CRUNCH STITCH SHAWL - A FREE PATTERN!

Hello there, dear crochet fans!

Another day, another free pattern. I know.  You're welcome. I'm on a roll!

Introducing: the Crunch Stitch Shawl! 

This is a rather lovely shawl to make for several reasons. Firstly, it's an absolute corker of a stash buster, as you can use any colours, go super-stripey, or 2-tone, or however you feel... dive into that yarn stash! Secondly, it's a very easy pattern - it's basically a simple single row repeat. Thirdly... well, what a great Christmas gift for a loved one! It's a beautiful warm and cosy shawl, which you can make to any size to suit. A little version for a child, or just keep adding rows and go super-large for anyone who loves wrapping up big time for winter walks! Bobble edging or no bobble edging... but you know me... I'm Team Bobble every time!

The stitch used, the crunch stitch, is probably in my top 3 stitches of 2023, I'm obsessed - it was one of 100 patterns featured in my recent book Mix and Match Modern Crochet Blankets, available to buy from all decent booksellers if you want to explore more new stitches!

So, without further ado, here's the free Crunch Stitch Shawl pattern for you. Enjoy it! You can use this pattern, share it, even make shawls and sell them, but please always give me credit as the designer, and don't be a numpty and pass this pattern off as your own! Respect, peace and love!

YOU WILL NEED

Hook: a 6.5mm crochet hook

Yarn: Any dk/light worsted yarn of your choice 

I used the following:

Scheepjes Colour Crafter

Yarn A: Nijmegen (approx 80g)

Yarn B: Verviers (approx 24g)

Yarn C: Rotterdam (approx 12g + 20g for edging)

Yarn D: Hilversum (approx 12g)

Yarn E: Wolvega (approx 12g)

ABBREVIATIONS (UK terms):

ch: chain

dc: double crochet (US single crochet)

htr: half treble crochet (US half double crochet)

lp(s): loop(s)

rep: repeat

RS: right side

ss: slip stitch

st(s): stitch(es)

WS: wrong side

yoh: yarn over hook

Colour stripe pattern as follows (with number of rows worked in each colour, e.g. 8A means 8 rows in Yarn A):

(8A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2C, 2B, 8A, 2E, 2B, 2D, 2B, 2E) twice, then 10A to finish.

SPECIAL STITCHES

Bobble: Ch3, work the following in the first ch made: (yoh, insert hook in ch, yoh, pull up lp, yoh, draw through first 2 lps on hook) 3 times, yoh, draw through all lps on hook, ch1, ss in same first ch made.

How to change colour: Work the last dc of the row up to the final 2 loops on the hook, yoh with the new colour, draw through new colour to finish stitch. Fasten off old colour. I like to knot the old and new colours together for security, before weaving in ends. 

MEASUREMENTS (including bobble edging) 

Width from top corner to top corner: 130cm

Length from top middle to bottom point: 46cm

Keep ALL stitches fairly loose, especially the slip stitches, to make sure you can insert the hook easily on following rows.

INSTRUCTIONS

With Yarn A, ch2.

Row 1 (RS): 3dc in first ch made, turn.

Row 2 (WS): Ch1 (does not count as st throughout), (1dc, 1htr) in first st, ss in next st, (1htr, 1dc) in last st, turn.

Row 3: Ch1, (1dc, 1htr in first st), 1ss in next st, 1htr in next st, 1ss in next st, (1htr, 1dc) in last st, turn.

Row 4: Ch1, (1dc, 1htr in first st), 1ss in next st, *1htr in next st, 1ss in next st; rep from * to last st, (1htr, 1dc) in last st, turn.

Row 5 onwards: Rep Row 4, following colour stripe pattern (see above). See Special Stitches for colour change technique.

Fasten off and weave in all ends.

EDGING

Using Yarn C and with WS facing, join yarn with ss in ch at bottom point, *make bobble (see Special Stitches), 1dc in each of next 4 row ends up towards top corner; rep from * to top corner, adjusting bobble placement as necessary so that you make a bobble in the top corner st.

Work along top edge as follows: *1dc in each of next 5 sts, make bobble; rep from * to end of top edge, adjusting bobble placement as before so that you make a bobble in the next top corner st.

Work down final side as you did for the first side. Ss to first ss to finish. Fasten off, weave in all ends.

And there we are, all done.

If only Hank Deluxe wouldn't be quite so judgey with his eyes when I'm designing new things. It freaks me out.

Happy crocheting, happy days.

Esme xx