Crochet Shawl Patterns | Original Designs from Bad Sheep Yarn

Wait – what actually is a crochet shawl pattern? At its most basic, a shawl is a larger piece of finished fabric (rectangle, triangle, or semi-circle) that you wrap around your body, and a crochet shawl pattern gives you the directions you need to craft your very own. Truth be told, our crochet designs go way beyond basic, but they’re still easy to follow. And who doesn’t feel terribly romantic wrapping themselves in a comforting cocoon of crocheted magic?

The best yarn for a crochet shawl is fingering weight merino or silk, which gives you drape without bulk. (This is debatable among crafters though, so I’ll get into the details under the “Choosing the Right Yarn for Your Crochet Shawl” section below.) Whether you’re entranced by a delicate lace shawl pattern, a geometric tunisian design, or a cozy wrap, you’re in for a rewarding treat every time: shawls are absolute show-offs when it comes to highlighting the color and texture of your yarn! As an artist who partners with Bad Sheep Yarn and shares my own designs here, I know hand-dyed yarn only enhances the beauty of your projects.

This guide will walk you through some stunning original patterns, help you choose the right yarn, and share some tips from the BSY design studio. Let’s dive in and create drape so dreamy – even knitters are envious!

Our Original Crochet Shawl Patterns

Leaning toward an easy crochet shawl? The Bloomline Shawl Kit is ideal for beginners wanting to ease into openwork. The simple crochet triangle shawl pattern is soothing to stitch and beautiful to wear. One of our most popular lace shawl patterns, this kit comes with the required Mulberry Silk fingering weight yarn and was designed by Nazanin S. Fard of Nazee’s Designs. (These make awesome gifts!)

The captivating Calliope Tunisian Crochet Shawl Kit is a great project for an advanced beginner looking to explore Tunisian crochet in a way that feels modern and meditative. This beloved kit comes with the needed sport weight yarn and was designed by Lori Harrison of Aklori Designs.

If you’re an advanced beginner craving a fade effect, Dustwoven Shawl Crochet Kit boasts gorgeous color transitions and an easy-to-remember rhythm. Choose your favorite colors of included fingering weight yarn and get ready to be wowed. This one was designed by yours truly – Britt Garber of KnotBadBritt.

Choosing the Right Yarn for Your Crochet Shawl

As far as yarn weight goes, we recommend fingering and DK for shawls, so you can get more yardage than the typical crochet choice of worsted weight. Most Bad Sheep Yarn crochet shawl patterns range from 800–1,600 yards in fingering weight and 725–1,250 yards in DK weight.

Next to consider is fiber choice. Merino works well for all kinds of shawls; silk works well with lace; and our pretty sparkle fingering works well everywhere. If you want to make a wardrobe staple, a merino blend provides comfy softness for everyday wear, and you’ll always get that gorgeous drape.

Mulberry Silk Fingering, the kind of yarn used in our Bloomline Shawl Kit, is a beautiful choice for special occasions: many people use it to make elegant summer shawls for events like weddings, formals, and parties. We also have merino/silk blends for the best of both worlds.

I enjoy using natural fibers for shawls because of the life and movement they bring. The softness of cotton and acrylic fibers can vary, but with merino and silks, I know exactly what I’m getting: the consistency in softness and durability make them my preferred fibers. Our hand-dyed, all-natural yarns hold dye beautifully and age gracefully – and a shawl made from merino will become softer with every wear.

Crochet Shawl Tips from Our Design Studio

When we design, we test everything along the way so your crocheting goes as smoothly as it can. Here are some tried-and-true tips from our studio to help you make the most of your project:

Blocking Makes the Shawl

A crochet shawl truly comes alive after blocking. Lace shawls especially – the openwork stays flat, the points even out, and the yarn blooms and softens everything.

First, submerge the shawl in lukewarm water with a gentle, no-rinse soap for 20-30 minutes. Remove and gently squeeze the water out; then roll it in dry towels until it’s damp. Next, lay the shawl on blocking mats or a clean towel. Pin the center and corners first, then work along the edges, stretching it to the size you want. Once you’re happy with how you’ve pinned it, leave it alone to dry completely.

Gauge & Adaptation

Have you ever run out of yarn before you’ve finished your project? Yeah, we’ve been there too, and it’s not a good feeling! The best thing you can do is check the pattern notes before you begin your project, even if you feel confident you’ll have enough. 

You can measure crochet gauge by counting stitches and rows in a swatch. Use a gauge ruler or measuring tape for accuracy. Adjust your hook size if needed to match the pattern’s gauge. Remember to go up a hook size if you have too many stitches and go down a hook size if you have too few.

Embrace Hand-Dyed Color

Hand-dyed yarn isn’t a limitation; it’s a feature. Variegated colorways add visual interest to simple stitch patterns. Semi-solids let complex stitches shine. And if you’re craving some shimmer, sparkle fingering enhances lace exquisitely.

Pro tip: alternate between two skeins every few rows to blend any natural dye-lot variation. It’s the easiest way to get a smooth, even look across your project.

Complete Crochet Shawl Kits

At Bad Sheep Yarn, we love creating crochet shawl kits that feel fun and approachable. We curate every kit ourselves, so you can feel confident about getting started, even if you’re new to this. Another reason we recommend kits is because we already verified the yardage for you and chose colorways that look stunning together. No extra guesswork!

Excited to begin, but need a little nudge? Our flagship crochet wrap pattern kit, Calliope Tunisian Crochet Shawl Kit, is a great place to start. Just remember hooks and other tools are not included in kits – each kit will include a digital pattern that we’ll email to you, and the included yarn that we’ll ship to you. Pro-tip: these kits also make thoughtful gifts for fellow crocheters in your life who appreciate not having to start from scratch.
Feel free to browse our complete shawl kits, or build your own from our pattern collections. Start with the pattern that calls to you, or reach out if you’d like a recommendation; we always love talking with you about your projects! We’ve invested so much love and energy into our yarn – it’s important to us that every stitch of your crochet shawl highlights the uncommon beauty of our hand-dyed wool and silk. When you’re ready, let us know how your project goes; we’d love to see it. Happy crocheting, friends!