Kendall's Lace

Kendall's Lace Crescent Shawl and Scarf

What Is Being Made

Kendall's Lace is a versatile crescent-shaped shawl and scarf design created by Julie Blagojevich of CrochetWorks. This garment is worked from the top down, offering generous proportions and an airy drape that allows it to be styled either as a flowing shawl or gathered as a traditional scarf. The crescent silhouette and lightweight construction make it an ideal accessory for transitional seasons, particularly spring days and cool summer nights.

Craft and Techniques

Kendall's Lace is created using the crochet technique, a fundamental fiber craft that builds fabric through interlocking loops of yarn with a single hook. This design employs a top-down construction method, meaning the crocheter begins at the top of the shawl and works downward toward the wider bottom edge. This approach allows for easy adjustments to the final size and provides flexibility in shaping the crescent form. The top-down method also enables the crafter to try on the piece as it grows, ensuring proper fit and drape before completion.

The pattern incorporates lace-weight yarn worked through a series of stitches and rows to create the characteristic openwork and airy quality that defines this design. The finished gauge measurement of 4 inches square over 8 rows demonstrates the delicate, open structure typical of lace-weight crochet projects. An edging finish is applied using a smaller hook size, which provides a refined border and helps define the shawl's edges.

Stitches Used

While the specific stitch abbreviations are referenced in the pattern gauge notation (SH, LP, SH, LP), the exact names of these stitches are abbreviated in the source material. The pattern combines these fundamental crochet stitches in a repeating sequence to build the lace structure. The use of multiple stitch types creates visual interest and contributes to the openwork aesthetic that allows light to pass through the fabric, enhancing the shawl's drape and breathability.

Materials and Tools

Yarn: Kendall's Lace is designed to be crocheted in lace-weight yarn, specifically using Araucania Lontué, a natural fiber blend composed of 50% linen and 50% cotton. This fiber combination provides breathability, structure, and a subtle sheen appropriate for warm-weather wear. The pattern requires approximately 975 yards (892 meters) of yarn, achieved through 4 hanks of the specified yarn in color #6. Linen and cotton blends are particularly suited to spring and summer garments because they offer moisture-wicking properties and a cool feel against the skin.

Hooks and Notions: The pattern calls for two crochet hook sizes to complete the project. A size "I" hook (5.25 mm or 5.5 mm) is used for the main body of the shawl, while a slightly smaller size "H" hook (5.00 mm) is used for the edging detail. The designer notes that her preferred "I" hook is a Brittany Hook measuring 5.5 mm. Additional materials include a darning needle for weaving in yarn ends and blocking pins for shaping and finishing the completed shawl.

Difficulty Level

Kendall's Lace is classified as an intermediate difficulty project, making it suitable for crocheters with foundational skills and some experience working with stitch patterns and construction techniques. The intermediate designation reflects the combination of lace-weight yarn handling, the top-down shaping method, and the application of an edging finish. Crafters at this level should be comfortable reading crochet patterns, maintaining consistent gauge, and executing the various stitches required to create the openwork lace structure.