Weldon’s Mystery Project: Square Shawl Worked in Crazy Stitch

The pages of Weldon’s Practical Needlework are an endless fascination for needleworkers of all crafts. The Weldon’s crochet series are filled with delightful patterns, but a few lack illustrations, such as the “Square Shawl Worked in Crazy Stitch” from Weldon’s Practical Crochet, Second Series (in Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 1). We offer up another mystery project to engage your hooks. What does this shawl look like?

Here is the pattern for the “Square Shawl Worked in Crazy Stitch” just as it was published in 1886 with neither corrections nor alterations.

Square Shawl Worked in Crazy Stitch.

Shetland wool any colour preferred, and a crochet needle No. 10 will be required for this pretty shawl. Make four chain, join, and into circle work four times one double crochet, two chain, and three treble, and join by drawing wool through the first double crochet stitch. This shawl is not worked round in the usual way, but the work is to be “turned” at the completion of each round. 2nd round—Make 3 chain, and turn, and under the first two chain of last round work, *, 1 double crochet, 2 chain, and 3 treble, twice in same place, and repeat from * under each 2 chain in previous round, and join by drawing wool through the first double crochet stitch. 3rd round—3 chain, and turn, and under first 2 chain of last round, work *, 1 double crochet, 2 chain, 3 treble under the first 2 chain of last round, and 1 double crochet, two chain, and 3 treble twice under next 2 chain, and repeat from *; join as before. 4th round—3 chain, turn, work 1 double crochet, 2 chain, and 3 treble under first 2 chain, and same under next; then for the corner work the same twice under next 2 chain, and repeat. Continue each round the same, always increasing at the 4 corners, and work straight along the 4 sides. For border, work 3 or 4 rounds in different coloured wool from that used for ground of shawl.

Before you chain on, remember British crochet terms differ from those used in the United States. Here’s a handy translation of the different crochet terms:

Chain on and help reveal what this mysterious shawl in crazy stitch looks like. Send your project images to piecework@longthreadmedia.com.

Happy crocheting!
Elizabeth