Lacy Half-Moon Shawl

A graceful half-moon shawl worked from the center of the neckline in an easy-to-memorize V-stitch lace. Double crochet and chain spaces open into a true semicircle once blocked, with fluid drape that wraps the shoulders. Wear it loose, or pin it at the front.

Skill level: Intermediate

Finished measurements

After wet blocking:

• Wingspan (straight neckline edge): 57" (145 cm)
• Depth at center: 28½" (72 cm)
• Outer curved edge: about 90" (229 cm)

Size is easy to adjust: each extra V-stitch row adds about ⅝" (1.5 cm) of depth. Allow extra yarn if you lengthen the shawl.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted weight (CYC 4), approximately 900 yd / 823 m. A smooth wool or wool-blend in a solid, tonal, or gently variegated color shows the lace clearly.

Hook: US I-9 / 5.5 mm, or size needed to obtain gauge. For a softer, more open fabric, try US J-10 / 6 mm and accept a slightly larger shawl.

Notions:

• Yarn needle
• Scissors
• Stitch markers (2, optional, for the first and last V-stitch)
• Blocking wires and T-pins (strongly recommended)

Gauge

Blocked: 13 dc and 7 rows = 4" (10 cm) in double crochet.

V-stitch fabric is more open than solid dc and is meant to be blocked firmly. Exact stitch gauge is less critical than an even fabric; finished size will settle during blocking.

Abbreviations (US)

Special stitches

V-st (V-stitch): (Dc, ch 2, dc) in the indicated stitch or space.

Pattern notes

• US crochet terminology is used throughout.
• Shawl is a half-moon (semicircle), begun at the center of the straight neckline and worked outward in turned rows.
• Ch 5 at the beginning of a V-stitch row counts as dc + ch 2 (the first half of a V-st).
• The last V-st of each row is worked into the 3rd chain of the ch-5 tch — the chain that corresponds to the dc, not the chain-2.
• Each V-stitch row adds 2 V-sts (one at each end). Count V-sts at the end of every row.
• Optional: place a marker in the ch-2 sp of the first V-st and the last V-st; move them up as you go.
• Right side = odd-numbered rows.
• Blocking is not optional for this shape. Pin to a semicircle so the straight edge is the diameter and the lace edge is the curve.

Shawl

Foundation

Ch 4.

Row 1 (RS): Work 8 dc in the 4th ch from the hook. Turn.
(Skipped 3 ch count as first dc; 8 dc + 1 tch = 9 dc ✓)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), dc in first dc (V-st made in first st), *sk next dc, V-st in next dc; rep from * across. Turn.
(V-sts in dc 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 → 5 V-sts ✓)

Row 3: Ch 5, dc in first dc (V-st in first st), V-st in each ch-2 sp across, (dc, ch 2, dc) in 3rd ch of tch. Turn.
(1 V-st at beg + 5 V-sts in ch-2 sps + 1 V-st at end → 5 + 2 = 7 V-sts ✓)

Row 4: Ch 5, dc in first dc, V-st in each ch-2 sp across, (dc, ch 2, dc) in 3rd ch of tch. Turn.
(1 + 7 + 1 → 7 + 2 = 9 V-sts ✓)

Row 5: Ch 5, dc in first dc, V-st in each ch-2 sp across, (dc, ch 2, dc) in 3rd ch of tch. Turn.
(1 + 9 + 1 → 9 + 2 = 11 V-sts ✓)

Body

Row 6 and all following rows: Ch 5, dc in first dc, V-st in each ch-2 sp across, (dc, ch 2, dc) in 3rd ch of tch. Turn.

Continue in this manner, adding 2 V-sts every row, until you have completed Row 50 — 101 V-sts.

Count formula (Row 2 onward): number of V-sts = 2 × row number + 1.
(Row 50: 2 × 50 + 1 = 101 V-sts ✓)
(From Row 2: 5 + 2 × 48 = 101 V-sts ✓)

Checkpoints (count V-sts at the end of the row):

Do not fasten off. Row 50 is a WS row; turn so the next row is RS for the edging.

To make a larger shawl, work extra rows in the same pattern. Recalculate the final V-st count with 2 × row number + 1, and allow about 18–20 yd (16–18 m) per additional row.

Edging

Worked in one round around the entire shawl, beginning along the curved (lace) edge, then continuing along the straight neckline.

Curved edge (RS): Ch 1, sc in first dc, *5 dc in next ch-2 sp, sc in the space between the next 2 adjacent dc (the last dc of one V-st and the first dc of the next V-st); rep from * until 1 ch-2 sp remains, 5 dc in last ch-2 sp, sc in last dc (3rd ch of tch).
(101 shells of 5 dc, one in each ch-2 sp; 100 valley sc + 2 end sc = 102 sc on the curve ✓)

Straight neckline edge: Rotate the work to stitch along the selvedge (the sides of the rows). Work 2 sc in each row-end down to the foundation, 3 sc in the center starting chain, then 2 sc in each row-end up the other side. Join with sl st to the first sc of the edging. Fasten off.
(50 rows × 2 sc × 2 sides = 200 sc, plus 3 sc at center = 203 sc along the neckline ✓)

Weave in all ends before blocking.

Finishing and blocking

Blocking sets the half-moon shape and opens the chain spaces. Do not skip this step.

1. Soak the shawl in cool water with a little wool wash for 15–20 minutes. Press out water; do not wring. Roll in a towel and press again until damp, not dripping.
2. On blocking mats, mark a semicircle with radius 28½" (72 cm). The straight edge (diameter) should measure 57" (145 cm). Blocking wires along both the straight neckline and the curved hem give the cleanest line.
3. Pin the neckline along the diameter, easing the 203 sc evenly so the edge lies flat and does not cup or ruffle.
4. Pin the curved hem along the arc, opening each V-st and shell. The lace should look airy, not stretched to the breaking point. If the curve wants to ruffle, spread the pins; if it wants to cup, ease more width into the arc.
5. Allow to dry completely before removing pins.

After blocking, the fabric should drape in a smooth half-circle. Steam lightly if needed, hovering the iron — do not press the lace flat.

Schematic (blocked)

          57" (145 cm) wingspan
     |-----------------------------|
     sc neckline (straight edge)
    /                               \
   /                                 \
  /           28½" (72 cm)            \
 /              depth                  \
/         101 V-sts / 101 shells        \
-----------------------------------------
         ~90" (229 cm) curved hem

The straight edge is the diameter of the semicircle; the depth at center is the radius. Wear the diameter along the neck, with the curved hem falling in a half-moon.