Carolyn's Lace

Carolyn's Lace Crochet Shawl by Julie Blagojevich

Project Overview

Carolyn's Lace is an intermediate-level crochet shawl pattern designed by Julie Blagojevich. This downloadable PDF pattern creates an elegant lace shawl that transforms dramatically through blocking, expanding from a compact pre-blocked size to a generous finished garment suitable for layering or draping.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a triangular lace shawl with delicate openwork construction. The shawl measures approximately 47 inches from tip to tip and 11 inches wide before blocking, then expands to 64 inches from tip to tip and 11.25 inches wide after blocking. The design features a structured increase pattern that builds toward the center, creating a balanced, wearable triangle shape ideal for wrapping around the shoulders or wearing as a decorative accent piece.

Crochet Techniques and Construction

The pattern employs fundamental crochet techniques executed at an intermediate skill level. The shawl is constructed using a foundation chain with systematic increases worked in rows. The structure begins with a 15-chain foundation and progresses through multiple rows of increases toward the center section, allowing the fabric to expand gradually and create the characteristic triangular silhouette.

Blocking plays a crucial role in this design, as the finished dimensions nearly double in width when properly blocked, allowing the lace stitches to open and display their full delicate structure. This wet-blocking process is essential for achieving the intended drape and appearance of the final garment.

Stitches Used

• Half Double Crochet (hdc) – the primary stitch throughout the pattern, used for the foundation rows and main fabric construction
• Single Crochet (sc) – incorporated into the special stitch combinations
• Double Crochet (dc) – included in the stitch abbreviations for potential lace sections
• Treble Crochet (tr) – available in the pattern's stitch library
• Chain (ch) – used for foundation and throughout the pattern
• Picot – a special stitch combination created by chaining 3 stitches and working a single crochet into the third chain from the hook, adding decorative detail to the lace

Materials and Tools

Yarn: Schoppel Laceball in color 2168-Evergreen, 100% virgin wool, 800 meters per 100-gram ball. One ball is required to complete the project. The lace-weight yarn is specifically chosen for its delicate drape and openwork suitability.

Hook: Size D (3.25 mm) crochet hook for working with the lace-weight yarn at the specified gauge.

Notions and Accessories: A darning needle is needed to weave in yarn ends upon completion. Stitch markers are recommended for counting stitches and tracking progress through the pattern rows, particularly helpful when working the increasing sections.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 10 half double crochet stitches and 9 rows measuring 2 square inches. Achieving proper gauge is important for obtaining the correct finished dimensions and ensuring the shawl blocks to the intended size. The dramatic difference between pre-blocked and post-blocked measurements demonstrates the importance of following blocking instructions carefully.