I love to knit and crochet. The very action of picking up needles and yarn is soothing. The many interesting yarns available are fascinating to me; I love the colours and textures, and I love seeing how each one works up. I like the feeling that my leisure time activity actually produces something that can be both useful and beautiful. I enjoy the excitement of starting a new project, and the satisfaction that comes from finishing it.
My love of yarn work has given rise to an on-going project. I knit and crochet year-round, making scarves and hats for donation to a winter coat drive.
Most of the yarn for my scarf and hat project comes from thrift shops. (It's kinder to the budget.) Sometimes, though, I can't resist the siren call of a beautiful, new yarn from a craft store or yarn shop. When that happens, I buy the yarn in good conscience, knowing that a small amount will satisfy my craving and it will still be enough to make a pretty scarf.
Even when I do yield to temptation and buy yarn in a retail store, the finished scarf is still likely to find its way into my donation bag. Every once in a while, though, the finished project is so appealing that I can't resist keeping it for myself.
This one is a keeper. I like the autumn colour palette very much, and it's lovely and soft against my skin. Once it was finished I found I just couldn't give it away.
To make my autumn scarf, I used two and a half 56 yard skeins of Fuzzy Wuzzy Chenilles Oruga yarn in colour number 4, Black Magic.
I tend to make my scarves long, and this one is no exception. It's just over 6 feet long and easily loops around my neck 3 times, making a soft, cowl like wrapper that looks beautiful when tucked into my winter coat. If you prefer a shorter scarf, you will of course need less yarn.
I used a 10 mm (size N) crochet hook.
The pattern itself is very simple: Just one long row of alternating single crochet/chain one spaces into which I've joined loops of chain stitch. The wool's bulk, texture, and beautiful colours did all the pretty-work for me, making the finished scarf quite beautiful.
Here are instructions so you can make one too:
Begin by making a chain as long as you wish the finished scarf to be. It can be any length you prefer but must have an odd number of stitches.
Once you've made your foundation chain, begin working back across it by making a single crochet in the fourth stitch from the end of your chain.
Chain 1, skip 1 stitch in the foundation chain, single crochet in the next stitch.
Repeat this chain 1, skip 1, single crochet pattern until you reach the end of your foundation row.
Chain 6, slip stitch into the space formed by the last single crochet at the end of your row.
Chain 6, slip stitch into the base of the last single crochet of your previous row.
Chain 6, slip stitch into the first chain 1 space.
Chain 6, slip stitch into base of the next single crochet stitch.
Continue to make chain 6 loops, attaching them alternately to chain one spaces and then to single crochets until you reach the end of the row.
When you reach the end of the row, work your way around the end for the scarf with 2 chain 6 loops, each slip stitched into the space created by the row-end.
Chain 6, slip stitch into the top of the next single crochet stitch.
*Chain 6, slip stitch into the next chain 1 space.
Chain 6, slip stitch into the next single crochet.
Repeat these chain 6 loops, from *, until you reach the end of the row.
Bind off your yarn and use a darning needle to work in any yarn ends.
That's it! Simple, right? It ended up being very pretty too. :^)
This one's going in my closet, at least for a while. Maybe I'll enjoy it for a bit and then still pass it on. Or maybe not. ;^)
