Berroco Rue Shawl Crochet Pattern

Berroco Rue Crochet Shawl

What is Being Made

Rue is an intermediate-level crochet shawl designed by Donna Yacino from Berroco Book #407. This finished shawl measures approximately 17 inches across by 66 inches long, making it an elegant accessory suitable for layering or draping. The design creates a rectangular shawl through the strategic assembly of multiple crocheted medallions.

Construction Technique

Rue is worked flat and constructed seamlessly by joining individual medallions together as you crochet. Rather than creating one large piece, the pattern requires you to make a total of 68 separate medallions that are then joined to one another following a provided diagram. This modular approach allows for easier handling of the project and creates interesting geometric patterning. Each medallion is joined during the final round using chain spaces and slip stitches, eliminating the need for seaming after completion.

Crochet Stitches and Special Techniques

The pattern employs several fundamental crochet stitches and post stitches to create texture and dimension:

• Treble crochet (tr) forms the foundation of each medallion, with 24 trebles worked into a chain ring for the base medallion
• Back Post treble crochet (BPtr) and Front Post treble crochet (FPtr) are used to create dimensional texture by working around the posts of previous stitches rather than into the tops
• Chain stitches (ch) create spaces and openwork elements between post stitches
• Slip stitches (sl st) join rounds and connect medallions together

The base medallion consists of three rounds: the first establishes the stitch count, the second creates the post stitch pattern with chain spaces, and the third forms the joining loops. Subsequent medallions follow the same construction until the final round, where they are connected to previously completed medallions using chain-2 spaces and slip stitches into the chain-4 spaces of adjacent medallions.

Yarn and Materials

This project uses Berroco Sesame yarn in the colorway Pickled Ginger (#7430). You will need 4 balls of yarn, with each ball weighing 100 grams. A 4.50 mm (size 7) crochet hook is recommended, though you may adjust to a different size to obtain the correct gauge. The pattern advises using the specified yarn for best results and accurate finished measurements.

Gauge and Finishing

The gauge for this project is 1 medallion = 4 inches across after blocking. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure your finished shawl meets the specified dimensions. After completing all 68 medallions and joining them according to the diagram, finishing involves weaving in all yarn ends and blocking the shawl as desired to even out the medallions and enhance the drape of the finished piece.