for 24 in |
| Stitch multiple | Any multiple of 5 plus 1 (126 = 25 x 5 + 1) |
| Stitches used | Chain, double crochet (dc), slip stitch |
| Rows to learn | Foundation row plus 1 repeat row |
| Edging | 1 round of dc, corners of 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc |
Naming: double crochet (dc) is the stitch the other naming convention calls treble crochet (tr). Everything below uses dc, ch for chain and sl st for slip stitch. Where one name could change what you make, we give both.
What You Need for This Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern
The materials are short: yarn, a 3.5 mm hook, a tape measure, scissors and a darning needle. The tape measure does real work here, because the chain is measured against it rather than counted from a pattern.
The sample is worked in a wool and mohair blend sold as Shawlie by Heartbeats Premium Yarns. The label shows no yardage we can read, so we print none and we do not borrow a figure from a different yarn with a similar name. The two balls shade from blue to pale green, which is why the shawl looks striped.
Hook and yarn weight. The Craft Yarn Council hook ranges are 2.25 to 3.5 mm for super fine, 3.5 to 4.5 mm for fine and 4.5 to 5.5 mm for light. The pattern says lightweight and uses 3.5 mm, which fits fine or super fine yarn, not a category 3 light yarn. In lace that is a choice: a small hook keeps the clusters tight. If your yarn is a true light, swatch on 3.5 mm and again on 4.5 mm and keep the one whose spaces stay open.
| Yarn category | Name | Hook range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Super fine | 2.25 to 3.5 mm |
| 2 | Fine | 3.5 to 4.5 mm |
| 3 | Light | 4.5 to 5.5 mm |
Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern: Step by Step
Each step below has its own photo. The stitches are named as they are worked, and the counts in square brackets are ours, worked out from the order of stitches, because the pattern does not print row counts.
Step 1: Make a slip knot
Make a slip knot and place it on the hook. Leave a tail of a few inches to weave in later.
Step 2: Chain 126 so it measures 24 inches
Chain until the foundation reaches the width you want, lying flat and not stretched. For 24 in the sample needed 126 chains, which is 5.25 chains per inch. Any chain that is a multiple of 5 plus 1 works, so check the count, then check the tape. If you land between two valid counts, take the lower one.
Step 3: Skip 5 chains and work the first double crochet
Skip the first 5 chains. Work 1 dc into the 6th chain from the hook, then 1 dc into the next chain. The skipped chains become the first chain-5 space of the shawl.
Step 4: Skip a chain and work the shell
Skip 1 chain. Into the next chain work 1 dc, ch 3 and 1 dc. That is one shell and one chain-3 space. Skip 1 chain again before the next stitches.
Step 5: Repeat along the chain
Repeat the same five-chain block along the chain: skip 1 chain, 1 dc into each of the next 2 chains, skip 1 chain, then the shell of dc, ch 3, dc in the next chain. Each block uses exactly 5 chains, which is why the chain has to be a multiple of 5 plus 1.
Step 6: End the foundation row with 3 double crochet
At the end of the row, work 3 dc into the very last chain. [By our count the foundation row now has 24 shells, so 24 chain-3 spaces, and 99 dc in all.]
Step 7: Chain 5 and turn
Chain 5 and turn. This is the start of the repeat row, which you work from here to the end of the shawl.
Step 8: Work 3 dc, ch 3, 1 dc into the chain-3 space
Into the first chain-3 space work 3 dc, ch 3 and 1 dc. All five stitches go into the same space.
Step 9: Repeat in every chain-3 space
Work 3 dc, ch 3 and 1 dc into every chain-3 space along the row. The new chain-3 spaces you make are the ones the next row will use.
Step 10: End the row in the chain-5 space
At the end of the row, work 3 dc into the chain-5 space you started the previous row with. Then begin every new row the same way: chain 5, turn, and work the cluster in each chain-3 space. [By our count every repeat row has 24 chain-3 spaces and 99 dc.]
Step 11: Repeat until the shawl is long enough
Repeat the row over and over. The designer states a finished length of 70 in. The sample in the photos was edged at 17 in, so it is a shorter piece than the finished shawl.
Step 12: Join a new ball with a magic knot
When a ball runs out, join the next one with a magic knot. Make a loop of the new yarn around the working yarn and pull the end through it, then do the same with the working yarn around the new strand. Pull both knots snug.
Cut the ends close to the knot and carry on. Once the next stitches are worked over it, the join is barely noticeable.
Step 13: Start the edging
Turn the work and start along one long edge. Chain 3, which counts as a dc, and work 1 dc into the corner space. This builds the first corner.
Step 14: Work 2 dc into each space
Work 2 dc into each space along the long edge until you reach the end of that side.
Step 15: Turn the corner with 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc
At the corner work 2 dc, ch 2 and 2 dc. Then work 1 dc into each stitch along the next side. At the last corner make 2 dc into the stitch, ch 2, 1 dc, and slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3. A second slip stitch makes the join look neater.
Step 16: Add more edging rows if you like
One row of edging is enough. For a deeper border, work 1 dc into each stitch and 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc into each chain-2 corner space, round after round.
Step 17: Fasten off and weave in the ends
Cut the yarn, pull the tail through the last loop and weave in all the ends with a darning needle. Your shawl is done.
Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern Stitch Counts and Widths
The pattern prints one chain count and no row counts, so these are ours. They come from the order of stitches described above, and they match the five-chain block: 1 skip, 2 dc, 1 skip, 1 shell. Check them against your own rows.
| Row | Chain-3 spaces | Double crochet | Ends with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation row | 24 | 99 | 3 dc in the last chain |
| Every repeat row | 24 | 99 | 3 dc in the chain-5 space |
To change the width, change the chain. At the sample’s 5.25 chains per inch, these are the chains for a different width, each rounded to a multiple of 5 plus 1. Your yarn and tension will change the rate, so make a swatch of 26 chains and measure it before you commit.
| Width | Chain | Chain-3 spaces | Double crochet per row |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 in (41 cm) | 86 | 16 | 67 |
| 18 in (46 cm) | 96 | 18 | 75 |
| 20 in (51 cm) | 106 | 20 | 83 |
| 22 in (56 cm) | 116 | 22 | 91 |
| 24 in (61 cm) | 126 | 24 | 99 |
| 26 in (66 cm) | 136 | 26 | 107 |
| 28 in (71 cm) | 146 | 28 | 115 |
How Much Yarn an Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern Takes
The pattern says 2 balls and prints no yardage, so we looked at what five other free shawls state. Dividing each designer’s yarn by the shawl’s area gives yards per square inch. Across the five, the spread is 0.58 to 0.86 yd per sq in, a factor of 1.49. Where a page prints a total we used it, and where it prints only skeins we multiplied skeins by yards.
| Shawl | Size (in) | Yarn (yd) | yd per sq in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Lace Shawl | 25 x 64 | 1,375 (needed; 4 skeins bought) | 0.86 |
| Easy Iris Stitch Rectangle Shawl | 19 x 67 | about 1,000 | 0.79 |
| Inishfree Shawl | 20 x 72 | 1,000 m (1,094 yd, our conversion) | 0.76 |
| Lace Shawl, One Skein | 17 x 74 | 795 | 0.63 |
| Easy Rectangular Shawl (medium) | 20 x 74 | 852 (3 skeins of 284) | 0.58 |
Our estimate for this shawl: 24 x 70 in is 1,680 sq in, so the range is about 970 to 1,440 yd. That is a planning range, not a measured figure, and it assumes lace of similar openness. Buy by yardage on the ball band, not by the number of balls, and keep one spare ball in the same dye lot.
| Width x 70 in | Area (sq in) | Estimated yarn (yd) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 in | 1,400 | 810 to 1,200 |
| 24 in | 1,680 | 970 to 1,440 |
| 28 in | 1,960 | 1,130 to 1,680 |
Where an Easy Crochet Shawl Goes Wrong
A short row hides problems that only show up much later. These are the three that cost a rip-back in this easy crochet shawl pattern.
A chain that is not a multiple of 5 plus 1
The foundation row works in blocks of 5 chains and finishes with a single chain for the last 3 dc. If your chain is off by one or two, the last block comes up short and you only find out at the end of row 1, after working every stitch. Count the chain in fives before you measure it.
Losing the last 3 dc of a row
Each row begins with chain 5 and ends with 3 dc in the chain-5 space of the row before. Forget that last cluster and the edge pulls in a little every row. Count 24 chain-3 spaces at the end of every row, and look for the 3 dc as the last thing you do.
A hook that does not suit the yarn
Because the pattern calls the yarn lightweight and uses 3.5 mm, a true light yarn on the same hook will feel stiff and the spaces will close up. A fine yarn on a much larger hook will sag. Swatch five repeats and check that the chain-3 spaces stay open before you start the real chain.
Five More Free Shawl Patterns
Five more free shawls carry their own sizes, hooks and chains, and every figure below is from the designer’s own page. The yardage notes say what is printed.
- Easy Lace Shawl: 25 x 64 in, 6.0 mm hook, chain 200 over a multiple of 4, 1,375 yd needed. The 6.0 mm hook is above the 4.5 to 5.5 mm light range, and the page says that is deliberate.
- Easy Iris Stitch Rectangle Shawl: 19 x 67 in, 4.5 mm hook, chain 79 (a multiple of 4 plus 3), about 1,000 yd. No gauge is printed.
- Easy Rectangular Crochet Shawl: 20 x 74 in in the free medium size, 6.0 mm hook, chain 224, 3 skeins of 284 yd. No total yardage is printed, so 852 yd is our multiplication.
- Inishfree Shawl: 20 x 72 in, 3.5 mm hook, chain 338, fingering yarn, 1,000 m. The page prints metres only; 1,094 yd is our conversion.
- Crochet Lace Shawl Easy One Skein: 17 x 74 in, 5.0 mm hook, chain 311, one 795 yd cake. No gauge is printed.
Easy Crochet Shawl Pattern FAQ
What is the easiest crochet shawl pattern for a beginner?
A rectangle with one repeat row is the easiest shape, because after the foundation row you only learn one row. The easy crochet shawl pattern above uses chain, double crochet and slip stitch only, with no shaping.
How many chains do I need for an easy crochet shawl pattern?
The sample uses 126 chains for 24 in, which is a multiple of 5 plus 1. Use any multiple of 5 plus 1, and check the length against a tape measure.
What hook size is right for a lightweight shawl yarn?
The pattern uses 3.5 mm. The Craft Yarn Council lists 3.5 to 4.5 mm for fine yarn and 4.5 to 5.5 mm for light yarn, so read your ball band and swatch before you chain 126.
How much yarn does a 24 x 70 in shawl need?
The pattern prints no yardage. Five free shawls give 0.58 to 0.86 yd per sq in, which puts this shawl at about 970 to 1,440 yd.
How do I join new yarn without a bulky knot?
Use a magic knot: loop the new strand around the working yarn and the working yarn around the new strand, pull both snug and trim close. The join barely shows once you keep working.
Can I make the shawl narrower or wider?
Yes. Change the starting chain to another multiple of 5 plus 1. The width table above gives chains for 16 to 28 in at the sample’s rate of 5.25 chains per inch, so swatch to confirm.
Browse More Free Lace and Accessory Patterns
Browse the free crochet patterns for more free patterns, the crochet accessories for scarves and wraps, or the stitch guides for the lace stitches behind a shawl. If you want something worked in a single stitch, try the easy crochet scarf pattern, or see how a moss stitch scarf is built, or try the lace wrist cuffs that use the same open mesh idea.
Sources
- Craft Yarn Council: yarn weight system for the hook range of each yarn category.
- Easy Lace Shawl, Jo, Jo to the World Creations
- Easy Iris Stitch Rectangle Shawl, Okie Girl Bling
- Easy Rectangular Crochet Shawl, Desert Blossom Crafts
- Inishfree Shawl, Annie Design Crochet
- Crochet Lace Shawl Easy One Skein, Winding Road Crochet
Pattern credit: this lace shawl design comes from the crochet channel Handmade by Appy.
