Pocket Shawl

Pocket Shawl by Megan Gebhard

What is Being Made

The Pocket Shawl is a crocheted wrap designed to be worn as a functional accessory. With finished dimensions of 64 inches long by 27 inches wide, this shawl provides generous coverage while remaining lightweight and portable. The design incorporates practical pocket elements into the construction, making it both decorative and utilitarian for everyday wear.

Construction Method and Design Structure

This shawl is constructed in two distinct phases. The first phase involves creating an inside rectangle using the Iris Stitch, which forms the foundation and primary body of the shawl. Once the central rectangle is complete, the second phase adds a border that frames all sides of the piece. The border varies in depth depending on placement: two rows are worked on the short sides, four rows are added along the front long side, and eight rows are worked along the back long side. This graduated border technique creates visual interest and dimension while maintaining the shawl's wearable proportions.

Crochet Stitches and Techniques Used

The Pocket Shawl employs several fundamental crochet stitches and techniques to create its textured appearance and structure:

• Iris Stitch - The primary stitch used to construct the main body rectangle, creating a distinctive pattern
• Double Crochet (dc) - Used throughout the pattern, including in the border construction where 2 double crochets are placed into each chain-3 space along the long sides
• Single Crochet (sc) - A foundational stitch available in the crocheter's toolkit for this project
• Half Double Crochet (hdc) - Another stitch option included in the pattern abbreviations
• Chain Stitches (ch) - Used to create the foundation chain and spacing throughout the pattern
• Back Loop Only (BLO) - A technique that may be employed to create texture or definition
• Front Loop Only (FLO) - An alternative loop-working technique for varied stitch appearance

Yarn and Materials

The Pocket Shawl is worked with Aran weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that works up quickly while providing good drape and structure. The pattern calls for 7 skeins total: 6 skeins of Basic Stitch in Fairview colorway (805 yards) and 1 skein of Red Heart in Light Blue (300 yards), totaling approximately 1,105 yards. A 4.5 mm crochet hook is used to work the yarn, and basic finishing tools including scissors and a yarn needle are required to complete the project.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 12 stitches and 7 rows per 4 inches when measured over the stitch pattern. Maintaining this gauge is important for achieving the finished dimensions of 64 inches long by 27 inches wide, ensuring the shawl drapes and fits as intended.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for crocheters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to work with more complex stitch patterns like the Iris Stitch. The varying border depths and stitch placement techniques require attention to pattern instructions and some experience with reading crochet patterns.

Pattern Format

The Pocket Shawl is available as a downloadable PDF pattern designed by independent designer Megan Gebhard from Crafts, Cats, & Crochet. The pattern is intended for personal use only.