Beaded Box Stitch Shawl Crochet Along – Finished!

I finished the edging on my Beaded Box Stitch Shawl – even though mine turned into a cowl – and I LOVE the finished product! The stitch pattern is so light and airy, I’m already thinking about what else I can make with it. Actually, I plan on making the original version of this pattern, so I’ll get another chance to crochet the fun squares and extended stitches soon.

I hope you had as much fun making this project as I did. This pattern is truly unique, and the beads make it an extra special accessory I’ll wear often. Light cowls can dress up any tee and create a stylish look for work, and of course, they’re always fun to wear on the weekends too!

Here I am showing off my brand new cowl. Don’t you just love how the negative space between the stitches makes the pattern pop?

Have you finished your shawl yet? Don’t forget to send photos to us at mail@loveofcrochet.com and post updates here on our blog! If you haven’t joined in on the fun yet, order your Beaded Box Stitch Shawl kit and make this gorgeous accessory this summer. The kits include all the yarn and beads you’ll need for one full-sized shawl version or two cowls, as well as a complete copy of the Summer 2015 Issue of Love of Crochet!

Beaded Box Stitch Shawl Crochet Along – Edging

I’m almost finished with the edging on my Beaded Box Stitch Shawl… except that mine has turned into a quick-to-make cowl because I’m a huge tweaker when it comes to crochet projects.

I had cut my yarn to seam my cowl, so I joined new yarn to my seam with a slip stitch to begin the edging. Then, I chained 8 (counts as 1 dc and ch-5) and worked a double crochet between the next sidebar rows (between the treble crochets and perpendicular to them). Then, I worked [ch 5, dc between next sidebar rows] all the way around, ending with a ch 5 and a slip stitch in the 3rd chain of the beginning ch-8. This is essentially the same as the “side 1” instructions of the edging row 1, except I didn’t have to worry about the corners. At the end of this post, I’ve written out these instructions in our usual format to make them easier to follow.

For round 2 of the edging, I slip stitched into the previous ch-5 sp, which felt a little backwards. Then, I chained 2, worked a treble crochet into the next ch-5 sp (to the left of the seam, working forwards this time), and chained 1 more. All this mimics the look of an extended stitch quite nicely. After that, a bead square needs to go into the next double crochet. I found that beading as I went interrupted my flow and felt a little tedious, so I decided to string my beads onto the end of my yarn at this point.

To do this, I estimated about how much yarn I’d need to finish the edging and cut off a long strand. Then, I took a sewing needle, threaded it with a piece of string about 10″ long, and tied a knot near the ends of the thread. I looped the end of my yarn through the loop of string and folded it back upon itself, strung my beads onto the needle, and pushed them onto the yarn. Check out this previous post for a picture tutorial showing how to add beads! If you decide to add your beads this way, be sure to start your edging on the wrong side of your project because the beads will show up best on the opposite side. This pattern looks great on both sides, so it’s not a big deal in this case.

I strung about 90 beads onto my yarn since every other double crochet from round 1 of the edging will take 2 beads. If you’re making the original version of this pattern, you’ll use a lot more beads so you may want to do this in sections.

Okay, let’s get back to round 2 of the edging! I worked a bead square into the next double crochet, then an extended stitch over the next 2 ch-5 spaces, and repeated this around, ending with a slip stitch in the first fake extended stitch. To work the beaded chains, simply push one bead up near the hook and chain as usual.

That’s it! I’m only working the edging on one side of my cowl, so I’ll be finished in no time. However, you still have time to get your Beaded Box Stitch Shawl kit and join in on the fun! The kits include everything you need to make one full-sized shawl or two cowls.

As promised, here are the edging instructions for the cowl version:

Edging

With WS facing, join new yarn with a sl st in seam.

Rnd 1: Ch 8, dc between next sidebar rows, * ch 5, dc between next sidebar rows; rep from * around, ending with ch 5. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-8.

Rnd 2: Slip st in the previous ch-5 sp working to the right, ch 2, tr in next ch-5 sp working to the left, ch 1 (beg extended st made). Bead square in next dc, *extended st over next 2 ch-5 sps, bead square in next dc; rep from * around. Join with a sl st to beg extended st.

Beaded Box Stitch Shawl Crochet Along – Change of plans

Even though my crochet time has been a bit limited, my Beaded Box Stitch Shawl is now about 34″ long! I’ve really internalized the stitch pattern, and it has become like second nature to me.

As I mentioned before, I’m making a smaller version of this fun pattern. Instead of being 13 squares across, mine is only 9. Originally, I intended to make a scarf, but I recently realized that my work would make a really light and fun cowl if I stop and seam it right now!

I LOVE cowls, and at 34″ long, my work is just long enough for a loose and drapey one. The instructions in the original pattern say to end with row 3 of the repeat before beginning the edging, but since I’m going to seam my two short ends together I ended with row 4.

I left a long tail for sewing and blocked my work before seaming it.

The super cute stitch marker shows where my seam is. I left gaps in my seam between the squares to mimic the look of the extended stitches. You can hardly notice the seam from a distance!

The beaded edging really makes this project pop, so I’m going to add it around both edges of my cowl. It will take some slight adjustments from the original pattern, but the handy chart makes it easy to see what to do. I’ll tackle the edging this coming week and share my pattern notes in my next post.

How is your Beaded Box Stitch Shawl coming? Are you making the full-sized version, or are you a tweaker like I am?

If you haven’t joined in on this fun project yet, be sure to get your very own Beaded Box Stitch Shawl kit for the same amazing finish! The kits contain all the yarn and beads you’ll need for the full-sized version, as well as a complete copy of the Summer 2015 Issue! If you’re making a smaller version, like I am, the kit will even have enough yarn for two cowls!

Beaded Box Stitch Shawl Crochet Along – Making progress!

My Beaded Box Stitch Shawl is coming right along! It’s now about 20″ long, and I’m starting to imagine it with some of my favorite warm weather outfits.

I’ve been playing around with different ways to work the chain 3 at the beginning of each short row within the squares. I started out working the chain 3 as usual, but I found that it left a bit of a gap before the double crochets. I know it’s best to be consistent throughout a project, but I couldn’t resist experimenting a little. Plus, the difference is pretty subtle so I think I’m the only one who will notice.

I found that my favorite way to fake a chain 3 without leaving a gap is to work a single crochet and a chain 1. I find that this mimics a double crochet better than the usual chain 3, so I’m going to stick with this technique from here on out.

Do you know any other tricks for faking a chain 3 for a row of double crochet? We’d love to hear what you do. Also, we’d love to hear updates about your shawl! If you haven’t joined in on the fun yet, you can order your Beaded Box Stitch Shawl kit today and start making this fun project soon!

Beaded Box Stitch Shawl Crochet Along – A good start

I’ve gotten off to a good start on my Beaded Box Stitch Shawl!

Beaded Box Stitch Shawl – Summer, 2015

While I love the size of the original sample, I decided to try a smaller version. I jumped at the chance to do this crochet along because couldn’t resist the stunning stitch pattern and the gorgeous beaded edging, but mine will be slightly scaled-down.

Thankfully, the stitch pattern is easy to adjust because the repeat is marked on both the chart and the written pattern. If you want to crochet a wider or thinner version, simply start with a multiple of 10+7. If you’re getting the same gauge as the pattern states, each square will be a little bit more than 1″ long. Since the fabric is so airy and light, I wanted mine to be about 10″ wide. I started with 97 chains and ended up with 9 squares across my row. It’s going to be just what I need to dress up my plain T-shirts this summer!

Crochet as many or as few repeats as you want!

The stitch pattern requires quite a bit of turning, but it didn’t take long for me to find my groove. Here’s a hint I learned along the way – whichever way you turn your project after the first short row in your square, be sure to turn it the opposite way for the second short row. This will untwist your project and make everything a little smoother.

How is your Beaded Box Stitch Shawl coming along? If you haven’t joined us in the crochet along yet, you still have time to get your Beaded Box Stitch Shawl kit and start stitching with us!

Beaded Box Stitch Shawl Crochet Along – Coming soon!

Our next crochet along is right around the corner, and it’s gonna be a good one! We’re making the Beaded Box Stitch Shawl from the Summer 2015 Issue of Love of Crochet, and I’m beyond excited about stitching up this gorgeous accessory. The unique box stitches and elegant beaded border really set this shawl apart, and it’s light enough to wear on a warm day.

We’ll crochet our starting chain on June 12th, and we hope you’ll join us in making this summery wrap. It’s crocheted in CoBaSi by HiKoo, and the blend of fibers in the yarn give the shawl a really nice finish. To get the same effect, be sure to get your Beaded Box Stitch Shawl kit. The kit includes all the yarn and beads you’ll need, as well as a complete copy of the Summer 2015 Issue!

Don’t worry if you’ve never crocheted with beads before! The beading instructions are straightforward and easy to follow, so this shawl will be a great introduction to this simple technique. The eye-catching stitch pattern is new to me, but the pattern includes both written instructions and a chart, so I’m confident I can figure it out.

Will you be joining me in the crochet along? If so, I hope to see pictures and updates about your shawls as we go, but first – grab your kit so you’re ready to start with us on June 12th. I can’t wait to hear from you!