Hairpin Shell Shawl

The Hairpin Shell Shawl is a lightweight shawl and is made using the hairpin lace technique. It has beautiful loops and a lovely drape and is the perfect addition to an outfit or for a smart occasion. It would also make the ideal gift for a special person!

The pattern is written in UK terms and is free below. It is also available as an inexpensive, printable pdf from Etsy, Ravelry or Lovecrafts. This 6-page pdf file contains additional instructions with pictures on how to make the shawl and also contains details on how to adjust the length of the shawl to suit you, as well as using 4 ply/fingering weight yarn.

YOU WILL NEED:

• 2 balls of Creative Melange Lace by Rico Design 50g/260m 95% Cotton, 5% Polyester*
• 2.5mm crochet hook
• Hairpin lace loom
• Stitch markers
• Contrasting scrap yarn for securing loops
*Approx yarn usage is 80g.

DIMENSIONS:

170cm long and 28cm wide, including fringe.  Using a different weight yarn will affect final measurements.

GAUGE:

Gauge is not critical for this project but if you wish to make the shawl to the measurements above, measure the gauge once the loops are secured as follows:

5 sets of 4 loops over 9.5cm (dc to dc) with the hairpin loom set to 6cm wide and working a Tr spine.

STITCHES AND ABBREVIATIONS (UK TERMS):

Ch(s) – Chain(s)
Dc – Double crochet
Lp – loops
Sk – Skip stitch
Sh-p – Shell Picot – 4 Tr (3 ch, ss into 1st ch) 3 Tr all in the same stitch.
Ss – Slip stitch
St – Stitch
P – Picot – 3 ch, ss into 1st ch
Tr – Treble crochet
Yrh – Yarn round hook

PATTERN NOTES:

• It may help to use stitch markers when counting the number of loops worked by placing them every 50 loops.
• Blocking is recommended to open up the hairpin loops and emphasise the picots. Block as recommended for the yarn.
• There is no right or wrong side to the strips.
• Always check to make sure your strip has an equal number of loops on each side of the spine and your tension is even.
• Use spare yarn (guidelines) to thread through each side of the loops before removing them from the hairpin loom to help stop them twisting and getting tangled.

THE PATTERN:

WORKING THE HAIRPIN STRIPS (MAKE 4 STRIPS)

Set your loom pins to 6 cm apart and work a treble crochet hairpin strip with 252 loops on each side of the spine.

Add a stitch marker into the final stitch and fasten off leaving the strip still on the loom.

Secure the loops with guidelines in a contrasting yarn to stop them getting twisted and tangled. Tie the ends of the guidelines together to stop them pulling through and remove the strip from the loom.

Repeat the processes above three more times until you have four completed hairpin strips ready for joining.

JOINING THE HAIRPIN STRIPS TOGETHER

Loops will be joined in groups of four. When joining the strips together the first group of loops on one side of the spine needs to be split between the bottom and top ends of the strip (for example join two loops instead of four) to ensure the end of the shawl is straight.

When joining insert your hook through the loops right to left letting them naturally twist. Make sure you don’t miss any out!

1.  With the stitch markers on your left hand side lay the spines to be joined on a flat surface one above the other. Straighten out any twists.
2.  Starting on the bottom strip, join yarn to the top 2 right hand loops.
3.  5 ch, 1 dc in the lower 4 loops of the top strip to be joined.
4.  5 ch, 1 dc in the next 4 loops of the bottom strip to be joined.
5.  Repeat steps 3-4 to the end finishing your last join with 2 loops.
6.  Fasten off and remove the guidelines if you wish.

There should be 64 sets of joined loops (252 loops in total – 62 x 4 loops and 2 x 2 loops per strip). Repeat two more times until all four strips are joined. Proceed to the edging.

EDGING:

Edge the shawl once the four strips have been joined together. Insert your hook through the loops right to left letting them naturally twist and watch out for missed loops!

Keep your tension loose so as not to pull the sides of the shawl upwards. This also makes it easier to work the stitches in Round 2.

Round 1 secures the loops and provides a foundation row for Round 2 and for attaching the fringe.

ROUND 1

Working from the slipknot end of the joined strips:

  1. Join into the first 4 loops of the top right hand strip.
  2. 5 ch, dc into next 4 loops.
  3. 5 ch, *(dc into next 4 loops, ch 5); repeat from * all the way to the end (64 sets of loops).
  4. At the corner 1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc into the same loop.

Work the short ends of the shawl:

  • 5 dc around the side of 2 loops.
  • 1 dc into the braided spine and 5 dc around the side of 2 loops.
  • Work 1 dc in the dc before the 5-ch join, 5 ch. Then work 1 dc in the dc after the 5-ch join.
  • Repeat steps 5-7 to the end.
  • At the corner 1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc into the same loop.

Repeat steps 2-8, ending by working a ss into the 1st chain made.  

ROUND 2

Work Round 2 only along the long edges of the shawl. Starting in the corner on the right hand side:

  1. Ch 3, P, 2 tr (counts as a half shell stitch) in same stitch.
  2. Sk 2 chains, 1 dc, sk 2 chains, 1 Sh-p into dc.
  3. Repeat step 2 to the 2nd to last set of loops.
  4. Sk 2 chs, 1 dc, sk 2 chs, 3 Tr, P in last set of loops.
  5. Fasten off. (62 shell picot stitches, 2 half shell picot stitches centred above each set of loops).

Repeat for the other long ensuring both long edges are the same.

THE FRINGE:

To make the fringe, two strips of hairpin are worked as before but this time ‘off centre’ – by working your stitches close to one of the pins to create one side of short loops and one side of long loops.

A finishing edge (a heading) is added onto the shorter loops. This is then attached to the ends of the shawl. The longer loops will form the fringe once cut. The fringe should hang neatly once attached, not being too wide for the shawl and not squeezing the shawl together either.

Work the hairpin strip with slightly less loops than the number of stitches on the end of your shawl as the fringe will spread out once attached. I found 55 loops worked out about right when using four hairpin strips but you may need to adjust this until you are happy. It is easier to work a few extra loops and pull back than it is to add extra loops after you have fastened off…

(MAKE 2)

With pins set 7cm apart:

  1. Work a strip as before but this time position the spine close to one of the pins.
  2. Work the required number of loops on each side of the spine (55).
  3. Cut the working yarn, fasten off and put in a stitch marker.
  4. Add guidelines as before.
  5. Remove your strip from the loom.
  6. Join yarn to the first loop and 1 ch. 1 dc in each loop to the end, working with the natural twist of the loop. At this point check you are happy with the length of your strip – hold it against the edge of your shawl and stop working dcs when you are happy. 3 ch, turn. 
  7. 1 tr in each dc across. Turn.

ATTACHING THE FRINGE;

Ensuring the wrong side of the fringe and the shawl are facing you, join the yarn to the picot stitch on the right hand side:

  1. 1 ch, dc into first tr of the fringe
  2. 1 ch, dc into next dc of the shawl edge.
  3. Repeat steps 1-2 to the last P evenly across.
  4. Fasten off and sew in ends.
  5. Repeat for the other side.
  6. Trim the fringe to the desired length.

Block as recommended for the yarn.

And thats it! I do hope you enjoyed this pattern and get lots of use out of your new shawl!

Don’t forget to share your shawl with me on Instagram @feetupandcrochet using the hashtag #hairpinshellshawl as I would love to see!

Happy crocheting!

Copyright: – Pattern belongs to Katherine Lee and is for personal use only. It must not be reproduced or resold. You may sell items made using this pattern as long as you credit me as the designer. ©Feetupandcrochet 2020