Global Shawl with Foxtrot Border: Easy Rectangular Crochet Scarf Guide

This blog post will break down Christa's YouTube tutorial, "Global Shawl with Foxtrot Border - Easy Rectangular Crochet Scarf | The Secret Yarnery," into an easy-to-follow guide. You'll be crocheting your own stunning shawl in no time!

Have you ever felt the cozy embrace of a handmade shawl, the kind that whispers stories of dedication and love with every stitch? The Global Foxtrot Shawl captures that essence perfectly. This unique design features a mesmerizing globe-like stitch pattern, playfully accented by the flowing movement of the Foxtrot border.

Krista, from The Secret Yarnery, has a gift for crafting crochet designs that are both accessible and stunning. Her patterns empower crocheters of all skill levels to create beautiful, wearable art.

This blog post serves as your personal roadmap to crocheting the Global Foxtrot Shawl. We'll break down Krista's tutorial into manageable steps, offering guidance and tips along the way. Whether you're a crochet newbie or a seasoned pro, prepare to embark on a rewarding journey of creativity and skill. Learn all you need to know about crochet with tutorials, patterns, and motivation from The Secret Yarnery.

Ready to get started? You can find the original tutorial here:

What makes the Global Foxtrot Shawl so special? Well, it's the stitch pattern! It cleverly disguises the direction in which you started. You can't easily tell if it was worked horizontally or vertically because of those adorable little "globes."

This is especially handy if you're working with a yarn that has a long color change. You can simply work the shawl lengthwise, creating skinny, vertical stripes. But the pattern also shines with shorter color changes, like the yarn Krista uses. And imagine it in a solid color! The possibilities are truly endless.

The Foxtrot border? It's the dance in the design! It adds a touch of elegance and playful movement to the shawl's edge. It gives it a little oomph!

The best part? This pattern is incredibly versatile. You can adapt it to different yarn weights and colors, making it your own unique creation. Don't be afraid to dive into your yarn stash and experiment! As Krista herself says, "I love the pattern, I love the size of it!" I couldn't agree more!

Before we dive into the stitches, let's gather our supplies. Having everything on hand will make the process smoother and more enjoyable.

The yarn you choose will significantly impact the look and feel of your finished shawl.

• Rosetta Worsted from Ice Yarns: Krista uses Rosetta Worsted from Ice Yarns. This yarn is a blend of 30% wool and 70% acrylic, making it soft, warm, and easy to care for. It's a size 4 medium weight yarn, perfect for this project. Find similar great yarn on The Secret Yarnery website.
• Alternative Yarn Suggestions: Don't have Rosetta Worsted on hand? No problem! Any worsted weight yarn will work. Consider these options:
  • Wool: For a warm and rustic feel.
  • Acrylic: For affordability and easy care.
  • Cotton: For a lightweight and breathable shawl, perfect for warmer weather.
  • Blends: Experiment with different fiber blends to achieve your desired texture and drape.
• Border Yarn Options: For the border, Krista uses a combination of silk cotton and cotton bamboo light. These yarns add a touch of luxury and softness to the edge of the shawl. Look for similar yarns that complement your main yarn in color and texture.

Besides yarn, you'll need a few essential tools to bring this project to life:

• Crochet Hook: A 6 mm crochet hook is recommended for this pattern.
• Stitch Markers: Stitch markers are your best friends! They help you keep track of your stitch counts and ensure accurate pattern placement. I suggest these stitch markers from Amazon.
• Scissors: A sharp pair of scissors for clean yarn cuts.
• Darning Needle: A darning needle helps you weave in loose ends, creating a polished and professional finish.
  • Find great darning needles on Amazon.

Alright, let's get our hands moving! The first step is creating the foundation chain, the base upon which our entire shawl will be built.

Start by making a slip knot. There are many ways to make a slip knot, so use whichever method you're most comfortable with. Here's a quick refresher:

1. Wrap the yarn around your fingers, creating a loop.
2. Insert your hook into the loop and catch the yarn.
3. Pull the yarn through the loop, creating a new loop on your hook.
4. Tighten the knot by pulling on the yarn tail.

Next, chain two. This will be the starting point for our foundation row. Remember not to count the slip knot or the loop on your hook when counting chains. Only count the "V's" or the loops in between.

Now, this is where it gets a little tricky. We need to work into the very first chain we made. This can be a bit fiddly, but it's important for creating a solid foundation.

Try to get two loops of that stitch onto your hook. Go into kind of the bottom half and just kind of poke with your finger, ensuring you have two strands of yarn from that very first chain on the top of your hook.

After pulling your strand of yarn up through the two loops from the first chain, chain one. Pinch that chain open; you want to have two loops behind your thumb and one loop in front.

Now, we're going to create a foundation row that combines chains and single crochets. This technique creates a stretchy and even edge, perfect for a shawl.

Instead of a typical chain foundation, we're making a chain and then essentially crocheting it at the same time. This creates a super elastic and durable foundation. It might look a little strange at first, but trust the process!

Here's how it works:

1. Separate the chain you just made, ensuring one loop is in front of your thumb and two loops are behind.
2. Insert your hook back down right to where you're holding it open, sliding those two loops onto your hook.
3. Grab your yarn and bring it back, pulling your hook up to get that loop a bit loose.
4. Chain one.
5. Wrap your yarn, take off two, and separate that chain that you just made. Keep one loop in front of your thumb.
6. Wrap your yarn and take off two.

• Keep track of your chains! It's easy to lose count, so pay attention.
• Make the chains a little loose by pulling up your hook. This will prevent the foundation row from being too tight.

Continue working this chain list single crochet foundation until your shawl reaches your desired width. For this tutorial, I'm making a narrow one to get you started.

Stitch markers are essential for keeping our stitch counts accurate and ensuring the shell pattern aligns correctly. Let's place them strategically along our foundation row.

These little helpers will mark specific points in our pattern, ensuring that our shells are evenly spaced and that we don't accidentally add or subtract stitches. Trust me, they'll save you a lot of headaches later on!

Flip your work so the slip knot is closest to you and the "V's" are facing away. This will ensure that you're counting and marking the correct stitches.

Here's how to place your stitch markers:

1. Starting from the slip knot end, count eight "V's" (posts) along the foundation row.
2. Place a stitch marker in the eighth chain. I'm going to put it right after the eighth post.
3. Count seven chains. Place a stitch marker in the seventh chain.
4. Repeat this process, placing a stitch marker every seventh chain along the entire row.
5. In the last section, you should have eight stitches, not counting the stitch marker.

To avoid accidentally counting the stitch marker as a stitch, use Krista's technique of pinching off the stitch marker. Just pinch off that stitch so you don't look at it.

To double-check your stitch marker placement, count the loops on one side of the chain. You should have seven loops between each stitch marker.

Now we're ready to start building the shell pattern! This is where the shawl really starts to take shape.

Chain three. This chain three counts as a double crochet and will serve as our turning chain at the beginning of each row.

Skip the very first stitch after the turning chain. This is important for maintaining the correct stitch count and creating a consistent edge.

In the second stitch from the hook, work three double crochets. To do this, wrap your yarn and make three double crochets into the second stitch. See a double crochet stitch tutorial if you don't know how.

Chain two. This chain two will create the space between our shells.

Skip six stitches and work into the seventh stitch, where your stitch marker is located. Because we counted and put in our stitch markers, we don't have to worry about that. Now we can just wrap our yarn and go into where our stitch marker is, the same stitch, two loops of that stitch on your hook, two loops of the V.

In the seventh stitch (where the stitch marker is), create a shell stitch: three double crochets, chain one, and three double crochets all into the same stitch. This shell stitch will be consistent throughout the entire shawl.

You can remove the stitch markers after completing the shell stitch.

Repeat the shell stitch, chain two, and skip six stitches pattern across the entire row.

At the end of the row, work three double crochets into the second stitch back and one double crochet into the last stitch.

Row 2 is where the pattern starts to solidify. We'll be building upon the shells we created in Row 1, creating a beautiful, textured fabric.

Chain three and turn your work. This is the same way we started Row 1, and we'll continue to start every row this way.

Again, work into the second stitch from the hook.

In the chain one space at the top of the shells from the previous row, create another shell stitch: three double crochets, chain one, and three double crochets.

Row 2 is essentially a repeat of Row 1, with shells worked into the chain spaces of the shells below.

If you're having trouble identifying the correct stitch placement, try lining up your needle or tipping up the work to see the "V's".

Remember to chain two between the shells!

At the end of the row, work three double crochets into the last real double crochet and one double crochet into the top of the turning chain.

The consistent starting and ending procedures help create nice, straight edges for the shawl. This attention to detail will elevate the look of your finished project.

Row 3 is where the magic happens! We'll be introducing the "globe" stitch, which gives the shawl its unique and eye-catching texture.

The key difference in Row 3 is that instead of a chain two space, we'll be using a chain one, single crochet around both chains from the previous row, and chain one.

To create the "globe" effect, we'll be single crocheting around the chain two space from the previous row.

1. Chain one.
2. Put your hook underneath both of those chains from the previous row, and grab your yarn to bring it back.
3. Wrap your yarn and take off two (single crochet).
4. Chain one.

The single crochet will create a cute "egg" or "globe" shape. You can now go back and see that you've pinched it down into a cute little egg.

Repeat the shell stitch, chain one, single crochet around chains, and chain one pattern across the entire row.

At the end of the row, work three double crochets into the last real double crochet and one double crochet into the top of the turning chain.

From now on, you're simply repeating the rows.

Now you know the basic pattern! Keep repeating these rows, alternating between the shell rows and the globe rows, until your shawl reaches your desired size. Enjoy seeing the pattern grow!

When your shawl reaches your desired length, end with a row of the "globe" stitch pattern. This will create a cohesive and visually appealing finish.

Now it's time to add the Foxtrot border, the final flourish that will elevate your shawl to the next level!

Chain one and turn your work to begin the border.

Single crochet into the very first stitch to create a clean and even edge.

We'll now create a series of chain six loops along the top of the shawl. These loops will form the foundation for the Foxtrot border. To do this, chain six, and single crochet into the top of each globe.

Maintain consistent spacing between the loops for a visually appealing border.

At the end of the row, make two single crochets (into the top of the last double crochet and into the chain) to maintain a nice edge.

Cut your yarn, pull your hook up, and pull your yarn through and snug that down to secure.

We'll now reinforce and define the loops we created in the previous row.

Chain one and turn your work.

Single crochet into each of these first two stitches.

Single crochet into each chain of the loops we created in the previous row. If you just look on one side of your chain, you can do one single crochet into each chain going back to your next globe.

Also, single crochet into the single crochets that secured the loops.

End with two single crochets in two stitches on this end to keep your edge nice and straight.

Cut your yarn, pull your hook up, and pull your yarn through and snug that down to secure.

Now we'll switch to our border yarn, adding a touch of color and texture to the edge of the shawl.

Choose a border yarn that complements the main yarn in color and texture. Something that matches any of the colors in the yarn that you're using.

To join the new yarn, I'm going to go straight into that very first stitch, two loops on my hook like that. Put a loop of yarn on your hook, leaving a long enough tail to sew in with a needle later. Bring that yarn through and slip stitch with both strands to join.

This row will create spaces for the treble crochets in the next row. Chain six, and skip over to where your next single crochet is that connects the globe underneath. Then, single crochet into the same stitch where we attached our globe down below.

Repeat the chain six and single crochet pattern across the entire row.

Now it's time to create the treble crochet shells that will give the border its distinctive look!

Chain four and turn your work.

In each of the spaces, create treble crochet shells. Remind readers to wrap the yarn twice for treble crochets. I'll create a shell consisting of four treble crochets, chain two, and four treble crochets into each space.

There is no chain or slip stitch between the shells; simply jump from one shell to the next.

Make a treble crochet just to pin it down right at the very edge.

This row will create delicate "finger loops" along the edge of the shawl, adding a touch of whimsy and elegance.

Chain five (counts as a double crochet) and three chain for the space, then turn your work.

This row will create delicate "finger loops" along the edge of the shawl. Double crochet into the chain two spaces of the treble crochet shells. Then, chain 15, hold that chain on your hook, wrap your yarn and one more double crochet into the chain 2 space, and repeat.

Chain three into the space between the shells. Wrap your yarn and 1 double crochet into the center space.

Repeat the double crochet and chain 15 pattern across the entire row.

We'll now secure the finger loops, creating a more defined and polished edge.

Chain eleven and turn your work.

This row will secure the finger loops and create a more defined edge.

Instruct readers to double crochet into the first chain 15 loop. Into the next chain 15 loop, wrap the yarn twice the way you do triple crochets.

Repeat the three loops for each chain set.

Slip stitch into the third chain up, and chain one to secure.

For this border, we're going to join the yarn not into your first double crochet, but into the chain right before it. Then, loop the new yarn through, and chain 5.

Skip the doubles, and go right into the center of those triples and follow the instructions.

Here we'll be making three shells into each space.

Wrap your yarn and into the third chain up, make 1 double crochet just to finish off the shawl like that, and there's the edge.

Chain six, turn your work, and continue working as normal to finish the row following the previous instructions, and it should look amazing!

Once you've completed all the crochet, you will want to clean up the edges by weaving in any loose ends.

I'd love to see your finished Global Foxtrot Shawl! Share photos of your creation on social media using the hashtags #SecretYarnery, #GlobalFoxtrotShawl, and #CrochetShawl. I love seeing what you create! Find me on Facebook - The Secret Yarn or join our crochet community to show off your new shawl!

Congratulations! You've successfully crocheted your own Global Foxtrot Shawl. This pattern is the perfect place to find new patterns, tips, and tricks. This Easy Rectangular Crochet Scarf offers a unique design that you can give as a gift or keep for yourself. I hope you enjoyed the process and are thrilled with the result. Keep exploring the wonderful world of crochet, and never stop creating!

This project is suitable for confident beginners to intermediate crocheters. If you're comfortable with basic stitches like chain, single crochet, and double crochet, you're ready to start. The step-by-step tutorial makes it easy to follow the pattern.

The time required depends on your crochet speed, chosen yarn, and the size of the shawl you create. On average, completing the Global Foxtrot Shawl may take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks when working consistently.

Absolutely! While the tutorial specifies a worsted-weight yarn, this pattern is highly versatile. You can use lighter yarns like DK or heavier ones like bulky for a different texture and drape. Just adjust your hook size accordingly.

Adjust the hook size based on your yarn label's recommendations. For lighter yarns like DK, you might use a 4-5 mm hook, and for bulky yarn, a 7-8 mm hook may be ideal. Always swatch beforehand to find the drape you prefer.

Consistency is key. Always ensure you're working into the correct stitches at the beginning and end of rows. Checking your stitch count occasionally and using stitch markers can help maintain straight, even edges.

Yes! You can easily adjust the width by altering the length of the foundation chain or the overall length by adding or reducing rows. Keep the stitch pattern repeat in mind for symmetry.

This pattern shines with all types of color options:

• Solid Colors: For a clean, classic look.
• Gradient or Ombre: To highlight the flow of the stitches.
• Self-Striping Yarn: Allows color changes without needing to switch yarns manually.
• Contrasting Yarn for Border: Adds a pop of interest to the edges.

If your foundation chain feels too tight, try using a larger crochet hook for the foundation chain only, then switch back to the recommended hook size for the body of the shawl.

Blocking enhances the shawl's drape and defines the stitches:

• Lightly spray with water and pin it to the desired dimensions on a clean surface.
• For natural fibers like wool, you can try wet-blocking (soaking the shawl and then shaping it).
• Always follow care instructions for your yarn.

Yes, feel free to get creative! You can expand the Foxtrot border, add tassels or fringe, or incorporate beads for extra decoration.