This article includes the first pattern repetition for making the elegant Blackberry pudding shawl, featuring puff stitches and a lovely crescent shape. For full row instructions and chart, please buy the PDF version.
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Have you ever had pudding with blackberry jam? Me neither, but it sounds like something I would love to try – a white, fluffy semolina pudding with swirls of rich, purple jam. Yum.
Even if you’re not that much into desserts you will love this soft and sweet crescent shawl that features rounded edges and lovely textured ridges made with puff stitches.
About the Blackberry pudding shawl
This pattern came out after the Raspberry croissant shawl pattern, but I designed it on the same trip that I designed the Raspberry croissant. I got a couple of cakes of gradient yarn in the little town of Pavia in Italy, where I was staying for a few days for a conference.
After a day full of presentations and a whole lot of concentration on my part, in a little room on the ground floor of a hotel snuggled into an old building, I started playing with this pink gradient yarn and added some texture to what was later going to become the Blueberry popsicle shawl (another design that I created on the same trip).
I worked it up while talking on the phone to a friend. I think we spent almost two hours talking into the late evening. We rarely talk, but when we get a chance to, we pour everything out.
This project was perfect for catching up with my friend. It’s easy to remember what you need to do on every row, the puff stitches keep you from getting bored, and the gradient yarn makes you yearn for the next color change.
This pattern has proven to be loved by many. A person even stole the pattern and is selling it on another platform and there’s nothing I can do about it… So I guess that means that it’s a good pattern.
There are quite a few projects on Ravelry, if you want to explore what others have done with this pattern.
You can check out the beautiful projects that people made based on this pattern by visiting the pattern page on Ravelry here (if you have issues with the new Ravelry skins, I’ve created a workaround that you can read about here).
Technical details of the Blackberry pudding shawl pattern
This shawl is worked from one point, in rows going back and forth towards one short side of the shawl, forming a rounded triangle shape.
The fabric is built on the bias, which means that is has beautiful drape, without the need for blocking. The ends twirl naturally when the shawl is worn.
Feel free to add any border you like or tassels. For tassels, keep some yarn from the beginning if you are using gradient yarn.
If you prefer working from charts, the PDF version includes a chart.
Skill level: intermediate – due to the puff stitches
US terms
If you buy this pattern, you get two files, one with the full instructions in UK terms and one in US terms.
Notions
- Yarn: in sample Miss Tricot Filati – Caribe (600 meters) or (or other any other yarn similar in weight, with long color gradients, for example Scheepjes Whirl, at 1000 meters per 225 grams);
- Hook: 3 mm or hook recommended for your yarn;
- Tapestry needle.
Gauge
A square consisting of 6 rows with 10 Dc should measure 5 cm by 5 cm.
Stitch abbreviations (in alphabetical order)
- Ch – chain;
- Dc – double crochet;
- Dc2Tog – Dc decrease – two double crochet stitches worked together;
- EDc – optional – extended double crochet – YO, pull up a loop, pull through one loop on hook, finish Dc as usual;
- MR – magic ring;
- Puff – puff stitch – *YO, pull up a loop as high as a Dc* 4 times, YO, pull through all loops on hook, Ch1 – make sure you don’t snag a thread in the yarn and that the loops don’t overlap – the Ch doesn’t count as a stitch;
- St – stitch;
- YO – yarn-over.
Observations
- To make the long side of the shawl drape better, instead of the Ch3 or Dc on the long side, add one more chain (so Ch4) or make an EDc;
- Ch3 (or Ch4) at the beginning of even rows counts as Dc – replace this with mock Dc or mock EDc;
- Aside from the beginning/end of each row, make one Dc in each Dc, skipping all the Ps (including the Ch), unless otherwise stated in the special instructions included between asterisks *…*;
- Work the two puff stitches in the Ch space between the two puff stitches from the row below;
- Stitches in square brackets […] are all worked in one stitch;
- Numbers in round brackets (x) show the number of stitches per row after finishing the row.
Measurements
The finished shawl should measure around 130-140 cm in width and 40-50 cm depth if you use the recommended yarn. It will be bigger if you use more yarn or a bigger hook.
Instructions
Start with a magic ring and work back and forth. The crescent should grow symmetrically.
R1. Ch3, 3Dc in MR, turn (4)
R2. {Ch3, 2Puff, Dc} in first St, Dc2Tog, turn (5)
R3. Ch2, Dc in next St, 2Puff, 4Dc in last St *top of Ch3*, turn (7)
R4. {Ch3, 3Dc} in first St, 3 Dc, Puff, Dc2Tog *one leg in Puff and one leg in top of last Dc on previous row*, turn (9)
R5. Ch2, Dc in next Ch space, Dc to last St, 4Dc in last St *top of Ch3*,(11)
R6. {Ch3, 2Puff, Dc} in first St, 8Dc, Dc2Tog, turn (13)
R7. Ch2, Dc in next St, 8Dc, 2Puff, 4Dc in last St *top of Ch3 from previous row*, turn (15)
R8. {Ch3, 3Dc} in first St, 3Dc, 2Puff, 7Dc, Dc2Tog, turn (17)
R9. Ch2, Dc in next St, 6Dc, 2Puff, 6Dc, 4Dc in last St *top of Ch3 from previous row*, turn (19)
R10. {Ch3, 2Puff, Dc} in first St, 9Dc, 2Puff, 5Dc, Dc2Tog, turn (21)
R11. Ch2, Dc in next St, 4Dc, 2Puff, 10Dc, 2Puff, 4Dc in last St, turn (23)
R12. {Ch3, 3Dc} in first St, 3Dc, 2Puff, 10Dc,2Puff, 3Dc, Dc2Tog, turn (25)
R13. Ch2, Dc in next St, 2Dc, 2Puff, 10Dc, 2Puff, 6Dc, 4Dc in last St, turn (27)
R14. {Ch3, 2Puff, Dc} in first St, 9Dc, 2Puff, 10Dc, 2Puff, Dc, Dc2Tog, turn (29)
R15. Ch2, Dc in next St, 2Puff, repeat [10Dc, 2Puff] 2 times, 4Dc in last St, turn (31)
R16. {Ch3, 3Dc} in first St, 3Dc, repeat [2Puff, 10Dc] 2 times, Puff, Dc2Tog *one leg in Puff and one leg in top of last Dc on previous row*, turn (33)
R17. Ch2, Dc in next Ch space, repeat [10Dc, 2Puff] 2 times, 6Dc, 4Dc in last St *top of Ch3 from previous row*, turn (35)
R18. {Ch3, 2Puff, Dc} in first St, 9Dc, 2Puff, 10Dc, 2Puff, 9Dc, Dc2Tog, turn (37)
Continue working repeats of R7-R18, varying the number of the [2Puff, 10Dc] block repeats.
You will be increasing 2 St per row: 3 increased St on the long side and 1 decreased St on the short side.
For stitch placement, consult the chart provided in the PDF version.
In the PDF version, you also have full instructions up to row 78.
Work in pattern until the shawl is big enough (take into account that it may grow a bit after washing/blocking). Bind off and weave in ends. Wash and block the shawl into a crescent shape, similar to the image below.
If you need more help and detailed instructions for up to row 78, you can buy the PDF version of the pattern and pay what you want by using the coupon codes in the description.
Wash the shawl and block it into a crescent shape if necessary, then wear proudly or gift it to someone special.
I hope you enjoyed this free pattern.
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See you soon with more awesome patterns.
Take care!
Andrea
