🎥 Video Tutorial: Always Adaptable Beaded Shawl

Renee Rivera
Aug 27
2 min read

Updated: Sep 6

I love to travel and pack light ✈️ 🧳 💃🏻, so shawls are always in my luggage. They’re practical for chilly evenings—whether on the beach or a cruise ship—and they add effortless elegance to formalwear. Plus, they’re perfect for those moments when I’d rather keep my arms (which I am working hard to tighten and sculpt) under wraps. Do you see what I did there? 😆🫣

👉 Follow along with the free video tutorial or grab the paid PDF pattern to guide you stitch by stitch — both options are below.

✨ Why I Designed Always Adaptable

With the above details in mind, I set out to design the “Always Adaptable” beaded crochet shawl: lightweight, customizable, reversible (beaded on one side, plain on the other), and worked in easy-to-remember rows—all without pre-stringing beads.

Like many crocheters and knitters, I have a huge yarn stash. I wanted a pattern that could highlight different yarn weights, textures, and colors, and show off those special skeins I’d been saving. The design also gave me a chance to experiment with cube-shaped beads and it turned out stunning!

🧶 Materials I Used in the Tutorial

Yarn: Lion Brand, String, Fingering (#1, Superfine) 3 skeins in “Jingle” or your color of choice, ~220gr|0.54oz.
Main Hook (MH): 5 mm (US H-8)
Bead Placement Hook (BH): Used to place beads on stitches. Size 1.15mm or 1.10mm—whichever size allows you to draw the yarn comfortably through the bead holes.
Smiley-face Beads: Miyuki, 4mm cube beads, 1.4mm dia hole, ~30g, 270 beads in “Silver.”
Tools: 2 locking stitch markers, tapestry needle, scissors, tape measure, scissors.
Blocking Materials: Mat, T-pins, blocking combs, etc.
Optional: Beading board to hold beads while you work.

💡Customization Ideas

The name says it all: wear the beaded side for a dressy event or flip it for a casual look. Choose any yarn, any bead type, and make it any size you like.

In addition to the Miyuki brand, Toho also makes 4mm cube beads. Size 2/0 round seed beads work well for heavier-weight yarns like Heavy Worsted, Bulky, and Chunky.

🎥 Watch the Free Tutorial

🖨️ Want the Printable Digital Pattern?

PDF Pattern Includes:

Video tutorial and timestamps
Size customization options
Clear project photos
Pattern support
Printable gift tags featuring original artwork

👉🏼 Find it on: Ravelry

💜 Final Thoughts

I have stitched several versions of the Always Adaptable shawl, each one unique. My favorite so far? I presented the version in the photo below to my mom as a birthday present while we were on a cruise—she loved it!

My next venture will be to make the shawl with sequins ✨. I hope you enjoy making and wearing the Always Adaptable shawl as much as I do!—Renée 🤗 💕