How to Crochet the Bollinger Shawl Step-by-Step

Ready to crochet a piece that looks intricate but is secretly simple? Meet the Bollinger Shawl. This beautiful crescent-shaped wrap is the perfect next step for anyone ready to move beyond basic rectangles. Its body features simple double and single crochet rows, creating a clean canvas for your favorite yarn to shine. A stunning sawtooth edging then adds a touch of elegance. In this crochet-along from One Big Happy Yarn Co., instructor Sara Delaney guides you through every row—from the initial chain to the decorative border.

Follow along with the video below and use this written guide as your companion reference. Sara's warm, patient teaching style makes this project a joy from start to finish.

🎬 Let's Crochet the Bollinger Shawl Together

🧶 Gather Your Supplies for the Bollinger Shawl

• Yarn: Approximately 400–500 yards of worsted weight yarn. Hand-dyed or tonal yarns look especially beautiful in this pattern because the simple stitch textures let the colors shine.
• Hook: Size H/8 (5mm) or as recommended for your yarn to achieve the proper drape
• Stitch markers: Helpful for marking the increases at each end of the shawl
• Tapestry needle: For weaving in ends
• Scissors

Yarn Recommendations

Worsted Weight Yarn

The Bollinger Shawl pattern calls for approximately 400–500 yards of a worsted weight yarn. This is a standard Size 4 yarn, which gives the shawl a wonderful balance of substance and drape—it’s heavy enough to feel cozy but light enough to let the beautiful sawtooth edging hang gracefully. As Sara mentions in the video, a smooth, plied yarn is a fantastic choice because it really makes the stitch details pop. We also love how hand-dyed or tonal colorways look with this design, as the simple double crochet body provides the perfect canvas to show off subtle color shifts without overwhelming the pattern.

Suggested Yarns

While you should always use a yarn you love to work with, we have a few favorites that we think are perfect for this project. Each one brings something special to the finished shawl, from softness to stitch definition.

• Berroco Ultra Alpaca: A beautiful blend of Super Fine Alpaca and Peruvian Wool, this yarn offers incredible softness and a gentle halo. It creates a fabric with a lovely, fluid drape that’s ideal for a shawl.
• Valley Yarns Northampton: Our own workhorse wool is a go-to for a reason. It’s sturdy, comes in a huge range of colors, and provides excellent stitch definition, ensuring your sawtooth border looks crisp and clean.
• Malabrigo Rios: If you want to lean into gorgeous hand-dyed colors, Rios is a stunning choice. This superwash merino wool is buttery soft and plied for durability, and its vibrant, kettle-dyed skeins will make your Bollinger Shawl a true one-of-a-kind piece.

📐 What Makes the Bollinger Shawl Special?

The Bollinger is a crescent-shaped shawl — wider in the center and tapering at the ends, so it wraps beautifully around your shoulders. The crescent shape is created by working increases at both edges of certain rows.

The body of the shawl uses just two main stitches — double crochet (dc) and single crochet (sc) — alternating in a simple rhythm. The real showstopper is the sawtooth edging, a series of small triangular motifs worked around the border that give the shawl its distinctive finished look.

Construction and Sizing

The Bollinger Shawl is a beautiful crescent-shaped wrap that is wider in the center and tapers down at the ends. This unique construction allows it to drape elegantly over your shoulders without slipping off, making it both visually appealing and incredibly functional to wear. The gentle curve is achieved by working simple increases at both edges of specific rows, which is a fantastic technique for crocheters looking to expand their shaping skills. We think it’s a great project for anyone ready to move beyond simple rectangles and explore different constructions, resulting in a wonderfully wearable accessory you’ll be proud to show off.

About the Official Pattern

Designed by Sara Delaney, the official Bollinger Shawl pattern is celebrated for being surprisingly easy and fast to crochet. The body of the shawl is made up of alternating rows of double crochet and single crochet, creating a simple, textured fabric that lets your chosen yarn be the star. What truly sets this design apart is its stunning sawtooth edging. This decorative border adds a gorgeous, intricate-looking finish that gives the entire piece a polished look. It’s the perfect project for building confidence while creating a truly special handmade item.

Step 1: Creating Your Foundation Chain

Start with a slip knot on your hook and chain 66. This initial chain forms the center spine of your crescent — the shawl will grow outward from here.

Step 2: Building the Foundation with Double Crochet

Row 1 establishes the double crochet base with increases at both ends for the crescent shape:

1. Work a double crochet in the 2nd chain from the hook. (Remember — the loop on your hook never counts as a stitch.)
2. Work one more dc in that same chain (this is your increase at the beginning).
3. Work 1 dc in each chain across until you reach the last 2 chains.
4. Work 2 dc in the second-to-last chain (increase at the end).
5. Work 1 dc in the last chain.

The increases at both edges are what curves the shawl into its crescent shape. You'll repeat this increase pattern on the double crochet rows throughout the body.

Step 3: Working the Single Crochet Row

Chain 1 and turn. Work 2 dc in the first stitch (increase), then single crochet in each stitch across until you reach the last two stitches, where you'll increase again.

As Sara says, "For the rest of this row until you get to the last two stitches, it's just single crochet — in every double crochet on your way across." This is the relaxing part of the pattern — straight single crochet across 60-plus stitches.

Step 4: Building the Shawl's Body

The body of the Bollinger Shawl alternates between double crochet rows and single crochet rows, with increases at both edges. Continue this pattern for a total of 8 body rows (or until the shawl reaches your desired depth).

The rhythm becomes very intuitive:

• DC rows: Increase at both edges, dc across the middle
• SC rows: Increase at both edges, sc across the middle

Step 5: Preparing for the Edging

Once you've completed all 8 body rows, it's time to set up for the sawtooth edging. Sara describes this as "simple as pie":

1. Chain 1, turn the work.
2. Single crochet in the first stitch.
3. Chain 4, skip 2 stitches, single crochet in the 3rd stitch.
4. Repeat [chain 4, skip 2, sc in the 3rd stitch] all the way across.

This creates "nice big loopy loops from one end of the shawl to the other" — these chain-4 arches become the foundation for each sawtooth motif.

Step 6: Creating the Sawtooth Edging

The sawtooth edging is what makes the Bollinger truly special. Each "tooth" is a small triangular motif worked individually:

1. Each sawtooth is worked as a separate short section — you work back and forth in short rows, building a small triangle.
2. Start in a chain-4 arch, work a few stitches, turn, and build up the triangle with increasing stitches on each row.
3. Fasten off, then start the next sawtooth in the next arch.

Sara walks through each sawtooth motif step-by-step in the video. The key is that each motif is "worked on its own, separate from the next motif" — you're not working a continuous row across.

Step 7: Adding the Finishing Touches

Weave in all your ends with a tapestry needle. For the best results, gently block your shawl by soaking it in lukewarm water, squeezing out excess moisture, and pinning it to shape. The crescent shape really opens up beautifully after blocking, and the sawtooth edging becomes crisp and defined.

Optional: Adding Tassels

If you want to add a little extra flair to your Bollinger Shawl, tassels are a fantastic finishing touch. They add a bit of weight and playful movement, and they look especially great attached to the points of the sawtooth edging. Making them is a simple and satisfying process. Just grab some leftover worsted weight yarn and a firm, flat object like a piece of cardboard, a small book, or even your phone to use as a guide. Wrap the yarn around the object until you reach your desired thickness. Then, carefully slide the bundle of yarn off, and use a separate piece of yarn to tie a tight knot around the top of the loop. Finally, cut through the loops at the bottom and give them a quick trim so the ends are all even. You’ve just made a perfect tassel!

Attaching your tassel is just as easy. Use your crochet hook to pull the top tie-strings through a space at the point of one of your sawtooth motifs. Once they're through, simply tie a secure knot to fasten the tassel in place, and you can weave in the ends with a tapestry needle for a clean finish. You can completely customize how full your tassels look by adjusting how many times you wrap the yarn. A good thing to remember is that each strand you wrap gets folded in half, so wrapping the yarn 15 times will give you a tassel with 30 strands. It’s a simple way to add beautiful weight, drape, and a personal touch to your finished shawl.

💡 Our Top Tips for a Perfect Bollinger Shawl

• Count your stitches at the end of each row. With the increases at both edges, your stitch count should grow by 2 with each double crochet row. A quick count prevents having to unravel later.
• Use stitch markers at the increase points. Place markers at the beginning and end of each row where you'll work increases, so you always know where to add the extra stitches.
• Don't skip the setup row. The chain-4 arches are essential scaffolding for the sawtooth edging — they space the motifs evenly and make each tooth the same size.
• Choose a yarn with good stitch definition. The alternating dc/sc texture and sawtooth detail show best in smooth, plied yarns. Hand-dyed tonal colorways are gorgeous in this pattern.
• Block generously. Crescent shawls benefit enormously from blocking — pin out the tips and the sawtooth points for a professional finish.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaways

• Master the crescent shape with simple increases: The Bollinger Shawl gets its elegant, wearable curve from a straightforward technique. By adding stitches at the beginning and end of specific rows, you create a beautiful crescent that drapes perfectly over your shoulders.
• Combine basic stitches for a stunning effect: The body of the shawl uses alternating rows of double and single crochet, creating a simple texture that lets your yarn shine. This foundation makes the project approachable, even with its intricate-looking sawtooth border.
• Finish strong with blocking and optional tassels: Don't skip the final steps. Blocking is essential for defining the crescent shape and making the sawtooth points crisp. For extra flair, adding tassels is a simple way to give your shawl beautiful weight and a personalized touch.

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