Click the link to jump straight to the Woodland Willow Shawl Pattern.
This shawl started as a simple thing to keep me warm on chilly spring evenings. It had got to the point where I didn’t really want to put the heating on, but found that I was getting cold (even with a cardigan or jumper on) when I sat down to crochet in the evenings.
I had a brief look around to see if I could find something I wanted to make, but realised that I would rather be working on a shawl than looking for a pattern for one! I headed up to my craft room and raided my (well stocked) yarn shelves, finding several balls of left over yarn from a previous project, plus others which a friend had given me and I had no other plans for. Perfect!
I started posting progress pictures of it on Instagram and people started showing interest in what I was making, asking if there would be a pattern at the end of it. Not what I had planned, but decided that I’d give it a go anyway!
After writing up the first version, I sent it off to some wonderful pattern testers (some very talented crocheters I’d come to ‘meet’ through Instagram). They gave me lots of helpful feedback and helped me to improve and clarify the pattern. Eventually I was satisfied that it was as good as I could make it and have listed it in my etsy shop.
The pattern is suitable for beginners, using only treble and chain stitches. Instructions for each of the initial rows are accompanied by a photo so you can see how mine turned out! After the first rows, the patterns are repeated, making it an easy, not too hard to think about, kind of project. Until it got too big, it often came with me in my handbag, providing a much needed brain break at lunchtimes, or something to keep my hands occupied while I had coffee with friends. I hope you enjoy making yours as much as I did mine! I’d love to see how your versions too – you can share via instagram, facebook or pinterest.
