Niagara Shawl in Rowan Felted Tweed DK - D178 - Downloadable PDF

Niagara Shawl in Rowan Felted Tweed DK – Pattern Summary (D178) by Lisa Richardson

About This Pattern

The Niagara Shawl is a stunning crochet shawl or wrap designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan as an exclusive downloadable PDF pattern (reference D178). Rated at an intermediate difficulty level, this design is a sophisticated project for crocheters who are comfortable working in the round and managing multiple colours. The finished piece is a richly textured, multicolour shawl or wrap constructed from repeating square motifs joined together to create a fluid, wearable fabric.

What Is Being Made

The Niagara Shawl is a colourwork crochet shawl or wrap. It is built from a basic square motif that forms the structural foundation of the entire design. Multiple motifs are worked and assembled to create the full shawl, making this an ideal project for knitters and crocheters who enjoy modular construction. The design is part of Rowan's shawls and wraps collection and is available as a downloadable PDF, meaning you can access and print the pattern immediately after purchase.

Construction and Design Details

The shawl is built around a basic square motif. Each square motif features:

• Double treble crochet (dtr) stitches placed at each corner of the square, creating a defined, structured point at every corner
• 21 treble crochet (tr) stitches along each side of the square between the corner stitches, giving each motif a consistent, even fabric

The motifs are worked across multiple rounds, each introducing a new colour, which produces the characteristic multicolour striped and layered effect that gives the Niagara Shawl its name and visual depth.

Techniques Used

This pattern is a crochet project, despite appearing within Rowan's broader knitting-focused range. Key techniques include:

• Working in the round – each motif is crocheted in rounds from the centre outward
• Modular motif construction – individual square motifs are created and then assembled to form the complete shawl
• Multicolour work – up to eight distinct colours of Rowan Felted Tweed DK are introduced across the rounds, with each new round or set of rounds worked in a different shade
• Slip stitch joining – rounds are closed with slip stitches (ss) to the top of the beginning chain
• Chain space working – stitches are worked into chain spaces (ch sps) rather than directly into stitches in several rounds, creating an open, lacy structure at key points
• Fasten off and rejoin – colours are fastened off at the end of each colour section and a new colour is rejoined for the next round

Stitches Used

The Niagara Shawl uses a focused set of crochet stitches that combine to create its textured, geometric fabric:

• Treble crochet (tr) – the primary stitch used to build the body of each motif along the sides of the squares
• Double treble crochet (dtr) – used specifically at the corners of each square motif to create a taller, more pronounced corner point
• Chain (ch) – used to create turning chains at the beginning of rounds (3 ch counts as 1 tr) and to form chain spaces at the corners of the motif
• Slip stitch (ss) – used to join rounds and to position the yarn at the start of new sections

The combination of treble crochet along the sides and double treble crochet at the corners is a classic technique in square motif crochet, giving each motif a clean geometric shape that tiles neatly when joined. The chain spaces at the corners also allow for decorative shell-like groupings of stitches in later rounds, adding visual interest and a slightly open