seamless hooded scarf

I have finished the hooded scarf begun a couple days ago. I love it and, more importantly, my husband loves it. I used the wonderful pattern by Andraya, which I found on Ravelry. It is called Seamless Hooded Scarf, an apt description. You don't have to be a Ravelry member to access it from her blog.

While you do have to pay attention to your counts as you work the first few rounds, it goes quickly.

Stitches used include sc, hdc, dc, and tr, so nothing new there, but an ingenious method of making a nicely fitted hooded scarf. I even worked the major portion of this pattern in hdc which is not my favorite stitch by any means, but the designer made it clear that the ch-2 was counted as a stitch. That is always my problem. Some folks do count it and some don't, but they don't always say so in the design.

After a couple of tries with other patterns, I was very pleased to find this one.

I did make a few changes - don't I always - but these were in number of rounds, not in design. I added a round to the hood section (the round with the tr), and then worked 100 rows for the scarf, rather than 66. My husband wanted it long enough to go around his neck and hang down the back, so the weight of it would keep it closed.

The scarf can be worn across the face to protect lips or down around the neck. Pictures show both.

I used an H hook and the Swish superwash merino wool truffle yarn that I purchased recently from Knit Picks. Lovely yarn. [I used 4 skeins @110 yds/50 gms ea for a total of 440 yards/200 gm or about 7 ozs.]

To give details of this particular scarf, using an H hook -
scarf sections are 5" x 31" on each side. Hood from center top to end of scarf below it if 14". Hood from side to side when folded is 7".

I don't know if that helps anyone, but it fit my husband just fine and his head is about 22 1/2" around. I can wear it comfortably also even though my head is small, but not with the scarf around my mouth as it falls lower than my mouth/chin area.

I highly recommend this pattern. The yarn was lovely but I haven't washed it yet, so I am not 100% sure on it from that angle.

Happy crocheting!

how much does it take

Some time ago I mentioned that I was asked how much yarn it would take to make a certain crocheted item. It's a question I hear quite often. I thought I would post these links here. They are on the Yarn Yak page at Crochet Cabana as well.

Lion Brand has a chart that gives yardage for certain items. Here is the pdf file and here is the html page. Those links do change periodically so if you can't find it, just search around the site.

Elizabeth's Fiber and Yarn Store also has a chart.

Knitting Daily has an article on how much yarn it takes to make sweaters or cardigans.

If you live in or near Portland, are you in for a treat. This shop has a nice article on how to figure how much yarn you'll need, but not only that - if you go into the shop they'll help you do this. You can also make your own skeins of yarn, combining colors you like together. How cool is that? From the Chronicles of Yarnia shop web site:

Yarnia is Portland's only DIY yarn store, and the only place where you can design your very own custom blend of yarn. You choose the fiber, color, thickness, and amount, and can have your custom cone of yarn wound for you right on the spot. Plus, it's all sold by the pound!

Hope those articles are some help. They are generally by the yard, so you must know how many yards in your skein if you are shopping by skein which is what I normally do. I usually figure on getting 3 skeins of any particular yarn if they are 3.5 ounce skeins as I know I can complete a scarf with that much. If I have a particular pattern in mind, of course, then I know how much yarn I need, but generally I am yarn shopping with no particular project in mind.

One thing to note about these charts is that for most projects crochet takes a lot more yarn than knitting - more than twice the amount in yards. If you're on a budget, you might like to learn how to knit too. ;-)

I added a few patterns to the never ending files in my computer of things I hope to do one day and will probably never get around to.

First is this beautiful heart afghan. You can find more beautiful afghan patterns and many other types of patterns at Purple Kitty, published on the site with permission from the original publishers.

I can't remember if I posted this pattern or not, but I have been looking at hooded scarf patterns and I began this one yesterday from Andraya's Crochet and so far I love it. I added a few rounds as it is for my husband and his head is apparently larger than Andraya's. :-) I have found I have to pay attention to what I'm doing, but if you do, the pattern is written clearly and the result is nice. I'm not finished the scarf yet. I'll let you know how it comes out.

Another pattern that has tickled my creative juices is the Bainbridge Scarf. It is knitted, but it would be easy enough to convert to crochet as it is just a rectangle 4" x 26" with a tie on each end. The pictures showing you how to wear it are great though!

Going on my hook soon will be Sandra Huffines' winter hat over at Bev's Country Cottage.

A friend mentioned working a Jacob's Ladder hat some time ago. Now there's a thought! I want to try that. I don't have a pattern, but I think I can do it without one.

Also, I want to make one of these wheelchair wraps by Susan Coes.

That's enough to keep me busy for a while I think. I guess I'd better get busy!

Have a safe New Year's Eve, everyone!

Happy crocheting!

Where to help in 2011

I've been going back and forth among projects this week as the mood hits. Today I determined to finish this Special Olympics scarf.

The pattern began as the Window Pane Scarf. I was concerned about staying within the required size and the pattern gave no size, so I switched from I hook to H hook. Then I reduced the foundation chain by a bit. I figured it was better to be shorter than longer as I could add to it, but couldn't subtract.

I also wanted a border all around the Turqua in the blue. I got that, but it was a bit tricky. What I should have done was work the entire thing in Turqua then just add the border, but what I did do was work Row 1 in blue and the filet in Turqua. Then I had to figure how to get the blue on the three remaining sides, which I did.

At that point it was only 5" wide, so I worked an additional round of (sc, ch 2, 2 dc, sk 2) around which was perfect.

I found the center a little plain, so to dress it up I decided to try weaving a strand of blue through the two middle rows. What do you think? I've never done that before. I think I like the look of it. I hope it washes up well. I considered making a length of chain or using the knitting nobby or something like that to give me a thicker weaving strand. I'd have had to figure out how long to make it though, and sewing in the thicker would not have been easy, so I nixed that.

Finished size is 6" x 54 1/2" (just squeaked by on the length).

Besides the scarf, I wanted to mention a new charity opportunity that I saw in the Crochet! magazine I received today.

That project would be the Super Bowl Super Scarves project. There is plenty of time to work on this if you are interested as it is for the Super Bowl of February 2012, a whole year away. The 2013 Super Bowl will be in New Orleans, which is near me. I hope they do the scarves project too.

They do not say if crocheted scarves are accepted that I could find, but I e-mailed them for clarification. Details of the project are on the web page, but generally speaking, there are particular yarns listed which are accepted (blues and whites), and the size is 6-8" x 76-100", longer than the Special Olympic scarves, so you can use all those patterns that didn't fit the other project.

I noticed that some of the yarns are wool. Notably there is Debbie Macomber Universal yarn listed. This is actually the Universal Gerbera Solida yarn. The colors in that yarn are called White Daisy and Blue Bell. Cute. I will probably use the Vanna's Choice 107 Sapphire and 100 White as that is the most easily accessible to me and I also like it as it is a nice, medium priced acrylic yarn.

Speaking of the Special Olympics, if you are making scarves and don't know where to send them, do please consider Louisiana. I believe they will start posting totals end of next week or the following week so we will know how many they've received. The deadline to ship to Louisiana is February 25. Scarves must be received by March 4.

Also in that issue of Crochet! there was a short list of CGOA Masters graduates. Since I'm sure this went to print a long time ago, not many had "graduated" the course yet. 7 names are listed. There are 25 listed at the site now. I know there are some who have passed and are not listed yet, including myself. They probably add them at specific times based on who has received a certificate at that time. I have not yet received my certificate, but I'm sure it's coming. :-)

Another charity effort listed is the Caps for Good, sponsored by Save the Children and Warm Up America. This runs through February 2011. Crocheted hat pattern on the page uses sport weight yarn.

Guess that's all for now.

Happy crocheting!

Jacob's Ladder Scarf

I finished the scarf I told you about just before Christmas. I also made a video showing how I made the scarf and repeated the Jacob's Ladder technique. In other words, you go from design to completed project in the two videos (below).



And Part 2



Here is the finished scarf. I added a sc edging all around.

It is just shy of 60" long and 6" wide.

What's up next? I am thinking of doing a video on the granny square with the options for joining rounds.

If you have suggestions about what you would like to see in videos, perhaps something you've not been able to find yet, please do let me know. There are many, many wonderful videos out there. I've not seen them all, of course, so I may duplicate, but I would prefer to do new things, or at the least my different version of what has already been approached. Every crocheter has their own method of doing things with no one way being right or wrong. They are just all different.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. New Year's Eve is coming up. Please be safe. My wish for you all is that 2011 brings you many blessings and that your needs will be fulfilled. If 2010 has been difficult, I hope that 2011 will bring resolution for you, in a positive way. May God guide your steps as you go along.

Happy crocheting!