Sweet As Rose / DROPS 147-55: A Complete Guide to This Beautiful Free Crochet Pattern
There is something timeless about a crocheted lace shawl. It drapes beautifully, works up surprisingly quickly once you find your rhythm, and the finished piece feels like something you could pass down through generations. The Sweet As Rose shawl from DROPS Design — pattern number DROPS 147-55 — is exactly that kind of project. It combines elegant construction, a light and airy lace design, and the accessibility of a free pattern available directly from DROPS Design’s website. Whether you are an intermediate crocheter looking for your next meaningful project or an experienced maker searching for something refined and gift-worthy, this pattern deserves a close look.
In this guide, we are going to walk through everything you need to know about the Sweet As Rose / DROPS 147-55 crochet pattern: the design itself, the yarn requirements, the skill level, tips for working the lace sections, how to adjust the size, finishing advice, and why this pattern has remained popular among crocheters around the world.
What Is the Sweet As Rose / DROPS 147-55 Pattern?
The Sweet As Rose shawl is a free crochet pattern published by DROPS Design as part of their DROPS 147 collection. DROPS Design is a Norwegian yarn company with a long tradition of publishing high-quality, free knitting and crochet patterns through their website, garnering a loyal following of crafters across Europe, North America, and beyond.
Pattern number DROPS 147-55 is a crocheted shawl that features delicate lace work, a classic triangular shape, and a graceful name that immediately conjures images of something soft, romantic, and beautiful. The shawl is worked in a fine laceweight yarn, which gives it an heirloom quality that heavier yarns simply cannot replicate. The rose motif woven into the lace pattern gives the finished shawl a distinctly floral character without being overly decorative or fussy.
What makes this pattern particularly appealing is that DROPS Design offers it completely free of charge. You can download or print the pattern directly from the DROPS Design website in multiple languages, including English, German, Norwegian, French, Italian, and many others. This global accessibility has made it one of the most widely crocheted shawls from the DROPS catalogue.
Yarn Requirements for DROPS 147-55
The recommended yarn for Sweet As Rose is DROPS Lace, a fine, smooth laceweight yarn made from a blend of superfine merino wool and silk. This yarn blend is particularly well suited for lace projects because the silk content adds a luminous sheen and a fluid drape, while the merino wool provides softness and elasticity that makes the shawl comfortable against the skin.
DROPS Lace comes in a wide range of colors, which opens up wonderful creative possibilities for this project. The sample shawl shown on the DROPS website is typically worked in a soft, neutral shade, but the lace pattern itself would shine equally well in pale blush pink, dusty lavender, deep burgundy, or even a crisp white for a bridal accessory feel.
The pattern calls for approximately 100 grams of DROPS Lace yarn, which translates to roughly 800 meters. This is an important detail to keep in mind if you are considering substituting a different yarn. Whatever yarn you choose, you want something in a similar weight with a similar yardage per 100 grams. A yarn with good stitch definition and a smooth surface will show off the lace motifs most clearly.
If you are substituting yarn, look for anything labeled as laceweight or 0-weight. Some crafters have had success using DROPS Kid-Silk, a mohair and silk blend, which creates a hazier, more romantic version of the shawl. Others have used 100% merino laceweight from other manufacturers. Just be sure to swatch and match your gauge before committing to the full project.
Hook Size and Gauge
The pattern recommends a 3 mm crochet hook. This may seem quite small if you are accustomed to working with bulkier yarns, but for laceweight projects, a 3 mm hook is fairly standard. The fine hook allows you to create the open, airy mesh that defines lace crochet.
Gauge for lace shawls is somewhat more flexible than for garments, since you are not fitting the piece to a body with a specific measurement. However, getting close to the recommended gauge matters for achieving the correct final dimensions and the intended drape. The pattern lists the gauge as 22 stitches and 10 rows in double crochet over 10 x 10 cm.
If your gauge swatch comes out tighter than specified, try moving up one hook size to a 3.5 mm. If your swatch is looser, try a 2.5 mm hook. It is worth taking the time to swatch before starting, especially since laceweight projects require a significant time investment and you want the end result to look as intended.
Skill Level and Who This Pattern Is For
DROPS Design categorizes the Sweet As Rose shawl as suitable for intermediate crocheters. This means you should be comfortable with the basic crochet stitches — chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet — before starting this project.
Beyond the basics, you will need some familiarity with simple lace techniques. The shawl uses chain spaces, picots, and basic cluster stitches to create its lace motifs. None of these techniques are particularly difficult once explained, but if you have never worked a lace pattern before, it may be worth practicing on a small swatch first to understand how the open mesh is formed.
The pattern is written in standard DROPS notation, which uses a combination of written instructions and a chart. If you are a visual learner, the accompanying crochet chart is extremely helpful for understanding how the lace repeat flows across the rows. Many crocheters find that working from the chart while referencing the written instructions for the first few rows helps them internalize the pattern more quickly.
Beginners who are patient and willing to read carefully can absolutely attempt this pattern, especially if they have a few simpler crochet shawls under their belt. The construction is logical and the lace repeat becomes intuitive once you have worked through it a couple of times.
Understanding the Construction
The Sweet As Rose shawl is worked from the top down, starting with a small number of stitches at the center back of the neckline and growing outward toward the pointed hem. This top-down triangular construction is one of the most popular approaches for crocheted shawls for good reason: it is easy to visualize your progress, and you can continue working until you run out of yarn if you want a larger shawl.
The shawl begins with a foundation chain and establishes the center spine from which both sides of the triangle grow symmetrically. Each right-side row adds stitches on both the left and right edges as well as on either side of the center spine, creating the classic triangular shape.
The lace sections are interspersed with rows of double crochet, which provides a visual rhythm to the shawl. This alternation between solid fabric and open lace keeps the project interesting and prevents the kind of monotony that can sometimes set in with large, single-texture projects.
The edging along the lower edge of the shawl adds the finishing touch and frames the lace beautifully. DROPS patterns are known for their thoughtfully designed edgings, and this one is no exception. Taking your time with the edging will make a significant difference in the polished appearance of the finished shawl.
Step-by-Step Tips for Working the Pattern
Read the entire pattern before you begin. This sounds obvious, but it is genuinely useful with lace patterns. Scanning through all the instructions before casting on helps you understand where the pattern is going and prevents unpleasant surprises mid-row.
Use stitch markers generously. Place markers at the center spine stitches and at the beginning of each lace repeat. This makes it much easier to keep your place, especially in the longer rows toward the bottom of the shawl.
Work in good light. Fine laceweight yarn on a small hook requires you to see clearly what you are doing. Lace crochet worked in dim light is an invitation to mistakes.
Don’t pull your chain spaces too tightly. Lace crochet lives and dies by the openness of its chain spaces. If you tend to work tightly, make a conscious effort to keep your chains loose. This will give the finished shawl its characteristic airy quality.
Count at the end of every row. It takes only a moment to count your stitches, but it can save you from discovering an error ten rows later. In lace crochet, one missed stitch or extra chain can throw off an entire repeat.
Block your swatch. If you are unfamiliar with blocking lace, practice on your gauge swatch first. Laceweight yarn transforms after blocking, and understanding how your chosen yarn responds to wet blocking will help you achieve the best possible result with the finished shawl.
How to Adjust the Size
One of the great advantages of top-down triangular shawl construction is how easily it accommodates size adjustments. If you want a smaller, more lightweight shawl — perhaps for a baby or a delicate capelet effect — simply work fewer rows before beginning the edging. If you want a dramatic, wrap-worthy shawl, continue working additional repeats until you reach your desired dimensions.
Keep in mind that adjusting the size will affect your yarn consumption. A larger shawl will obviously require more yarn, so if you plan to scale up significantly, purchase extra skeins before you begin. Running out of yarn with only a few rows left to complete is one of the most frustrating experiences in any crafting project.
Some crafters have also experimented with working this pattern at a slightly heavier weight, using fingering-weight yarn on a 3.5 mm or 4 mm hook. This produces a more substantial fabric that is warmer and better suited to cooler weather, though it loses some of the ethereal quality of the original laceweight version.
Finishing and Blocking
Blocking is not optional for lace crochet — it is essential. Before blocking, a crocheted lace shawl will look bunched and unimpressive. After blocking, the lace opens up, the motifs become clear and defined, and the shawl takes on its full, graceful shape.
To wet block the Sweet As Rose shawl, soak it in cool water for about twenty to thirty minutes, then gently press out the excess water in a towel. Do not wring or twist the shawl. Lay it flat on a blocking mat and use blocking pins or wires to stretch it to the correct dimensions, opening up the lace pattern as you go. The blocking wires are particularly helpful for the long straight edges of a triangular shawl.
Allow the shawl to dry completely before removing the pins — this may take anywhere from several hours to overnight depending on your climate. Once dry, the shawl will hold its blocked shape beautifully, especially if it contains any silk or wool in the fiber content.
Why Crocheters Love This Pattern
The Sweet As Rose / DROPS 147-55 pattern has earned its place as a beloved classic in the DROPS Design catalogue for a number of reasons.
First, it is free. In a world where quality patterns are increasingly sold for several dollars each, the DROPS commitment to offering beautifully designed, well-tested, free patterns is a genuine gift to the crafting community.
Second, the design is genuinely lovely. The rose-inspired lace motif is romantic without being saccharine, delicate without being fragile-looking, and classic without feeling dated. It is the kind of shawl that works equally well with a summer dress at an outdoor wedding or draped over the shoulders on a chilly autumn evening.
Third, the construction is satisfying to work. The steady growth of the triangular shape provides a visual sense of progress, and the alternation between lace sections and simpler rows keeps the project engaging from start to finish.
Fourth, the yarn is accessible. DROPS Lace is available through many online and local retailers at a price point that makes this an affordable project as well as a beautiful one.
Finally, the global community of DROPS crocheters means there is no shortage of finished object photos, tips, and project notes available on sites like Ravelry and Pinterest. Seeing the shawl worked in dozens of different color combinations and yarn substitutions can be genuinely inspiring and helps you make confident choices before you begin your own version.
Gift Ideas and Occasions
The Sweet As Rose shawl is one of those rare projects that is equally appropriate to keep for yourself or to give as a gift. The combination of a beautiful design, quality materials, and the evident care that goes into any hand-crocheted piece makes it a genuinely meaningful present.
For a bridal gift, work the shawl in white or ivory DROPS Lace and pair it with a handwritten note and a small box. A bride can wear it on her wedding day or keep it as a lasting memory of the occasion.
For a birthday or Mother’s Day gift, consider asking about the recipient’s favorite color and working the shawl in a shade that suits her wardrobe. A dusty rose, sage green, or deep navy would each give the shawl a completely different character.
For a baby shower gift, a miniature version worked in pale yellow or mint would make an enchanting accessory for a newborn, though be mindful of fiber content for items intended for infants — a baby-safe yarn choice is worth prioritizing here.
Where to Find the Free Pattern
The Sweet As Rose / DROPS 147-55 pattern is available for free on the official DROPS Design website at garnstudio.com. Simply search for “DROPS 147-55” or “Sweet As Rose” in the pattern search, and you will be taken directly to the pattern page where you can view it online or download a printable version.
The pattern is available in a large number of languages, so if English is not your first language, there is a very good chance the pattern is already available in your preferred language. DROPS also provides a crochet chart alongside the written instructions, which is enormously helpful regardless of which language version you use.
Final Thoughts
The Sweet As Rose / DROPS 147-55 shawl is the kind of pattern that reminds you why you fell in love with crochet in the first place. It is accessible enough to be approachable, beautiful enough to be truly satisfying, and well-constructed enough to stand the test of time. Whether you are crocheting it for yourself or for someone you love, the finished piece carries with it all the warmth, care, and creativity that handmade things always do.
If you have been looking for a lace shawl pattern that balances elegance with approachability, that uses a quality yarn at a reasonable price point, and that rewards your time and effort with something genuinely lovely — Sweet As Rose is the one to make.
