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| NEEDLEWORK: CROCHET SLEUTHING SHAWL |
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| Welcome to the "SLEUTHING SHAWL" webpage of The Pumamouse Website. |
| MATERIALS: If you would like to make a soft, cozy shawl for practical use, I suggest you use one of the following brands of 4 Ply Worsted Weight yarn: Red Heart "Soft" Caron "Simply Soft" Lion Brand "Woolease" Hook Size: "H" (or "G", or "I", whatever size you feel comfortable with.) THE PUMAMOUSE'S SLEUTHING SHAWL PATTERN: Foundation Row: Form a SLIP KNOT, and CH4, Turn. Row 1: Skip the first 3 chain stitches. 2DC into the next chain stitch, which is the only remaining chain stitch, positioned closest to the slip knot. CH2. These two chain stitches will form the SHAWL END POINT space of Row 1. 3DC into the same chain stitch as was previously used, which is the chain stitch positioned closest to the slip knot. TWO CLUSTERS MADE. Row 2: CH3 to form the TURNING CHAIN, Turn. 2DC into the next stitch. CH 1. 3DC into the SHAWL END POINT space of Row 1. CH2 to form the SHAWL END POINT space of Row 2. 3DC into the SHAWL END POINT space of Row 1. CH1. 3DC into the top of the third chain stitch of the TURNING CHAIN. FOUR CLUSTERS MADE. Row 3: CH3 to form the TURNING CHAIN, Turn. 2DC into the next stitch. CH 1. 3DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the SHAWL END POINT space of the previous row. CH2 to form the SHAWL END POINT space of Row 3. 3DC into the SHAWL END POINT space of the previous row. CH1. 3 DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the top of the third chain stitch of the TURNING CHAIN. SIX CLUSTERS MADE. Row 4: CH3 to form the TURNING CHAIN, Turn. 2DC into the next stitch. CH 1. 3DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the SHAWL END POINT space of the previous row. CH2 to form the SHAWL END POINT space of Row 4. 3DC into the SHAWL END POINT space of the previous row. CH1. 3 DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH1. 3 DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the top of the third chain stitch of the TURNING CHAIN. EIGHT CLUSTERS MADE. Row 5: CH3 to form the TURNING CHAIN, Turn. 2DC into the next stitch. CH 1. 3DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the SHAWL END POINT space of the previous row. CH2 to form the SHAWL END POINT space of Row 5. 3DC into the SHAWL END POINT space of the previous row. CH1. 3 DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH1. 3 DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH1. 3 DC into the CH1 space of the previous row. CH 1. 3DC into the top of the third chain stitch of the TURNING CHAIN. TEN CLUSTERS MADE. Please pause here, after Row 5, to check your work. If the long side of the triangle is curling upwards or inwards on itself, then your TURNING CHAINS are not being worked loosely enough. You must either work your TURNING CHAINS looser than you have been working them, or you may prefer to CH4 at the beginning of each row to form your TURNING CHAINS before turning. Row 6 - 44: Continue to work in the established pattern for a total of 44 Rows, or until the body of the shawl measures your desired size. At the end of the last row, do not finish off. SHAWL BORDERS Once the body of the shawl has been crocheted, you may wish to add a border to all three of the sides, to create a nice strong straight finished edge. Adding the border will help the shawl to retain its triangular shape, even after frequent use and numerous washings. BORDER ROW 1: At the end of Row 44 (or at the end of the last row which you have crocheted for the body of the shawl), CH1 (this is your TURNING CHAIN), and Turn. Work SINGLE CROCHET STITCHES all along the first of the two shorter sides. 3SC into the SHAWL END POINT space of the previous row to maintain the shape of the SHAWL END POINT. Work SINGLE CROCHET STITCHES all along the second of the two shorter sides. The last SINGLE CROCHET STITCH should be worked into the top of the third chain stitch of the TURNING CHAIN. Work two more SINGLE CROCHET STITCHES into that same stitch, so that there are a total of three stitches worked into the top of the TURNING CHAIN, and those three stitches form a CORNER POINT. Work SINGLE CROCHET STITCHES all along the long side of the shawl, working them into the row ends, allowing 3SC to cover the length of each DC, and allowing 3SC to cover the length of each TURNING CHAIN. Count your stitches as you work from the CORNER POINT to the beginning CENTER of the long side, and then try to work the same number of stitches from the beginning CENTER of the long side to the CORNER POINT where you began your BORDER ROW. Join with a SLIP STITCH to the top of the TURNING CHAIN which you made when you began BORDER ROW 1. BORDER ROW 2: CH1 (this is your TURNING CHAIN), Turn. Work SINGLE CROCHET STITCHES all along the long side of the shawl. Work 3SC into the center stitch of the CORNER POINT to maintain the shape of the CORNER POINT. Work SINGLE CROCHET STITCHES all along the first of the two shorter sides. Work 3SC into the center stitch of the SHAWL END POINT to maintain the shape of the SHAWL END POINT. Work SINGLE CROCHET STITCHES all along the second of the two shorter sides. Join with a SLIP STITCH to the top of the TURNING CHAIN which you made when you began BORDER ROW 2. BORDER ROW 3-5: Continue to work in the established BORDER ROW pattern until you have completed at least 5 BORDER ROWS. You may add more border rows if you wish. At the end of the last BORDER ROW, after joining with a slip stitch to the top of the TURNING CHAIN which you made when you began that BORDER ROW, finish off. Your shawl is now completed. However, if you would like to embellish it further, you may add fringe to the two shorter sides of the triangle. Fringe looks lovely on a shawl made for special occasions, but I do not recommend adding fringe on a shawl which is intended for more practical use. And while I am squeaking about practicality, I might as well add a word or two about a truly practical variation of this pattern. SCRAPY STRIPED VARIATION My basic SLUETHING SHAWL pattern may be crocheted using assorted colors and scraps of yarn to form a striped color pattern. Shorter scraps of yarn may be used for the beginning rows, and longer scraps of yarn may be used for the longer rows. And, by simply alternating with black yarn between the rows worked with various color yarns, you can create an overall effect similar to that of a classic "granny square" afghan. If you try this variation, please be sure to use black yarn for the BORDER ROWS, as well. If black yarn does not appeal to you, you may instead use an equally neutral solid light color, such as white or cream or buff, to create the same effect. As always, I wish you many happy hours of handiwork, and the best of luck for success! The Pumamouse (MaryAnne) December 2004 |
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| PSSST!!! PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS WEBPAGE ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE "PUMAMOUSE OBSERVATIONS" SECTION |
| By standard definition, a shawl is a square, triangular, or oblong piece of wool or other material which is worn, especially by women, about the shoulders, or over the heads and about the shoulders, worn in place of a coat or hat outdoors, and worn indoors as protection against chill or dampness. By Pumamouse definition, a shawl is that smallish crocheted bikkie thingie that little old ladies of yesteryear used to drape around their shoulders to keep warm while they were sitting in their rocking chair and sipping tea before the fire. Silly as it may seem, I can not think of a shawl without images of Agatha Christie's famous "Miss Marple" character, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mild mannered "Mrs. Hudson" character flooding my mind. I suppose first impressions are lasting impressions, because as an impressionable child, I most often noted crocheted shawls being used by such fictitious characters in classic black and white films. For this reason, shawls and sleuths just seem to go together in the same storage closet within my brain. Whatever your impression of a crocheted shawl may be, the fact is, they are not seen as often nowadays as they were in yesteryears. In my opinion, that makes a shawl even more fun to crochet, since it might be made and given as a unique gift for someone special, with a bit of nostalgic charm worked into every stitch. My original pattern for a shawl is very simple by design, and yet it evokes a sense of old-fashioned style and fanciness, due to the use of openwork stitches. Actually, the appearance and style of the finished shawl may be greatly varied by simply changing the type of yarn which is used to create it. For example, a fancy two ply or three ply novelty yarn, or even a variety of crochet thread, might be used to create a frilly shawl, suitable for a formal night on the town, whereas a simple four ply worsted weight yarn may be used to create a shawl that is more practical for use while reading a book or watching TV, and warm enough to ward off the chill of a rainy autumn afternoon. Since a crocheted shawl is much bigger than a potholder but much smaller than an afghan, it is an excellent project with which to experiment and explore your creativity. An important feature of this pattern is that it may be worked with any type of yarn, and you may choose to crochet fewer rows or additional rows to create the finished size which you desire. So, now is your chance to try working with a type of yarn that you have never worked with before! This shawl is triangular. It is an isosceles triangle, meaning that two of the three sides are the same length, and the third side is longer than the other two. The center of the long side of the triangle will be the part of the shawl which rests against the back of the wearer's neck. |
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| This shawl pattern is worked beginning from the center of the longest side of the triangle. The pattern is worked outward from the center to form the triangular shawl, by adding length to each of the two shorter sides of the triangle with every row, and at the same time, adding width to the side of the triangle which will eventually be the longest. One thing to keep in mind while working this pattern is that the three chain stitches which are worked at the beginning of each row before turning, and which are referred to as the TURNING CHAIN, are put there in place of a DOUBLE CROCHET STITCH. In other words, the TURNING CHAIN substitutes for a DOUBLE CROCHET STITCH, mainly so that the end clusters on every row always look as though they are comprised of 3 DOUBLE CROCHET STITCHES, while in reality, every other end row cluster is actually comprised of a TURNING CHAIN and 2 DOUBLE CROCHET STITCHES. This observation may seem confusing to you now, because you are reading instead of crocheting, but as you work the pattern, you will soon see what I mean. |
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| This is one of the "Corner Points" of the Shawl. |
| This is one of the "Corner Points" of the Shawl. |
| This is the "Shawl End Point". |
| This is the beginning CENTER point of the Shawl.. |