40th Anniversary 01 Cousteau Shawl - Crochet Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK

Cousteau Shawl Crochet Pattern by Doris Chan – A Stunning Lace Triangle Shawl in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK

The Cousteau Shawl is a beautifully designed crochet lace shawl created by guest designer Doris Chan as part of the Valley Yarns Guest Designer Series #1. Released to celebrate the new hand-dyed colorways in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK, this pattern produces an elegant, wearable triangle shawl with impressive finished dimensions: 31 inches long at the center back point and 64 inches wide along the top edge after blocking. Whether draped over the shoulders for warmth or worn as a fashion accessory, this shawl offers timeless style with satisfying construction.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a triangular lace shawl for women, worked seamlessly from the top down and finished flat. The shaping grows simultaneously at the center back and at each front end, naturally forming the classic triangle silhouette that drapes beautifully across the shoulders and back. The construction is intentionally flexible — crocheters can easily add or omit rows to customize the length and overall size to best suit their frame, personal style, or the amount of yarn on hand.

Construction Techniques

• Top-down construction: The shawl begins at the top edge and grows downward toward the center back point, making it easy to try on as you go and adjust sizing intuitively.
• Worked flat (seamless): The piece is crocheted back and forth in rows with no seaming required, keeping the construction clean and straightforward.
• Lace technique: An easily memorized two-row repeat lace stitch pattern forms the body of the shawl. This rhythmic repeat makes the pattern accessible once the sequence is learned, and it works up quickly despite its intricate appearance.
• Integrated shaping: Increases are built into the lace pattern at strategic points — the center back and both front ends — so the triangle shape develops naturally without interrupting the lace rhythm.

Stitches Used

The Cousteau Shawl uses a focused set of crochet stitches that combine to create its signature lace fabric:

• Chain (ch): Used throughout for lace structures, turning chains, and spacing within the stitch pattern.
• Single crochet (sc): Provides structure at key points within the lace pattern.
• Double crochet (dc): The primary stitch forming the body of the lace repeats.
• Dc3tog (double crochet 3 together): A cluster decrease stitch worked by drawing up loops in three consecutive stitches and completing them together, creating the characteristic gathered points within the lace design. This stitch involves multiple yarn-over sequences and is defined explicitly in the pattern.
• Skip (sk): Used to create the open, airy spaces that define lace crochet fabric.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK, a yarn made from 100% Extrafine Merino Superwash wool. Two yarn options are presented:

• Hand-dyed version: 3 skeins of Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK hand-dyed by Madelinetosh (100g / 274 yards per skein) in the colorway Cousteau — the namesake colorway that inspired this design.
• Solid color version: 6 skeins of Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK (50g / 137 yards per skein) in #18 Classic Navy.

The pattern includes a helpful note for those working with the hand-dyed version: because hand-dyed hanks can vary from skein to skein, it is recommended to alternate between hanks every couple of rows to avoid visible stripes or color blocks in the finished shawl — a valuable tip for achieving an even, professional result.

Hook, Gauge, and Notions