All about crochet shawls: How to crochet a shawl (+ 15 crochet shawl patterns)
Crochet shawls are incredibly popular classic crochet projects. Maybe THE classic crochet project.
A crocheted shawl makes a great handmade gift for friends and loved ones as well as for yourself. The incredible variety of crochet shawl patterns available means there is something to suit everyone.
In this post I will explore and demystify the world of crochet shawls, so you can decide which style you might want to try next… because there is always a next!
All in all this post will give you a whole load of inspiration to go forth and crochet all the shawls!
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A crochet shawl or wrap is often one of the first accessories that a beginner crocheter might make after mastering the basic crochet stitches. They can be a great way to practice stitch patterns and experiment with different stitches and techniques.
Crochet shawls aren’t just for beginners. They come in all skill levels, from quick and easy patterns using simple stitches to complex designs using intricate crochet stitch combinations and more challenging intermediate or advanced techniques.
The variety in shawl styles is endless and covers pretty much any kind of fabric you can make with crochet. You will never get bored (though may eventually run out of storage space – which is why I love to gift them too).
Whether they are small and dainty or oversized and cozy, lacy and lightweight or opaque and weighty, elegant or casual, modern and contemporary or more traditional, worn draped over the shoulders or wrapped around the neck, there really is a crochet shawl for all.
Different names for crochet shawls and related terms
As discussed in depth in my ‘All about crochet cowls’ article, it’s important to have a common understanding of the terms used whenever describing features, so I want to take a few moments at the start to get clarity on the language I’ll use relating to crochet shawls.
Note that definitions of shawls, wraps and stoles can vary depending on the resource you’re looking at. These are the descriptions I personally find useful.
What is a crochet shawl?
A crochet shawl is a piece of crocheted fabric which is worn over the top of clothes, draped around the neck and shoulders and sometimes also wrapped around the body.
There are many shapes and sizes of shawl and many different ways to make and wear them.
Crochet shawls are most commonly worn both for warmth and for the aesthetic (i.e. because they look nice!).
Some shawls, such as crochet prayer shawls are worn for religious rituals and ceremonies.
A shawl differs from a scarf in that it is typically deeper and worn draped over the shoulders rather than being wrapped around the neck (though many shawls can also be worn this way as well).
What is a crochet wrap?
A crochet wrap is a type of shawl which is usually a long rectangular piece of crocheted fabric.
They are worn wrapped around the tops of the shoulders and upper body and can also be draped around the neck, over the shoulders.
Wraps tend to be deeper (or wider depending on your perspective) than scarves (read my All about crochet scarves post here).
What is a stole?
A crochet stole is a more traditional term for an accessory that is similar to a wrap. The terms stole and wrap can be used interchangeably, but I believe stoles are seen as more of an ‘occasion’ accessory, typically worn with a formal dress.
Stoles are often smaller (narrower and shallower) than wraps and worn around the shoulders a little like a small cape.
The anatomy of a crochet shawl
When talking about construction methods, it’s really important that you have an understanding of the different parts of a shawl, so below I explain the key terms I use.
What is a crochet shawl’s ‘Wingspan’?
The first time I heard the term ‘wingspan’ in relation to a crochet shawl, I thought it was such a lovely fairytale like term. It made me love shawls just a little bit more, for their folky feels.
But what does it mean?
The wingspan is the length of the part of the shawl that is worn up against the neck. It refers to the edge that is at the centre (closest to the neck) as the shawl is wrapped around you.
Sometimes the wingspan is the longest single edge of the shape (such as in a triangle shawl), other times it isn’t (such as in a crescent shawl). It all depends on the shawl shape (which I will come to discuss shortly).
Also, when you lift your arms out to the side holding the edges of a shawl… wings!!!
What is the shawl width (and how is it different from wingspan)?
The width of a crochet shawl is the measurement from one side to the other at the widest point.
In some cases, such as a rectangular crochet wrap or a simple top-down triangle shawl, the wingspan and width may be the same, but not always.
What is the depth of a crochet shawl?
Shawl depth is the measurement of a crochet shawl at its deepest point (as opposed to its widest point).
It could also be described as the ‘drop’ echoing how it drops from the nape of one’s neck down the back.
Which side is the top or bottom of a shawl?
The top of the shawl is usually the wingspan edge and the part that is worn closest to the neck.
The bottom of the shawl is the edge that sits opposite, down the back. For example, in a top-down triangle shawl, this would be the bottom point.
The schematics that follow have the top and bottom labeled for clarity because, for some shawl shapes, it’s not always immediately obvious.
4 different ways to construct a crochet shawl
There are 4 common methods used to crochet a shawl; top down, bottom up, wingspan down and side to side.
I have used diagrams of a simple triangle shawl to illustrate these methods as the triangular shape can be made using any of them.
For each construction type I have marked the start and finish point to help you visualise the process. This is a general rule of thumb rather than a detailed instruction.
These construction styles can be applied to other crochet shawl shapes, though not all methods will work well for all shapes. The method chosen for a crochet shawl design will depend on a number of factors from the specific shape to the stitch pattern used.
Top-down crochet shawls
A top-down shawl is constructed from the middle of the wingspan by making increases along a central point, which becomes the bottom point of the shawl once completed.
This method is also sometimes called centre out.
Additionally, you might find it helpful to think of this as half a square shape with the wingspan being the diagonal of the square. If you can crochet a half granny square you can crochet a top down shawl!
The diagram below shows the general process for crocheting a basic top down triangle shawl.
Bottom-up crochet shawls
A bottom-up shawl is crocheted from the bottom point up, working increases on both sides until it reaches its finished size.
I love this approach to shawl creation because you can, usually, just keep in crocheting until you reach the perfect shawl size – which can look different for everyone (I go into sizing later).
The diagram below illustrates where the increases would go in a simple symmetrical bottom up triangle shawl.
Wingspan down crochet shawls
The wingspan down shawl construction is not to be confused with top-down. With this method, you create your foundation row the whole width of the wingspan and then make decreases at each side until you reach the bottom point, as shown in the diagram below.
Note that if you are working a crescent shawl wingspan down, you may actually increase in places rather than. This is because in a crescent shawl, the bottom edge can be longer than the wingspan.
Using a different rate of decrease will impact the depth of the shawl. A fast decrease will create a shallow shawl, whereas a fewer decreases at each row end will create a deeper shawl. The same principle is true for bottom up shawls and increase rate.
Side to side
The fourth approach to crochet shawl construction is to work it side to side.
In the triangle shawl illustrated below, you will start at one side, increase until your shawl reaches maximum depth then decrease back to the other side.
In some side to side shawls, such as an asymmetric triangle, you may only increase and not make any decreases at all, and vice versa if you’re starting at the deeper side.
What shapes can crochet shawls be?
Crochet shawls can come in all kinds of wonderful shapes and sizes, but generally speaking the most common shawl designs are based on variations of three basic shapes; a rectangle, triangle or circle.
You may also see some shawls based on other polygon shapes such as hexagons or octagons and so forth. Whilst I don’t address those specifically here, the information you’ll learn in this article will still be generally applicable to them.
Really there are no hard and fast rules about what shape a crochet shawl should be. As long as they can do their job of being draped around your shoulders to keep you cozy, there really is no limit.
However, we all need to start somewhere, so below I share some of the most common shawl shapes by these three main categories.
Rectangle / square crochet shawl shapes
Simple rectangle crochet shawls, often referred to as wraps make great beginner-friendly crochet patterns as they don’t have much shaping.
Below are a few examples of variations on the rectangle / square shawl shape, most of which use simple shaping or different joining techniques.
The diagram below is a schematic for a simple rectangle crochet shawl. It is very much like a crochet scarf but is deeper and can be worn round the tops of the shoulders as well as being draped around the neck.
I find that cozy wraps and stoles feel very comforting when worn because they encourage you to kind of hug yourself.
Triangle based crochet shawl shapes
Triangular crochet shawls are super popular and where the majority of crocheters will probably start their shawl journey.
As you can see from the image below, triangles can create a lot of variety with just three sides.
Because there is such a variety of triangle crochet shawls to choose from, I want to spend a bit of time explaining the differences between some of these triangular shapes.
For the geometry fans, I’ve included the mathematical names of the types of triangles (This might be a flashback to school for some of you… I promise I won’t test you on Pythagoras’ Theorem.)
The most common triangle shawls are formed as isosceles triangles – meaning at least two of the sides are the same length (as pictured below). Usually, these are the two sides that aren’t the wingspan and they can be shallow or deep shawls.
Asymmetric triangle shawls (a scalene triangle) have three sides which are all different lengths. In crochet shawl land, these are often seen as right angled triangles or kite shaped shawls.
To finish the geometry class, kite shaped shawls tend to be ‘obtuse’ triangles where one of the angles is larger than 90 degrees. Triangles can be more than one thing at once, the complex wonders that they are.
Note that I have included a boomerang crochet shawl shape in the triangle shawl selection, but this style of shawl is a crossover between a triangle and circular shape. There are many shawl patterns which mix things up in this way. My Slice of Sunrise shawl is an example of a boomerang shawl that is more crescent than triangle.
Circle based crochet shawl shapes
I am a sucker for circular based shawls, or triangle shawls with curves in. There is just something about the soft edges which makes me happy.
The image below shows a range of shawls that can be made based on circular shapes.
The way that circular style shawls are crocheted tends to vary and is usually more complex than their rectangular and triangular cousins.
I want to dig a little deeper into three kinds of curved shawl designs which you might commonly see crochet patterns for.
Crochet half-circle or pi shawls
Half circle shawls (which also covers the circle segment shawls in the schematic above) are the more straightforward kind of circular crochet shawls to make.
If you’ve ever crocheted a top down hat, then you’ve probably crocheted a circle, and half circle shawls are essentially just really large partial circles.
That said, there is more than one way to crochet a circle and the placement of your increases, when working from the centre out, is important to keep an eye on to ensure you retain nice neat edges.
I have a separate post which talks in detail about how to crochet a flat circle, and another which addresses the pi shawl approach to crocheting circles, so I won’t go into the details here, but both approaches can be applied to simple circular style shawls.
Heart-shaped crochet shawls
I’ve included heart shaped shawls in the circular section but they can also take a triangular form.
Heart shape shawls are crocheted like a top down triangle or half circle shawl, but they have additional increases at the beginning and end of the rows to create the winged sides that you can see curling up in the schematic below.
This creates extra length in the curved wingspan, helping it to wrap in a more fitted style around the neck.
Crescent crochet shawls
Crescent and oval shawl construction is a little more complex. These types of shawls are generally worked bottom up using short rows or top down with carefully distributed increases and or short rows.
They can be a really great way to get more out of your yarn as they are often proportionately much wider compared to their depth than other shawl shapes.
In my experience, crescent shawls are probably the most difficult of shawl shapes to design as the shaping can take a lot of thought and sometimes trial and error to get ‘just so’. They really can be a beautiful mathematical challenge for a designer. But oh how pretty they are!
If you want to go up a level with your shawl crocheting skills then I highly encourage you to explore crescent shawls further.
Crochet Shawls and blocking
Before I move on from shawl shapes, I want to emphasise that blocking can also be a vital contribution to a shawl’s shape.
I feel like blocking was basically invented for shawls tbh!
A lacy crochet shawl will almost always benefit from blocking to get the most out of the stitch pattern. Likewise, crescent and circular shawls in particular often need blocking to emphasise the shape.
If you’ve always avoided blocking then I encourage you to read this post which will explain the different ways you can approach blocking and just maybe make you more inclined to give it a go…
How big should a crochet shawl be?
A typical adult’s crochet shawl size ranges from a wingspan of 150cm-200cm / 60-80in and a depth of around 50cm-100cm / 20in-40in.
This is really just a rough guide. As this article has demonstrated, the different shapes and styles of shawl means that their size can very enormously.
Some shawls can be very narrow and dainty, some can be much longer and more substantial. So long as it meets the desired function there are no absolute rules on size.
When sizing a shawl, it’s important to think about the wingspan as it wraps round the back of the neck and shoulders as this is how it performs its job.
For some crochet shawl shapes, such as a wrap or basic triangle shape, the width and wingspan might be the same. But where they are different, it’s the wingspan that should be considered first; Measuring the width from side to side on a deep crescent shawl will not give you much information about how it will fit on a person.
The other aspect to take into account when deciding on a crochet shawl size is the size of the wearer. Although crochet shawl patterns are typically offered in one size, it’s rare that one size actually fits all.
Shoulder width, chest measurement and height can all impact how a shawl looks when worn. For example, I am 5’1” with fairly narrow shoulders, so a shawl with a wingspan of 150cm / 60in will, relatively speaking, look longer on me than it does on someone who is 5’10’ with broad shoulders.
If you like to play with sizing, look for crochet shawl patterns which are easy to adjust.
Triangle shawls constructed top-down or bottom point up, or wraps worked side to side are good examples of patterns where adjusting the wingspan for fit might be fairly easy. With these types of construction, you can often just keep working the pattern repeat until your shawl reaches its desired size.
What crochet stitches are best for shawls
To be honest, pretty much anything goes when it comest to choosing a stitch pattern for a shawl, but the one factor that needs to be considered first and foremost is drape.
Drape is really important with shawls partly because of their size and prominence on the wearer. You want your shawl to drape comfortably over your shoulders and arms and still allow you to move easily.
If you are wearing a shawl made from a fabric so dense that it holds its own shape, you’re going to get something really odd going on, and not in a good way. (Unless maybe you want to partake in some kind of couture catwalk show for one of the more far out designers…)
You can use all kinds of different stitches in a crochet shawl, but traditionally, shawls for summer or for formal occasions are made from lacy open stitches, whereas winter warmers use denser, opaque stitch patterns or more cozy stitches.
If you have a stitch pattern you love but that creates fabric a little too dense, then try going up a crochet hook size or two to increase your drape.
And if you’re swatching – remember to block your swatch so you know how the finished shawl will drape (because all good crocheters block their shawls right… RIGHT!!?)
How much yarn do you need for a crochet shawl?
The amount of yarn you need for a shawl will depend on the size and stitch pattern of the particular shawl pattern you’re making. It can be anything from a 100g to 500g or more.
I really can’t offer anything more specific than that!
What yarn should you use for a crochet shawl?
In terms of different yarn weights and fibres, not much is out of reach here either.
Generally, I would stick with a yarn in the the lace to aran/worsted weight yarn weight categories. I have used a bulky weight yarn for a chunky crochet wrap (the one step at a time wrap for those who want a nosey).
This exception aside, for shawls I tend go no heavier than aran / worsted weight yarn, and I prefer light weight and fine yarns such as 4ply, fingering weight, sport weight or double knit.
Again – there are no hard and fast rules – just remember that you want your yarn to fulfil the desired function.
Lace-weight shawls can look amazing, though I confess I have never had the patience to try one… yet.
My friend Joanne Scrace, from the crochet project has a book of shawl patterns designed specifically for lace weight yarns which is a great place to start if you want to experiment with laceweight.
I also want to give a special mention to cake yarns which can be incredible for crocheting shawls.
Colour changing yarn cakes have become super popular over the past few years and we have seen the arrival of all kinds of shawl-specific type yarns arrive on the market.
There’s a few reasons I like them. First off, they are a great way to introduce colour changes into a project without having to sew in all the ends. (We all like a project with minimal ends!).
Colour choice is something that I know many people struggle with so having colour combinations pre-selected can take a lot of the guess work out of this aspect.
I also absolutely love some of the gradient colours out there. There is just something pleasing about ombre yarns with a single colour graduation.
Lastly, these yarns look different with different styles of project and shawl shape so it’s always a little bit of a mystery as to how they will eventually turn out. Though some may not like this aspect, I enjoy watching them reveal themselves.
The kind of yarn cakes used for shawls are most commonly 4ply / fingering weight yarns in a blend of cotton and acrylic or wool and acrylic fibres.
I first used this kind of yarn in my Perceptions shawl (pictured below), which is lightweight lacy shawl with a stitch pattern that draws you in. It’s made with Rico Creative Cotton Degrade yarn which is a 4 ply cotton blend.
I actually stopped before the last colour change on this one because I was happy with the size. The one you see above was just about to transition from pink to lilac. It looks like they now have more than just 3 colours in one yarn cake on this brand.
The other ever-popular yarn cakes are the Scheepjes whirl. They have a range of fibres and colourways and are always fun to explore.
So there we have my overview of all things shawl. It was a bit of a whistle stop tour but I hope it’s given you a really solid, foundational understanding of how to crochet a shawl.
Now, lets give you some example patterns to try out…
More ‘all about crochet’ articles
15 crochet shawl patterns crocheted using different shapes and construction methods
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Below is a round-up of free crochet shawl patterns which illustrate some of the shawl design features discussed above.
The list ranges from easy patterns using basic stitches, to patterns more suited to intermediate and advanced skill levels, with a whole lot in between. There’s something for everyone here.
1. Triangle granny stripe shawl
The Wayward Sisters Triangle Granny Stripe shawl from Zeens and Roger is the perfect shawl for beginners and a great example of a bottom up triangle crochet shawl. If you’re a new crocheter, this is a great place to start.
It’s crocheted from the bottom point up to the wingspan, switching to a contrasting colour every few rows. The use of contrast colours mean that it’s also a stash busting pattern. One you can simply keep working until you’re happy with the size.
Oh, and the tassels are optional, but a cunning way to reduce the number of ends to sew in!
2. Tree pattern bottom up crochet shawl (for the festive season)
The Under the tree shawl is a beginner-friendly festive crochet shawl pattern with Christmas tree shapes scattered about like a fir tree forrest.
This easy crochet shawl pattern is worked from the bottom point up, making it simple to adjust the size by just crocheting the pattern repeat until you’re happy.
It’s a simple pattern that allows crocheters to try out a basic, repeating open-work pattern without diving straight into a complex lace design. (It uses mostly US double crochet and chain stitches so nothing too fancy here).
If you have more experience, and if you’re anything like me, you will find crocheting the 4 Row repeat very relaxing (once you get used to it), and get a lot of satisfaction watching your crochet forrest grow.
(Plus, this one makes a great accessory and gift for the Christmas holiday season too…)
3. Reversible Winter Crochet Wrap Pattern
The Reversible Lenny Wrap from Blue Star Crochet is a thick and cozy wrap which uses a stitch pattern that creates a different design on each side.
It uses a fun colourwork technique to create extra interest in the design and offers lots of scope to play with different colour combinations. It also creates a wintry almost tweed effect look giving it that extra campfire vibe.
The wrap is crocheted with double knit yarn, wingspan down (along the long side) making it easy to decide how thick you want to go.
4. Textured pocket shawl
The bumps is a thick and textured crochet pocket shawl…or pocket wrap if I’m being pedantic.
The pattern has patch pockets sewn on at the end and simple but striking colourwork. It is crocheted side to side (along the short rows) so is easy to adjust the wingspan.
Made with aran weight yarn in the stunning alpine stitch, it will keep you cozily wrapped up all winter. This is one I wear outside just as much as I wear to keep snug on the sofa, inside on a cold evening.
5. V-shaped rectangular crochet shawl
The Sedona Ruana Wrap pattern from Nanna’s crafty home is a an oversized shawl and a great example of the v-shaped rectangular shawl. It’s constructed by two rectangles joined at a right angle.
This one uses the granny square stitch which means it’s also made in motifs. For a large shawl like this, working with smaller pieces and joining them is a really manageable way to crochet a shawl of such a size.
6. Large, beginner friendly asymmetrical triangle shawl
The Muse shawl from you should craft is a classic, easy crochet shawl pattern which makes a large triangular accessory, perfect for wrapping yourself up in.
It uses simple crochet stitches and is wearable throughout the seasons. And… because of the way it is constructed, from a single point to the deepest part (side to side), you can alter the size without too much drama.
7. Fun asymmetric triangle shawl
The geometric joy crochet shawl is a typical asymmetric triangle shawl shape, a little shallower than the previous example, but a similar length.
It’s crocheted from side to side, so also offers flexibility in sizing. It has a shape loving theme with triangles galore and dots and dashes to add to the party. Given all the chat about triangles and geometry in this post, I simply had to include it.
This crochet shawl pattern uses mostly simple crochet stitches and has a few interesting techniques involved for curious crocheters looking to try something a little different.
8. Top down crochet lace shawl
This elegant crochet fan lace shawl from Raffamusa Designs is a beautiful, large lace shawl worked from the top down / centre out.
Triangle based, it has gentle wings along the wingspan giving you more length to wrap around yourself. If you’re looking for a statement piece for a summer occasion or winter glamour, this one has all the class you need.
9. Lacy Crescent shawl
The Uwilla shawl pattern by Cirsium Crochet is a free PDF ravelry download for a lacy crescent shaped crochet shawl. This one uses post stitches and some interesting techniques to create a lightweight, pretty and unusual shawl pattern.
10. Beautiful circular segment fingering weight shawl
The Bird of Paradise Shawl from Suvi’s Crochet is a stunning lace shawl pattern. This one really shows how beautifully shawls can turn out with a perfect combination of intricate, delicate stitches and colour changing yarn cakes.
This is definitely a more complex pattern, more suited to intermediate and advanced crocheters, but the finished result looks well worth the effort!
11. Segmented geometric shawl
The Blue Bonnet shawl pattern from Marly Bird is a great crossover design which resembles a segmented circle with a kind of crescent shape but is created from triangle sections giving it a more geometric shape.
This is a great example of a shawl design which blends different styles seamlessly in a very effective style. The pattern gives thorough construction information and is great for any crocheter wanting to try something a that mixes things up.
12. Large ombre kite shawl for summer evenings
The Crochet Del Mar Shawl is an asymmetric kite shawl with a gentle arc to the sides, making it a super soft shape with allll the drape, thanks largely to the beautiful herringbone crochet stitches it uses.
This is crocheted using a beautiful cotton blend ombre yarn which makes it a great summer accessory. Perfect for covering the shoulders and for some extra warmth on a summer’s evening as the temperature drops.
You could also switch out the cotton yarn for a wool or acrylic blend to create something more suitable for autumn and winter days.
13. Scenic Route heart shaped shawl
The ‘Scenic Route’ shawl is worked top down and uses a geometric filet crochet zigzag worked vertically throughout the body of the shawl.
It’s an intermediate level pattern because of the stitch placement but uses simple stitches (just two of them!) Throughout.
It’s a gloriously oversized shawl that wraps you up in a hug and has beautiful drape throughout.
This one is a paid pattern.
14. Half-oval large shawl pattern worked with short rows
My Lunar Ripples crochet shawl is a free crochet pattern which uses short rows spaced throughout the pattern to create a more half oval and less half circle shape.
This gives the benefit or having more fabric to wrap around your shoulders than around the lower back. It’s quite a yarn intense pattern, so personally I would prefer to have every inch of the fabric contributing to keeping me cozy!
This is one for the more intermediate crocheter who is used to following written crochet patterns.
15. Faux fur crochet stole
Stole’n cuddles (read as stole and cuddles) is a fun example of a small, cozy versatile crochet stole made using faux fur yarn.
This one works paired with a casual light jacket in place of a fur collar (as shown below) and would also look great over a strapless gown on a more formal occasion.
Faux fur yarn isn’t the easiest yarn to work with because it’s very hard to see your stitches. However, this pattern uses basic crochet stitches throughout, so is a good project for anyone wanting to practice with this kind of yarn.
And that’s the last of the free shawl patterns.
Hopefully this range gives you an insight into the huge variety of crochet shawl shapes, sizes and styles that can be created with a yarn and hook.
You can find more dora does crochet shawl patterns here or check out my round up of crochet shawl and warp patterns suitable for wedding guests (and other formal occasions).
In the meantime…
Happy shawl hooking!
Dx
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What a wonderful and informative article! And thank you for sharing so many crochet patterns. Am hunting for a pattern with a combo of lacy and cozy for a rectangular wrap or shawl. Rather like a cable section and 1×1 lace knit pattern starting at one end and knit to the other.
Hi there, I am glad you found this useful! I don’t have anything specific which meets your brief exactly, but my ‘one step at a time’ wrap could be modified to fit – it uses thick then thinner cable patterns in sections and you could replace the simple cable blocks with a basic stitch (I confess my lack of knitting knowledge means I don’t know what a 1×1 lace patter would be equivalent in crochet! https://doradoes.co.uk/portfolio/one-step-at-a-time-chunky-crochet-wrap/