Free Pattern: The Lucy Shawl
The shawl I can't stop making
Lucy’s Origin Story
I visited Venice with my family two years ago, and on an afternoon when all my children were exhausted and resting, I googled yarn stores in Venice. I came upon a store that wasn’t too far away.
My amazing husband agreed to venture out to the yarn store with me (that’s how much he loves me, and knows me).
I discovered some wonderful yarns I had never seen anywhere else before, including hanks of very thin Loro Piana cashmere with mohair-like cashmere/silk yarn in matching colors. I HAD to have them and bought a few color combinations.
Note: If you ever find yourself wandering Venice, this is worth the detour. Here’s the store’s website.
This is the kind of yarn you don’t want to waste any of, so I set about trying to figure out what to make. As I experimented, I came up with this shawl pattern. When my mom saw it and fell in love with it, I decided to gift it to her. It’s now her favorite, so I’ve named it (The Lucy) after her.
About the Shawl
This shawl can be made with any type of yarn, but I suggest fingering weight if you want it to be lacy and easy to wrap around your neck.
The shawl is worked from a magic circle, increasing in each row, so it ends up being a very tall and narrow triangle (think ice cream cone shaped). When you wrap it around your neck, it’s somewhat asymmetrical. I love the look — but if you prefer everything very symmetrical, I’d recommend Lucy’s Shawl Variation 1, further down.
I’ve made this shawl with a couple of different yarns. I’ve made a relatively large one with about 750 yards of yarn, but you could make a smaller one with less. If you’re using leftover yarn, just work the rows until you run out! It’s the perfect project for a couple of balls of yarn left over from another project.
Here’s an Instagram post where I show her in all the colors I’ve made her in (minus the ones I’ve given away!). Click here to view.