Cotton Candy Crescent Knit Shawl Free Pattern

Cotton Candy Crescent Knit Shawl Free Pattern

Introduction

This crescent shawl is a gentle, beginner-friendly project that grows from just three stitches into a wide, soft wrap you will want to wear every day. It is worked flat from the center top in easy garter stitch, so you only ever knit, yarn over, and increase at the edges. Wide bands of baby blue and cotton candy pink give it a playful, retro-futuristic look, while four eyelet lines run down the body and a simple eyelet border finishes the lower edge. A crocheted pink scallop edge adds a soft, space-age halo around the whole shawl, and the cotton yarn makes it light, breathable, and lovely to drape over your shoulders.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Fingering weight (CYCA 1), 100% cotton. Color A (baby blue): 400 yards. Color B (cotton candy pink): 400 yards.
• Knitting needles: US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needle, 32-inch length (worked flat).
• Crochet hook: US E/4 (3.5 mm).
• Notions: Stitch markers (optional, for the center eyelet line), tapestry needle, scissors, blocking mats and pins.
• Finished size: Approximately 60 inches wingspan and 30 inches depth at center.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on.
• K: knit.
• Kfb: knit into the front and then the back of the same stitch (makes one extra stitch).
• Yo: yarn over (wrap the yarn around the needle to make a new stitch and a small eyelet hole).
• K2tog: knit two stitches together (decreases one stitch).
• St(s): stitch(es).
• RS: right side (the public side of the shawl).
• Sc: single crochet.
• Dc: double crochet.
• Ch: chain.
• Sl st: slip stitch.
• Sk: skip.
• Rep: repeat.

Gauge

24 stitches and 48 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch, blocked. Knit a small swatch, block it, and measure a 4-inch section; if you have more stitches than 24, go up a needle size, and if you have fewer, go down.

Tips Before You Start

• Place a removable marker on the center stitch of the eyelet line so you can always find the middle of the shawl as it grows.
• Garter stitch curls less than stockinette, but blocking is what opens the eyelets and gives the crescent its drape, so do not skip it.
• Count your stitches at the end of every increase row; each knit row adds 2 stitches and each eyelet row adds 4, so the totals should always match the pattern.
• Carry the unused color loosely up the side edge rather than cutting it, since the stripes change only every 48 rows.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Shawl Body (worked flat, knit)

With A, CO 3 sts.

Row 1: Kfb, k1, kfb (5 sts).

Row 2: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (7 sts).

Row 3: Kfb, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, kfb (11 sts).

Row 4: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (13 sts).

Row 5: Kfb, k2, yo, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, yo, k2, kfb (17 sts).

Row 6: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (19 sts).

Row 7: Kfb, k3, yo, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, yo, k3, kfb (23 sts).

Row 8: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (25 sts).

Row 9: Kfb, k4, yo, k1, yo, k7, yo, k1, yo, k4, kfb (29 sts).

Row 10: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (31 sts).

Row 11: Kfb, k5, yo, k1, yo, k9, yo, k1, yo, k5, kfb (35 sts).

Row 12: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (37 sts).

Row 13: Kfb, k6, yo, k1, yo, k11, yo, k1, yo, k6, kfb (41 sts).

Row 14: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (43 sts).

Row 15: Kfb, k7, yo, k1, yo, k13, yo, k1, yo, k7, kfb (47 sts).

Row 16: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (49 sts).

Row 17: Kfb, k8, yo, k1, yo, k15, yo, k1, yo, k8, kfb (53 sts).

Row 18: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (55 sts).

Row 19: Kfb, k9, yo, k1, yo, k17, yo, k1, yo, k9, kfb (59 sts).

Row 20: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (61 sts).

Row 21: Kfb, k10, yo, k1, yo, k19, yo, k1, yo, k10, kfb (65 sts).

Row 22: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (67 sts).

Row 23: Kfb, k11, yo, k1, yo, k21, yo, k1, yo, k11, kfb (71 sts).

Row 24: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (73 sts).

Row 25: Kfb, k12, yo, k1, yo, k23, yo, k1, yo, k12, kfb (77 sts).

Row 26: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (79 sts).

Row 27: Kfb, k13, yo, k1, yo, k25, yo, k1, yo, k13, kfb (83 sts).

Row 28: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (85 sts).

Row 29: Kfb, k14, yo, k1, yo, k27, yo, k1, yo, k14, kfb (89 sts).

Row 30: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (91 sts).

Row 31: Kfb, k15, yo, k1, yo, k29, yo, k1, yo, k15, kfb (95 sts).

Row 32: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (97 sts).

Row 33: Kfb, k16, yo, k1, yo, k31, yo, k1, yo, k16, kfb (101 sts).

Row 34: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (103 sts).

Row 35: Kfb, k17, yo, k1, yo, k33, yo, k1, yo, k17, kfb (107 sts).

Row 36: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (109 sts).

Row 37: Kfb, k18, yo, k1, yo, k35, yo, k1, yo, k18, kfb (113 sts).

Row 38: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (115 sts).

Row 39: Kfb, k19, yo, k1, yo, k37, yo, k1, yo, k19, kfb (119 sts).

Row 40: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (121 sts).

Row 41: Kfb, k20, yo, k1, yo, k39, yo, k1, yo, k20, kfb (125 sts).

Row 42: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (127 sts).

Row 43: Kfb, k21, yo, k1, yo, k41, yo, k1, yo, k21, kfb (131 sts).

Row 44: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (133 sts).

Row 45: Kfb, k22, yo, k1, yo, k43, yo, k1, yo, k22, kfb (137 sts).

Row 46: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (139 sts).

Row 47: Kfb, k23, yo, k1, yo, k45, yo, k1, yo, k23, kfb (143 sts).

Row 48: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (145 sts).

Change to B.

Rows 49-96: Repeat Rows 1-48 using B (289 sts).

Change to A.

Rows 97-144: Repeat Rows 1-48 using A (433 sts).

Change to B.

Rows 145-192: Repeat Rows 1-48 using B (577 sts).

Eyelet Border (Color A)

Row 193: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (579 sts).

Row 194: Kfb, k1, [yo, k2tog] to last 2 sts, k1, kfb (581 sts).

Row 195: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (583 sts).

Row 196: Kfb, k1, [yo, k2tog] to last 2 sts, k1, kfb (585 sts).

Row 197: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (587 sts).

Row 198: Kfb, k1, [yo, k2tog] to last 2 sts, k1, kfb (589 sts).

Row 199: Kfb, k to last st, kfb (591 sts).

Row 200: Kfb, k1, [yo, k2tog] to last 2 sts, k1, kfb (593 sts).

Bind off loosely.

Crochet Edging (Color B)

With RS facing, join B with sc at the bottom right corner of the shawl.

Rnd 1: Sc evenly around the entire perimeter, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with sl st to first sc.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, *sk 2 sc, 5 dc in next sc, sk 2 sc, sc in next sc; rep from * around, adjusting to end with sc in last st. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Assembly and Finishing

There is no seaming to do, since the shawl is worked in one flat piece. Weave in all ends along the wrong side, following the direction of the stitches so the color changes stay neat. Soak the shawl in cool water for about 15 minutes, gently squeeze out the excess water in a towel, and pin it out to 60 inches wingspan and 30 inches depth at center. Let it dry completely, then unpin. The blocking opens the eyelet lines and the border and gives the scallops their soft, even shape.

Pro Tips and Variations

• For a bolder look, swap the stripe order or use a single color for the body and a contrast color only for the border and edging.
• Make the scallops larger or smaller by working 4 dc or 6 dc in each shell instead of 5, keeping the sk 2 sc spacing.
• Add a third color band by repeating Rows 1-48 once more in a soft lavender for a longer, deeper crescent.