Fall in Love With This Free Lacy Crochet Shawl Pattern

Updated: 23 October 2026 by Sylwia (MyCrochetory)

This lacy crochet shawl pattern started as a quick sketch in my big sketchbook, and honestly, without that sketchbook half of my ideas would be gone by now. One of its pages turned into the Despina Shawl.

It’s an asymmetrical triangle with lacy shells, solid stripes of double crochet and a picot edge at the very end. Big enough to wrap around your shoulders, light enough to wear all year.

Scroll down to the free Despina Shawl pattern, or get the ad-free, printable PDF with stitch charts HERE on Etsy or HERE on Ravelry.

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From a Sketchbook Page to Despina

Ever had a brilliant idea in the shower and forgotten it by breakfast? That’s exactly why I draw everything. Most of my patterns begin with a few lines in a sketchbook, and Despina was no different.

Then comes the hardest part, the name. While I was working on it, this shawl was called the Shell Asymmetrical Shawl, which sounds more like a seafood dish than a shawl. I wanted something feminine for the finished lacy crochet shawl pattern, and Despina felt just right.

Lace Shells and Solid Stripes in One Lacy Crochet Shawl Pattern

Lace is pretty, but rows and rows of it can wear you out. So in this lacy crochet shawl pattern I mixed bands of V-shells with wide stripes of plain double crochet, and your eyes, and your hands, get a little break.

You start at one corner with just three stitches and work back and forth in rows. The shawl grows sideways along one edge, so one side ends up much longer than the other.

Stitch markers keep the lace and the solid parts apart, and they move up with you as you go. The last row of this lacy crochet shawl pattern adds tiny picots to every shell.

Yarn for This Lacy Crochet Shawl Pattern

Raise your hand if you’ve ever fallen for a yarn that’s now gone forever. I made my Despina in Goat on the Boat by the Polish dyer Chmurka, a merino, silk and cashmere blend in the Peony colorway, and sadly you can’t buy it anymore.

Any fingering weight yarn works for this lacy crochet shawl pattern instead, and my shawl took two skeins, about 875 yards (800 m). A shawl sits right on your neck, so I always go for soft yarn that doesn’t itch, and a merino blend will show off the lace beautifully.

Marzena, the dyer behind Chmurka, also designs knitting patterns. You can find them in her Ravelry store.

Is This Lacy Crochet Shawl Pattern Right for You?

Worried this one is too hard for you? Despina is an intermediate pattern, but the stitches are simple, mostly double crochet and chains. You just need to keep an eye on your markers, because the rows get long.

Before Despina went live, I asked for testers on Ravelry, and a group of them worked through every row. At the end of the pattern you’ll find stitch counts for the most important rows, so you can check yourself along the way.

Not ready to start? Save this lacy crochet shawl pattern on Pinterest and come back when you have the yarn.

Despina Free Lacy Crochet Shawl Pattern

• Purchase the ad-free, printable PDF with stitch charts here on ETSY or here on Ravelry.
• Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue HERE.
• Grab the MyCrochetory Shawl Pattern BUNDLE that includes 14 patterns for one low price HERE.
• Pin it for later.

Copyright 2019 – 2026 MyCrochetory. All rights reserved. This pattern is property of Sylwia Kawczyńska @MyCrochetory. Please DO NOT sell the pattern and claim this pattern as your own. The pattern is for personal use only and may not be translated or reproduced in another language. Please respect my rights, DO NOT share or publish this pattern anywhere without my permission.

The shawl you make following this pattern is yours, and you are free to sell it, as long as you credit MyCrochetory as the original designer. For more information, please read the Terms Page.

As a bonus, the ad-free, printable PDF includes stitch charts. If you’re a visual learner, or you just want to support my work, you can buy it HERE on Etsy or HERE on Ravelry. Thank you!

Materials & Tools:

1. Yarn CHMURKA Goat on the boat 100 g = 400 m (437 yd), 70% sw merino, 20% silk, 10% cashmere, 2 skeins. For the shawl sample I used Peony colorway.
2. Hook size 3.5 mm. Adjust hook size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.
3. Tapestry needle (to weave and hide yarn ends).
4. Scissors.
5. 3 stitch markers.

Level:

Intermediate.

Size after blocking:

One size: approx. 135 cm / 53” wide and 70 cm / 27.5” long at the center.

Gauge after blocking:

After Row 16: 20.5 cm / 8” wide and 10.5 cm / 4.1” long at the center.

Gauge is not important for this project. However, changes might result in different yardage requirements and a different finished size.

Notes:

• The pattern uses US crochet terminology.
• The shawl is worked in rows, back and forth.
• Instructions in square brackets […] are worked as many times as indicated.
• Ch3 in the beginning of every row counts as 1dc. So when making sts in last st of every row, make them into third ch of beginning ch3.
• dc in last dc means work double crochet stitch in top of beginning chain3.
• sk next (…) means skip all stitches included in (…) at once.
• Each stitch marker should be placed IN the indicated stitch, not between stitches.
• The stitch charts are included in the ad-free printable PDF here on ETSY or here on Ravelry.

Stitches & Abbreviations (US terms):

ch(s) – chain(s) stitch

st(s) – stitch(es)

dc – double crochet

slst – slip stitch

yo – yarn over

sp – space

sk – skip

M – marker

PM – place marker

RM – reposition marker

prev – previous

picot – ch3, insert your hook in the third chain from the hook, yarn over and draw the yarn through the stitch and through the loop on the hook.

V-shell – (2dcs, ch2, 2dcs) in one stitch

picV-shell – (2dcs, ch1, picot, ch1, 2dcs) in one stitch

Pattern

Row 1: ch4, 2dcs in 4th ch from hook. Turn.

Row 2: ch3 (counts as a dc here and throughout), dc in next st, ch2, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 3: ch3, V-shell in ch-2 sp, sk next dc, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 4: ch3, sk next 2sts, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, sk next dc, dc in next 2dcs. Turn.

Row 5: ch3, dc in next dc, ch2, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 6: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, ch1, sk next (2dcs and ch-2 sp), V-shell in next dc, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 7: ch3, dc in next dc, sk next dc, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 8: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, ch2, sk next 2dcs, dc in next 2dcs. Turn.

Row 9: ch3, V-shell in next dc, ch1, sk next (ch-2 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 10: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next dc, dc in next 2dcs. Turn.

Row 11: ch3, dc in next dc, ch2, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 12: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until one ch-2 sp before last ch-2 sp, ch1, sk next (2dcs and ch-2 sp), V-shell in next dc, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 13: ch3, dc in next dc, sk next dc, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Rows 14 – 16: Repeat rows 8-10

Row 17: ch3, 3dcs in next dc, PM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 18: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until 2dcs remain, 3dcs in next dc, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 19: ch3, 3dcs in next dc, dc in every dc until M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Rows 20 – 29: Repeat rows 18-19

Row 30: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until 3dcs remain, PM, sk next dc, V-shell in next dc, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 31: ch3, dc in next dc, sk next dc, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 32: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, ch2, sk next 2dcs, dc in last 2dcs. Turn.

Row 33: ch3, V-shell in next dc, ch1, sk next (ch-2 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 34: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next dc, dc in next 2dcs. Turn.

Row 35: ch3, dc in next dc, ch2, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2 dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 36: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until one ch-2 sp before last ch-2 sp, ch1, sk next (2dcs and ch-2 sp), V-shell in next dc, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 37: ch3, dc in next dc, sk next dc, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2 dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 38: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, ch2, sk next 2dcs, dc in next 2dcs. Turn.

Row 39: ch3, V-shell in next dc, ch1, sk next (ch-2 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2 dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Rows 40 – 43: Repeat rows 34 – 37

Row 44: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, PM, 2dcs in the same dc, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 45: ch3, 3dcs in next st, dc in every dc until M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before next M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Row 46: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before next M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until 2sts remain, 3dcs in next dc, dc in last dc. Turn.

Rows 47 – 68: Repeat Rows 45 – 46

Row 69: ch3, V-shell in next dc, ch1, sk next 4dcs, V-shell in next dc, [ch1, sk next 5dcs, V-shell in next dc] rep until 2dcs remain before M, ch1, sk next 5dcs, remove M, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before next M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, RM, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Rows 70 – 75: Repeat rows 34 – 39

Rows 76 – 79: Repeat rows 34 – 37

Row 80: ch3, sk next 2dcs, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp and 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp before M, sk next 2dcs, dc in next dc, RM, dc in every dc until next M, remove M, dc in every dc, ch-1 sp and ch-2 sp (just one dc in ch-2 sp) across until 2sts remain, 3dcs in next dc, dc in last st. Turn.

Rows 81 – 92: Repeat Rows 19 and 18 (in this order).

Row 93: ch3, V-shell in next dc, ch1, sk next 4dcs, V-shell in next dc, [ch1, sk next 5dcs, V-shell in next dc] rep until 2dcs remain before M, ch1, sk next 5dcs, remove M, V-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), V-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2dcs, dc in last dc. Turn.

Rows 94 – 97: Repeat rows 10 – 13

Rows 98 – 102: Repeat Rows 8 – 12

Row 103: ch3, dc in next dc, sk next dc, picV-shell in next ch-2 sp, [ch1, sk next (2dcs, ch-1 sp, 2dcs), picV-shell in next ch-2 sp] rep until last ch-2 sp, sk next 2 dcs, dc in last dc.

Fasten off yarn, weave in all ends and block your shawl.

Stitch count for the most important rows:

Row 16: 1dc, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 2dcs Row 17: 4dcs, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 1dc Row 29: 28dcs, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 1dc Row 30: 1dc, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 25 dcs, V-shell, 1dc Row 43: 2dcs, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 25 dcs, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 1dc Row 44: 1dc, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 25 dcs, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 4 dcs Row 68: 1dc, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 25 dcs, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 52 dcs Row 69: 1dc, 14 V-shells, 13 ch-1 sps, 25 dcs, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 1dc Row 79: 2 dcs, 17 V-shells, 16 ch-1 sps, 25 dcs, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 1dc Row 80: 1dc, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 130 dcs Row 92: 1dc, 5 V-shells, 4 ch-1 sps, 154 dcs Row 93: 1dc, 31 V-shells, 30 ch-1 sps, 1dc Row 103: 2dcs, 34 V-shells, 33 ch-1 sps, 1dc

Stuck on a row? Ask in my Facebook Group or Ravelry Group, or email me at mycrochetory@gmail.com.

Finished your Despina? Share it on Instagram with #mycrochetory or #despinashawl and tag @mycrochetory so I can see it.

More Lacy Crochet Shawl Patterns

Can’t get enough lace? These free patterns of mine are full of it.

• Greta Shawl, a light, airy lace shawl to throw over your shoulders.
• Sigrid Crescent Shawl, a lace crescent shawl with bright stripes.
• Goldenrod Shawl, a lightweight triangle shawl with simple lace.
• Lace Shawlette, a small top-down shawlette made from one skein of lace weight yarn.

More Free Crochet Triangle Shawls

Love the triangle shape of this lacy crochet shawl pattern? Here are a few more, from asymmetrical ones to classic top-down shawls.

• Flores Shawl, an asymmetrical triangle with a solid part and a mesh part.
• Aprilis Shawl, a simple asymmetrical shawl worked corner to corner.
• Willow Shawl, a moss stitch triangle shawl made with one gradient cake.
• Kalinda Shawl, my wavy top-down triangle shawl in one cake of Scheepjes Whirl.

Lacy Crochet Shawl Pattern FAQ

Can I use a heavier yarn for this lacy crochet shawl pattern?

Yes, the shells and stripes work in heavier yarn too. Just use a bigger hook, and expect a bigger shawl that needs more yardage.

My markers keep getting lost. Any tips?

In a long lacy crochet shawl pattern like this one, locking stitch markers are your best friends. Move each one up as soon as the row tells you to. Counting your V-shells now and then also helps you spot a slip early.

How do I block a lacy crochet shawl?

For merino and other wool blends, wet blocking works best. Soak the shawl, gently squeeze out the water, then pin it flat and open up the lace, and let it dry.