Grand Canyon Shawl Photo Tutorial

I wanted to share a photo tutorial with you today to help you better understand the stitches and increases necessary to crochet the Grand Canyon Shawl.

This tutorial assumes that you are already familiar with how to crochet the basic stitches of chains and double crochets.

I will also be including photos depicting the four double crochet decrease (dc4tog) that is also required.

UPDATE!!!

There’s now a stitch tutorial video that you can watch! Click the links below to be taken there now.

RIGHT HANDED VERSION

LEFT HANDED VERSION

The demonstration piece is not to scale with the actual pattern, but that was just to save time since the shawl is very large. Once you get the hang of the stitches, you should be able to cruise through the original pattern with no problems.

The yarn I’m using in this tutorial is Lion Brand Heartland in Grand Canyon and the hook is a J/10 (6.00mm) hook. You can find both at the name links in the previous sentence.

Abbreviations

• ch(s) – chain(s)
• sc – single crochet
• dc – double crochet
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• X-st – “X” Stitch
• Inc X-st – Increase “X” Stitch
• dc4tog – double crochet 4 together
• YO – yarn over

Special Stitches

“X” Stitch (X-st)

Skip one st. YO, insert hook into next st, YO and draw back through the st, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook, YO and draw through last 2 loops on hook. Pinch the dc you just made so that you can maneuver around it (I found it makes it easier to work around by pinching it), YO, insert hook into the skipped stitch (working over top of the first dc). Bring the hook forward so your first dc is tucked behind your hook (not back through the stitch yet, but in front of the dc.) YO and now bring back through the st. YO and draw through 2 loops, YO and draw through 2 more loops. They form an “X” shape.

Increase “X” Stitch (Inc X-st)

Do not skip a st like you would with the regular X-st. Instead, work the entire X-st into one st, by YO, insert hook into st, YO and draw back through the st, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook, YO and draw through last 2 loops on hook. Pulling the dc you just made off to the side to expose the same st you just worked into, YO, insert hook into the same stitch (working over top of the first dc). Bring the hook forward so your first dc is tucked behind your hook (not back through the stitch yet, but in front of the dc.) YO and now bring back through the st. YO and draw through 2 loops, YO and draw through 2 more loops.

Double Crochet 4 Together (dc4tog)

YO and insert hook into designated stitch, YO and pull back through st. YO and draw through 2 loops. YO and insert hook into next st, YO and pull back through st. YO and draw through 2 loops. YO and insert hook into next st, YO and pull back through st. YO and draw through 2 loops. YO and insert hook into next st, YO and pull back through st. You now have five loops on your hook, YO and draw through all five loops.

Written instructions for this swatch

If you are interested in crocheting this swatch to practice or to determine the stitch difficulty without creating the entire shawl, you will begin with a chain of 22.

Row 1: In the fourth chain from the hook, dc. Dc in next 6 chs. Dc4tog, dc in the next 8 chs.

Row 2: Ch 3, Inc X-st in the first st, Inc X-st in the second st, X-st 2 times. Dc4tog, X-st 2 times, Inc X-st in next st, Inc X-st in last st, dc in the top of the turning ch.

Row 3: Ch 3, dc in the same st the ch-3 comes out of, dc in the next 6 sts. Dc4tog, dc in the next 6 sts. 2 dc in last st.

Repeat Row 2 for all even rows and repeat Row 3 for all odd rows. Every row will always that the same number or X-sts or dc (depending on what row you are working on). In this example, every X-st row will have 8 X-sts and every dc row will have 15 dc + ch 3. The actual shawl will have the numbers for that size listed in the pattern.

This is literally a step-by-step photo tutorial with almost sixty photos, so I do apologize for the length of this post, but I want you to know exactly how to execute these stitches.

So let’s begin…

Grand Canyon Shawl Photo Tutorial

Okay, so we will start here with the Grand Canyon Shawl Photo Tutorial. I had to make sure that the numbers were going to work out with this length of chain. From the written instructions above, this will be the beginning of Row 3.

When we double crochet four together in the middle of the chain, it creates the “V” shape of the shawl or swatch in this example. So to compensate for the reduction of stitches in the center, we need to add more to the beginning and ends of each row. This gives us a nice straight edge along the sides of our shawl.

To begin, you will turn your work and chain 3.

Work a dc in the same space your chain 3 comes out of.

Dc in the next 6 sts.

Now here is a tip: Counting all of the dc’s from the shawl rows was a bit time consuming and annoying. I noticed that if you work your double crochets all the way up until there is one full X-st left on the previous row, then that is the perfect amount. You can see in the photo below that there is one X-st remaining from the previous row before the dc4tog. Just make sure you put that first dc in the ch-3 sp and your numbers should work out without counting.

Dc4tog Tutorial

YO. Insert your hook into the next st. YO and pull back through the st.

YO and draw through 2 loops on the hook.

YO and insert hook into next st. YO and draw back through the st.

YO and draw through 2 loops on the hook.

YO and insert hook into next st. YO and draw back through st.

YO and draw through 2 loops on hook.

YO and insert hook into next st. YO and draw back through st.

YO and draw through 2 loops on hook. Five loops remain.

YO and draw through all 5 loops.

Dc in next 6 sts. There will be one st and the ch 3 left from the previous row.

Work 2 dc in last st.

Note: With every Row 3 repeat, there will be a ch-3 and dc in the beginning of the row and 2 dc in the last st of the row. These are the only increases you need for this Row 3 repeat. (15 dc + ch 3)

Row 4 (X-st row)

So, since we are at the beginning of Row 4, we will need to increase the X-sts to compensate for the reduction in the middle with the dc4tog. This increase is referred to as Inc X-st.

Increase X-stitch (Inc X-st) Tutorial

My left thumb indicates that you will be working into the same stitch the ch 3 comes out of.

Dc in the st the ch 3 comes out of.

Pull the two stitches apart.

YO and insert your hook into the same st you just worked your dc, but between the dc and ch 3.

Keep hold of the dc with your left hand and begin maneuvering the hook in front of the dc, but without pulling it back through the stitch.

I’m still pinching the dc, but I have now brought my hook forward in front of it. The st that I inserted my hook into is still wrapped around my hook. You are now working in front of the first dc you made.

YO.

Now draw back through the stitch.

YO and draw through 2 loops on your hook.

YO and draw through the last 2 loops on your hook.

You finished an Inc X-st.

You will need to do one more Inc X-st. My left thumb indicates that you will be working into the very next st.

Dc in that st.

Gently pull your dc to the left to expose the stitch you just worked into.

YO and insert your hook into that same st, still pulling your first dc out of the way.

Once through the st, bring your hook back in front of the dc you’re holding, but not back through the stitch just yet.

YO and now draw back through the st.

Complete your dc.

Note: All X-st increases for every beginning Row 4 repeat will be the same as this, even with the real shawl pattern.

X-St Tutorial (Not an increase)

Skip one st. Dc in the next st.

This time, you will be working into the skipped stitch, not the same st as your first dc.

YO and insert your hook into the skipped st. Bring your hook in front of the dc. YO and complete your dc to finish off the X-st.

This is a regular X-st that was worked into 2 sts. No increase.

Continue working your regular X-sts however many times indicated. In this example, you only need to make one more before the dc4tog.

Here is a tip: This row always stops when there are two dc’s left before the dc4tog from the previous row. I did count these X-sts periodically when making the shawl just to make sure I was keeping on track. It’s easier to count the X’s than the dc’s.

Dc4tog. Refer to the above photos for this stitch if you need a refresher. I’ve used big bold headers for you to find that section easily.

You are going to skip the next st and begin working your X-st into the one indicated by my left thumb.

Dc in the indicated st.

Complete your X-st by working a dc into the skipped st.

Crochet one more regular X-st (or however many are necessary for your pattern.) You will then have 2 dc’s and a ch 3 left to work in.

In these last 2 dc’s from the previous row, you will be working an Inc X-st into each st. Refer to the photos above for the Inc X-st if you need a refresher.

And the second one…

And finally, dc in the 3rd chain of the turning ch.

And that’s it. Keep repeating and alternating Rows 3 and 4 according to the pattern directions. The X-st feels a little awkward at first, but the more you practice, the easier it will become. And once you’re finished, you are left with a stunning shawl that is sure the be the envy of all!

Congratulations! You’re ready to crochet the Grand Canyon Shawl!

I hope you’ve enjoyed the Grand Canyon Shawl Photo Tutorial!

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