This project began as a request by my dear mum for a square shawl she could fold diagonally for warmth. Since the nature of crochet is to be lacy and full of spaces I thought a folded shawl was a good idea.
Never having written down a pattern before I began to see the interesting issues that would arise during the conception of this project. First of all the only measurement I could count on would be the diagonal length as it was draped around the shoulders. The best way to figure this out is to take a measuring tape and drape it around yourself to see where it falls. Note the measurement. Alternatively you can use a piece of yarn or string to get the feel for how long of a diagonal you will need. You can then measure the string with a ruler.
Sixty inches was the measurement we came up with. Now comes the interesting part: a little geometry and algebra. Who knew? You actually DO use this stuff in the real world!
(I can’t believe I’m teaching math on a blog about artwork! This one’s for you Ms. Massey!)
So the width and height of the square is 42.4 inches. I rounded it out to 43 inches for simplicity’s sake.
Now, to actually begin crocheting…
I wanted to try a new stitch with this shawl, so I began by getting out a very handy book: The Crochet Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden. It’s a collection of illustrated crochet stitches, how to create them, and other useful pointers. The stitch pattern I picked out is a very fun and interesting pattern called "Mophead stitch." If you like the look of the stitch (see photograph above) then I’ve included the steps below, but feel free to find your own stitch pattern if the Mophead stitch doesn’t interest you. The internet is a great place to find free stitches to try out, or you can even make up your own.
Mophead stitch pattern:
Foundation:
Ch a multiple of 10 sts to get as close to your "a" measurement as possible, then ch one st more.
Row 1:
Sc in 3rd ch from hook.
*ch 3, skip 2 ch, sc in next 3 ch.*
Repeat from * to * ending with a sc in the last 2 ch.
Turn.
Row 2:
Ch 1, skip first sc, sc in next sc, sc in 3 ch sp.
*Ch 3, skip 1 sc, dc in center sc of 3 sc group, ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in 3 ch sp, sc in next 3 sc, sc in 3 ch sp.*
Repeat from * to * ending with sc in last 3 ch sp, sc in last sc, and sc in turning ch.
Turn.
Row 3:
Ch 1, skip first sc, sc in next sc.
*Ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in 3 ch sp, sc in dc, sc in 3 ch sp, ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in next 3 sc (center 3 sc of 5 sc)*
Repeat from * to * ending with sc in last sc and one sc in turning chain.
Turn
Row 4:
Ch 6, skip first 2 sc.
*Sc in 3 ch sp, sc in next 3 sc, sc in 3 ch sp, ch 3, skip sc, dc in next sc (center sc of 3 sc), ch 3, skip sc.*
Repeat from * to * ending with dc in turning ch.
Turn
Row 5:
Ch 1, skip dc.
*sc in 3 ch sp, ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in next 3 sc (center 3 sc of 5 sc), ch 3, skip sc, sc in 3 ch sp, sc in dc.*
Repeat from * to * ending with sc in 6 ch sp, sc in 3rd ch of turning ch.
Repeat rows 2-5 until desired length (measurement "a") has been achieved.
Stitch Key:
Ch…..Chain
Dc…Double Crochet
Sc…..Single Crochet
Sp…..Space
St…..Stitch
Sts…..Stitches
Enjoy!
-Lyzard
