Green and White Double Crochet Scarf

Green and White Double Crochet Scarf

One of the first scarves I made after learning the crochet basics was a double crochet scarf. I chose to try out doubling up on the yarn to make a nice thick scarf. It's perfect for cold winter days and I love the color variation.

This was a very simple pattern, just double crochet, pulling two strands of yarn at the same time. I used Caron Simply Soft yarn in Dark Sage and White. I added the fringe for a little more detail but it would have been just as nice without it.

Tips from this project: pulling two strands of yarn at the same time is a great way to make a project extra thick and luxurious. Make sure to use a much larger hook than the yarn calls for or you will have a lot of issues with being able to carry both strands at the same time. The process can be a little trying until you get the hang of catching both strands, but once you do, it's a lot of fun and you'll love the end result!

Lacy Flower Shawl

My best friend is lovely, isn't she? :) We've been like sisters since 6th grade and she still loves me, even after my crazy phase. That's a truly amazing friend. Her birthday was in early July and I wanted to make her something special so I started on it months ago. I then, of course, got super busy and it sat in my project bag for weeks and weeks on end in between my couple of hours here and there to work on it. I finally decided a couple of weeks ago that I WOULD finish it and spent two weekends working on it as much as I could to get it done. It was almost two months late but the end result was awesome, even if I do say so myself!

I ran across this pattern back when I first started hoarding patterns (if you crochet, you know you do it, too!). It sat on my "someday" list until I was trying to figure out what to make for her birthday. Then I remembered this gorgeous pattern and I knew it would be perfect! It is one of my favorite things I've made!

Detail

Before adding the red tassel

The tutorial video I used to make this shawl can be found here and the written pattern can be found here. Each flower and diamond are a separate motif and it's beautiful to watch it all come together. I used Red Heart Soft yarn in very red and white. The yarn I used was a little thicker than what it looks like is used in the video and I used a 5.5 mm hook. My shawl ended up very long for someone who is 5'3 and a half but it was perfect for my friend who is quite tall. If you were trying to make it for someone my size, you'd want to reduce it by a row, maybe even two.

One of the biggest changes I made was choosing to weave in my ends. The video tutorial shows just working around the tails to secure them but it made me uncomfortable to do so on a project where I put so much time into it. It would have been devastating to have the ends coming out after spending so much time making it beautiful. It was a huge time investment to weave them in but I feel much better about giving a gift that I know won't start to unravel after light use.

Happy crocheting!

Tips for Selecting Yarn

When I walk into my local art supply store, I am immediately drawn to the yarn section. The color, the texture, the possibilities! ... It's like heaven on earth!

When I first started buying yarn, I didn't pay much attention to any aspect of the yarn except aesthetics. It's so pretty!!! Slowly, though, I started to notice that some yarns were nicer than others upon closer inspection. Yarn that felt nice enough in the store felt rough and unpleasant after a few minutes of running it through my fingers as I worked up my next masterpiece.

I am now much more particular when it comes to selecting yarn. Here are a couple of shopping tips to help you pick out great yarn!

** Look at colors, but check out the texture, too. Don't just spend a second or two on texture and assume it is fine. Handle the yarn as you will when you use it. Run it across your hand/fingers to get a feel for how it will be to work with. Once you are familiar with a brand/line of yarn, this is not as important... but be skeptical at first and spend some time with the yarn before you commit.

** When testing the texture of a new yarn, consider how it will feel against your skin after a few hours of wear. Just because it is beautiful doesn't mean it will be comfortable. If you're working on a baby item, make sure it is something soft enough that it won't irritate the baby's delicate skin.

** Read the label! Easy enough, right? But easy to forget, too. The label has so much information. Recommended hook size, washing instructions (vital if you're working on something that will require regular washing...), yardage, and often information on a free pattern!

** Yarn sales are AMAZING!! I love them and buy more than I care to admit when a good sale is on. When you're stocking up at the big sale, keep in mind that, generally, one skein of yarn is not big enough to complete a project. As a general rule, I always buy at least 2 of any yarn I really like so I'm not as likely to run out.

** If you do run out of that amazing yarn you found on sale last season and isn't carried at your store anymore... check out Amazon!! They have a fabulous yarn selection and they haven't failed me yet when I've needed another ball of yarn that I can't find locally!

Happy crocheting!

Granny Square Baby Blanket (Pattern)

Granny Square Baby Blanket

A couple of months ago my cousin had a baby girl! Babies are awesome in their own right... but my favorite part (other than the obvious baby cuddles, laughs and smiles, of course... nothing beats that!) is getting to make super cute little blankets! I didn't have a ton of time when I went to make this because my sister was traveling to visit them and I wanted to send it with her instead of shipping it to them. I decided to go with a pretty basic design, a granny square! I alternated colors throughout the square and finished it with a round of single crochet (just to keep the edges as clean as possible) followed by a scalloped edge.

For this project I used Caron Simply Soft yarn in soft pink, watermelon, berry blue, blue mint, sage and sunshine. When I first learned how to make a basic granny square, I found this Ms. Craft Nerd video and this Bella Coco video helpful. There are tons and tons of fancy granny squares out there but this one is about as basic as it gets.

The pattern:

ch (chain)
dc (double crochet)
sl st (slip stitch)
cluster (3 dc together)

Ch 4. Sl st into the first chain to create a loop. Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc). Dc into the loop to create a cluster of 3 dc (repeat to make 4 clusters, ch 2 between the clusters). Ch 2 after your 4th cluster and sl st into the ch 2 of your first cluster to join the first and last clusters.

*Ch 2 (counts as a dc), create a cluster of 3 dc in the same space as the chain up. Ch1, create a cluster in the next open space, ch 1 (repeat to the corner). When in a corner of the square, create a cluster, ch 2, and create a second cluster in the same space.  Continue creating clusters in each open space until you reach your starting point. Sl st into your ch 2 of your first cluster to join the first and last clusters of this round.*

Repeat * until you get the size you want. I had 23 rounds (including the center, not including the single crochet and scalloped edge rounds) in my newborn baby blanket. Finish with an edging or leave it square.

To add the scalloped edging:

Single crochet around your square (start about an inch to an inch and a half to the left of a corner of your blanket). After you go all the way around, sl st to join your first and last sc.

**Skip 2 stitches from your sl st, dc 5 times into the 3rd stitch, skip 2 stitches, sc into the 3rd stitch.**

Continue ** around the square, working 8 dc into the corners to make them round properly. When you get towards the end of your square, eyeball and adjust where your last couple of scallops go so that the last couple are not too crowded or spread out (i.e. skip a stitch/add a stitch in the last couple to avoid crowding/gaps in the last scallop).

I found this video helpful when learning to add a scalloped edge. It's a crochet for knitters video but the core concepts are good.

Happy crocheting!

Open Square Summer Scarf (Pattern)

Open Square Scarf with Fringe

I scoured the internet for a couple of days looking for a spring/summer scarf pattern that I liked. There are so many to choose from! I wanted something simple but elegant and I found several that I bookmarked for another time. The pattern that caught my attention and wouldn't be set aside for later is the open square scarf. The open pattern keeps it from feeling too heavy for warmer weather and it is beautiful just hanging in my closet. Even more so when paired with some dark wash jeans, a cute t-shirt or tank and flats! 

When your nephew wants to try it on first, you can't say no to that sweet face :)

The yarn I used was Lion Brand Yarns Heartland Tweed in Mount Rainier Tweed. It has a lovely color variation if you look at it closely but the simplicity of the overall effect is very nice (see picture below). It took about 1 1/2 balls of yarn to complete this project (approximately 300 yards). The final dimensions for my scarf are 7 feet long by 10 inches wide, not counting the tassel. The tassel adds about 8 inches to each end. It's a great length to wind around your neck in a wide loop to keep it off the front of your neck!

Lion Brand Yarns Heartland Tweed in Mount Rainier Tweed 

I found this pattern on youtube, you can view the tutorial video here. I have provided my interpretation of the written pattern below because the written pattern was either not available or not in english. 

This pattern is made up of triple crochet and chain stitches. I used a medium weight yarn and 6 mm crochet hook. 

The pattern:

tc (triple crochet)
ch (chain)

Ch in multiples of 6+4 to your desired width. 

Ch 3 additional (this creates your first tc on the edge). Tc into the 5th chain from your hook. Tc into the next chain space.

*Ch 2. Skip 2 chain spaces, tc into the 3rd chain space, tc into the next chain space.*

Repeat * until there is only one chain space left in the row. Tc into the last chain space. (This will make 3 tc in a row at the end.)

**Ch 3, turn your work, ch 2 more. Tc twice into each open square space, ch 2 in between each set of tc. Repeat until you reach the last open space. This will leave you with extra space at the end. Tc into the last chain up space to create your 3rd tc for the edge.**

Repeat ** until you have reached your desired length for the scarf.

Tip: each row will begin and end with 3 tc. The middle of the scarf will be in sets of 2 tc.

Add a fringe if you like but it was nice without it as well!

Happy crocheting!

Why Do I Crochet?

I first became aware of crochet when my sister-in-law sat down at Christmas and started working on... I don't remember what at this point. A scarf or a hat of some kind. She had been crocheting for several months at that point and watching her casually working a big blob of yarn into something I actually wanted to look at while carrying on a conversation with the family was fascinating!

When I got home, I decided I wanted to try it too! So I took a trip to my local art supply store, purchased an assortment of crochet hooks (because buying just one would have been too reasonable) and picked out a variegated yarn that I liked the look of. My crochet supplies and a magazine on crochet basics in hand, I left the store beaming with pride.

When I got home, I settled into my comfy arm chair and proceeded to be completely dumbfounded by the crochet magazine. Not a word in that sucker made sense. Not to be defeated, I remembered my sis-in-law mentioning that she used a lot of YouTube videos when learning how to crochet. I pulled out the laptop and started searching. Within minutes I at least had something I could visualize and try to recreate.

The videos did not, however, click right away. I'm pretty sure my hubby thought I was going to lose my mind. How in the world were they making the yarn and hook work together in such blissful harmony!? My poor yarn looked ratted and fuzzy from being manhandled over and over again as I tried in vain to make what they made look so easy happen for myself. It took hours of stubborn trying, over and over again. I almost gave up. I'm so glad I didn't!!

I'm not sure what finally made it click for me, but suddenly I was doing it! I had a few rows of what passed for crochet! WIN! I proceeded to happily double crochet row after row, so proud of myself! What I ended up with was awful... lopsided, uneven, embarrassing. I had a lot of improvement to make in my skill and execution but I now knew I could do it if I was willing to keep trying.

My very first and very sad attempt at crochet!

Over the next couple of months I learned a ton! Trial and error were often frustrating but the payout when I finished something that I wasn't embarrassed to show someone was awesome. Now, about a year later, it's my favorite thing to do when I have a few minutes to myself.

Here are a few of the reasons why I LOVE crochet... and I think you will too.

Making something by hand is a labor of love. Every single stitch means something, especially if you have someone in mind when you make it. The person who will receive the item you are crocheting is being showered with love with every twitch of the crochet hook. The joy I feel giving a baby blanket to my sister or my cousin, stitching together granny squares for my nephew so he has a lovie to cuddle after his surgery, the hours spent working the detailed color changes into a scarf for my husband... these things are why I do it. The feeling of doing something by hand... it just means so much more.

There's something fascinating about taking a ball of yarn and turning it into a work of art. The way the stitches come together to make something beautiful. I catch myself stopping to enjoy the progress of what I'm making over and over as I make something. It is constantly changing and developing as I go. From a simple chain to a few rows of stitches to a full blown blanket. The transition is amazing and beautiful!

Life is STRESSFUL. Every day it feels like something happens that pushes the boundaries of my patience and crochet is a calming force in my life. When I'm past the point of being able to deal with life with grace and dignity, I can crochet. Zone out, let the steady rhythm of the stitches take over and by the time I've gotten a few rows done, I generally feel better and can look at the day's problem with a little more objectivity. It's stitch therapy and I couldn't live without it.

These are just a few reasons why I love crochet. It has something for everyone and I hope if you are interested in crochet, you can find the something that it can add to your life. You won't regret trying, I promise, just remember not to quit if it doesn't click right away.