Out of The Box Shawl in Caron Simply Soft, Simply Soft Collection and Simply Soft Brites - Downloadable PDF

Out of The Box Shawl in Caron Simply Soft – Crochet Pattern Summary

The Out of The Box Shawl is a striking, geometry-driven crochet shawl designed by Diane Moyer and available as a free downloadable PDF. Rated intermediate in difficulty, this project is built around bold, boxy square motifs that give it a modern, graphic aesthetic. It is an excellent choice for crocheters who are comfortable working in the round and want to explore modular, join-as-you-go construction techniques.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a rectangular shawl measuring 18.75 inches wide by 64 inches long (approximately 47.5 cm × 162.5 cm). The finished piece is described as cool and comfortable, making it a versatile accessory suitable as a personal project or a handmade gift. The design is built from a series of square granny-style motifs, each measuring 6.25 inches (16 cm), combined with striped panels along the side edges to create the full length and width of the shawl.

Construction and Assembly Techniques

The Out of The Box Shawl uses a modular, join-as-you-go construction method, which is a hallmark of intermediate-level crochet design. Rather than sewing motifs together at the end, each new motif is joined to its neighbors during the final round of construction, creating a seamless, tidy finish with minimal finishing work.

• Center panel first: The shawl begins with a center panel of square motifs worked in a specific numbered sequence as indicated on the pattern diagram.
• Stripe panels added to sides: Once the center motif panel is complete, stripe sections are crocheted directly onto both side edges of the center panel.
• Side motif panels: Additional panels of motifs are then attached to the outer edges of the stripe sections.
• Final stripe panels: The shawl is completed with a final round of stripe panels on the outermost edges.

This layered, panel-by-panel approach gives the shawl its structured rectangular shape and its distinctive alternation of solid-colored motif blocks and striped sections. Crocheters are advised to follow the numbered diagram included in the PDF carefully, as the order in which motifs are made and joined is essential to the correct assembly of the design.

Stitches Used

The pattern relies on a focused set of fundamental crochet stitches, making it approachable for intermediate crocheters while still producing a visually complex result:

• Chain (ch): Used to start motifs, form the foundation ring, and create the chain spaces that define the lacy structure of each square motif.
• Slip stitch (sl st): Used to join rounds, slip along stitches to reposition the hook, and join motifs together during the final round.
• Single crochet (sc): Featured prominently in the motif rounds, particularly in the corner and chain-space clusters that shape each square.
• Double crochet (dc): Used in the first round of each motif to create the initial cluster groups that form the structural foundation of the square design. The beginning chain-3 counts as a double crochet throughout.

Each motif is worked entirely with the right side (RS) facing, which is an important construction note. The stripe sections, by contrast, are worked in turned rows, with each stripe section beginning on a wrong side (WS) row and turning so that Row 2 is a RS row. Crocheters are encouraged to mark the RS of their work to keep orientation consistent throughout the project.

Motif Structure in Detail

Each square motif is worked using two colors and begins with a foundation ring formed by chaining 5 and joining with a slip stitch. The motif is then built outward over multiple rounds:

• Round 1 establishes four groups of three double crochets separated by chain-3 corner spaces, creating the classic granny-square foundation.
• Round 2 introduces single crochet stitches into the chain spaces, building out the lacy corner and side structure with eight single crochets and eight chain-3 spaces.
• Subsequent rounds continue to expand the motif outward until Round