The latest book from Joanne and Kat of The Crochet Project has arrived. Book 5 is a bit different from those that have come before as it features designs using laceweight yarn. Using laceweight yarns for a shawl or wrap gives you great value for money and produces a lovely light summery accessory. This book combines the great design you would expect from Joanne and Kat along with the delicate elegance created with laceweight yarn. Find it on the website HERE.
All five designs are pitched at intermediate crochet skill level but the Love Triangles Shawl can be adjusted to make it suitable for beginners. Read on for a breakdown of each design from the book with yarn requirements.
Agate Shawl
Worked end to end, increased to middle then decreased to end to form a shallow triangle. The design is formed using tall stitches and clusters (bead stitches). This design really shows off the beauty of a variegated yarn. The shawl construction allows you to use up all the yarn you have if you weigh it and work to the half-way point. Adding or removing rows from the sections will increase/decrease the length and the width. The book sample was made with only 50g and came out at 170cm/67in long by 28cm/11in wide. To replicate this you will need 600 - 900 yards (549 - 823 m).
The pattern in the book uses a single skein of pure merino wool but we think any laceweight yarn could be used including a fluffy yarn like Eldwick Lace or Lowther Lace. Take a look a the available selection HERE. Choose a jewel toned variegated skein or use a semi-solid colourway to accentuate the beautiful stitches.
Carpet of Blossom Scarf
This scarf is made up of a number of flower shaped motifs, worked in the round and joined as you go. The pattern consists of a main colour with the ends of the shawl and accent motifs made using the contrast colour. You could easily mix and match colours in motifs in any way you like and keep going to create a scarf of any size. You could possibly even play with using different textures mixing a fluffy yarn with a smooth one. The book sample measures 127cm/50in long by 23cm/9in wide.
The yarn in the book is a blend of wool with silk, our closest equivalent for this would be Titus Lace which you can find HERE but Askham Lace would also work beautifully in this scarfl. Find it HERE. Although you could make this in a single colour I would recommend using at least two skeins, one per colour, you will need a total of 750 - 1100 yards (686 - 1006 m). Combining semi-solid colours with high contrast would give the most striking effect but more subtle colour combinations would give a light ethereal feel.
Love Triangles Shawl
An asymmetric triangular shawl worked from the smaller point increasing along the neck edge. The shawl is made up of three sections, starting with simple granny stripes and increasing in complexity. The final block can be omitted to reduce the pattern difficulty and additional rows can be added to any of the sections to increase the size of the final shawl. The sample size from the book is 145cm/57in long on the neck edge and 63m/25in wide at the deepest point.
The yarn used in the book is a blend of merino, silk and yak and so my suggestion for a substitution would be Askham Lace as the slight fuzziness of the alpaca would replicate the yak content. Askham Lace can be found HERE. You will need a single 100g skein or 750 - 800 yards (686 - 732 m). Semi-solid colours would really highlight the stitch patterns but lightly variegated yarns could also be very effective.
Not So Granny Wrap
This large wrap is fully adjustable by amending either the number of rows or the length of each row. The pattern uses four colours of an alpaca silk yarn in a simple granny ripple style pattern. The wrap is worked fin rows from one end to the other. You could easily combine colours and textures in this design by using a fluffy yarn in place of one or more of the colours. You will need a total of 2000 - 2100 yards (1829 - 1920 m).
The yarn blend used in the sample is the same as our Askham Lace which you can find HERE, pair it with our fluffy alpaca/silk yarn Lowther Lace which you can find HERE. Lightly variegated yarns could be paired with complementary semi-solids to create a beautiful effect.
Piquant Pineapples Shawl
I love this pineapple lace motif! You create the pineapple edging first and then work into the straight edge of it to create the width of the shawl. The length of the shawl and the width of the rows are easily adjustable but the pattern sample is 192cm/77in long (along the edging) and 19cm/7.5in wide at the deepest point.
The yarn used in the book is a blend of merino and silk and so the obvious substitution would be Titus Lace which you can find HERE. Due to the intricate stitches required for the pineapple motif you really do need a semi-solid colourway for this design. You will need 750 yards (686 m).
I hope that you have found this useful! Which is your favourite design and which yarns would you use? Let us know in the comments!