DIY • Impossible Scarf Three • Free Crochet Pattern

Oops!  I made another comically large scarf!

I just can't stop making ridiculous giant scarves / small lap blankets.  You can see the other two here and here.  They're all impossibly big and all three are the second installment of my 1-2-3 Crochet series!  The first installment was really fun and I'm excited to be closing out this second group of scarves.  A consolidated post including all of the Impossible scarves will be up this week, so you can find them all in one place.  So...convenient.

So here's number three!  (After some awkward photos of me in front of all my favorite stuff)

SUPPLIES

• 3 balls of Super Bulky yarn for the main color - I used Loop & Threads Cozy Wool in Fleece
• 3 balls of Super Bulky yarn for the contrasting color - I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Citron
• P Hook

DIRECTIONS

• Chain 27
• Row 1 - Using your contrasting color, half-double crochet (hdc) in second chain from the hook, hdc in each ch to the end. Ch 2, turn.
• Row 1 - 52 - Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn
• Row 53 - Switch to main color and Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn
• Row 54 - 104 -  Hdc in each stitch till the end, finish and weave in your ends

Full disclosure: I accidentally used a slightly smaller hook for the scarf in this example because the cats lost my favorite hook and I had to get another one, but the store had weirdo hooks that I've never used before and I found what I thought was the right one, but about halfway through I realized it was too small, so I had to add a few more rows of the white to make it long enough.  But the pattern is correct for a giant scarf that's exactly half and half ^_^ The moral of the story is: don't let your cats near your hooks.

DIY • Impossible Scarf Part Deux • Free Crochet Pattern

I'm back with another super easy, comically large scarf pattern!  This scarf is the second in a series of three featuring the half-double crochet stitch.  Here's the first.  Each scarf is made with only one stitch and two colors.  I think it's so fun to push the boundaries of crochet by limiting my palette and really exploring how versatile basic stitches can be.

This scarf uses the same dimensions as the first, but we're working vertically to make a two-toned effect.  Since it's so big, there are so many different ways to wear it...as shown below.  Feel free to marvel at my outstanding modeling skills.

I hope you're ready to get really familiar with the half-double crochet!  

SUPPLIES

• 4 balls of Super Bulky yarn for the main color - I used Loops & Threads Cozy Wool in Fleece
• 4 balls of Super Bulky yarn for the contrasting color - I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Citron
• P Hook

DIRECTIONS

• Chain 155 (ugh, right?)
• Row 1 - Using your main color, half-double crochet (hdc) in second chain from the hook, hdc in each ch to the end.  Ch 2, turn.
• Row 2-12 - Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn.
• Row 13 - Switch to the contrasting color and hdc in each stitch till the end.  Ch 2, turn.
• Row 14-24 - Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn (except for the last row...finish on that one...duh.)

This pattern is for personal use only and cannot be sold or altered in any way.  Thank you!

If you want to buy a scarf that's not quite so comically large, be sure to pop by my shop.  I've got equally colorful, yet more reasonably sized cowls and infinity scarves.  Because it's always cold somewhere!

DIY • Impossible Scarf Free Crochet Pattern

This scarf is impossibly large.  I joked on twitter and instagram that it was more like a large blanket I could wear like a bag lady, or and Olsen twin.  It really is huge!  So if you're into comically large scarves, or small lap blankets, then this pattern is for you.

 The scarf is really just made up of all half double crochets.   It will be part of my 1-2-3 Crochet series, so expect a couple more designs using these colors and this one easy stitch, soon.

Have fun!

SUPPLIES

• 5 balls of Super Bulky yarn for the main color - I used Loop & Threads Cozy Wool in Fleece
• 2 balls of Super Bulky yarn for the contrasting color - I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Citron
• P Hook

DIRECTIONS

• Chain 27
• Row 1 - Using your contrasting color, half-double crochet (hdc) in second chain from the hook, hdc in each ch to the end. Ch 2, turn.
• Row 1 - 12 - Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn
• Row 13 - Switch to main color and Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn
• Row 14 - 90 - Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn
• Row 91 - Switch to contrast color and Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn
• Row 92 - 103 - Hdc in each stitch till the end, Ch 2, turn
• Row 104 - Hdc in each stitch till the end, finish and weave in your ends

As always, this pattern is for personal use only and cannot be sold or changed in any way.  Thank you!

The Road to Bust

So I've been talking about this for a while, and showing off some new designs as I venture into a more springy / summery vibe for my crochet, but this weekend is the Bust Magazine Spring Craftacular!  I"ll be in booth 46B, so you should come and say hi if you're in the area!  It's gonna be a really great time!  Not gonna lie, I lost my mind a little bit when I was accepted and just went full-throttle into making and getting ready for the event.  So my living room...and studio...and bedroom...kind of look like this right now...

Craft shows are always a little nerve racking for me.  At Crafty Bastards, I wasn't sure how I was going to do, since it was my first outing with crocheted scarves.  It's always scary to put yourself and your creative endeavor out into the world.  But, you'll never know what will happen until you just do it!  And it's never a failure if you enjoy what your doing.  Even if no one bought any of my scarves, I'd still have a closet full of scarves that I loved and could wear ^_^  Things actually went really well at Crafty Bastards and opened the door to so many other fun opportunities!  And I never would've known if I hadn't just gone for it.

These photos are just a few examples of what's piling up around the house in preparation for the show. Anyone want to help me weave in some ends?  I always save them till last because it's my least favorite part :P

Looking forward to meeting some makers and making some friends!

Chain Cheater

I'm still pretty new to crochet and this might be heresy to people who have been doing this for years, but it's a trick that works for me!  Making even chains can be discouraging for newbies and can make for some wonky looking work if the chain is tighter than your work.  So sizing up by a millimeter can help take guesswork out of things.  I used this trick for these three patterns and I bet you couldn't've guessed ^_^

I hope it helps!

1-2-3 Crochet Circle Scarf Patterns

1 Stitch • 2 Colors • 3 Scarves

I've got patterns for you today that uses just one stitch, two colors and will give you 3 different scarves! I really love these guys because you get so many variations just based on where you decide to add your colors.  This is the first pattern I've written for anyone but me, so I tried to spell things out and not rely too heavily on any of the abbreviations.  Though, I do believe it's important to know them!

Supplies

• Size P and Q crochet hooks (Quick tip!  I like making my chain with a hook that one size larger than the hook I'll be using for my work.  It helps me to make a loose chain that won't be too tight when I stitch into it.)
• 2 colors of worsted weight yarn - 2 balls of each color (I used Vanna's Choice & Deborah Norville Everyday)

Pattern - Half & Half

• Take 2 strands of your first color and slipknot them together.  You'll be using two strands as one.
• Chain 105 with your Q hook. Join your last chain with your first.  Be sure not to twist the chain!
• Row 1 - Using your P hook, Double crochet into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into the first double crochet when you get to the end. Turn.
• Rows 2 & 3 - Chain 2.  Double crochet into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into the first double crochet when you get to the end. Turn.
• Switch colors
• Rows 4-6 - Chain 2.  Double crochet into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into the first double crochet when you get to the end. Finish off!

Pattern - Sandwich

• Take 2 strands of your first color and slipknot them together.  You'll be using two strands as one.
• Chain 105 with your Q hook. Join your last chain with your first.  Be sure not to twist the chain!
• Row 1 - Using your P hook, Double crochet into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into the first double crochet when you get to the end. Turn.
• Rows 2 - Chain 2.  Double crochet into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into the first double crochet when you get to the end. Turn.
• Switch colors
• Rows 3 & 4 - Chain 2.  Double crochet into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into the first double crochet when you get to the end. Turn.
• Switch colors
• Rows 5 & 6 - Chain 2.  Double crochet into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into the first double crochet when you get to the end. Finish off!

Pattern - Stripey

• Take 2 strands of your first color and slipknot them together.  You'll be using two strands as one.
• Chain 105 with your Q hook. Join your last chain with your first.  Be sure not to twist the chain!
• Row 1 - Using your P hook, Double crochet into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into the first double crochet when you get to the end. Turn.
• Switch Colors
• Row 2 - 6 - Repeat row 1, alternating colors each time

I hope this made sense!  I'd love to know if anyone tries it out!

Spring Scarves

I've been working on a few new designs to add to the shop!  They'll be going up in my Etsy store later this weekend, but I wanted to share them here first.  I'd love to know what you think!

This might be my favorite yarn color ever in the history of all yarns.  The neon pink is just the most perfect pink!  And I get pretty picky about my pinks.

This is another neon.  both of these are really loose and light, more like necklaces than scarves.  I think they're great for spring and summer if you want to add a little color and texture to your outfit.

These guys look really warm and heavy, but they're actually stitched very loosely and are more...fluffy.  They're both super light, and if you want to bundle you can wrap it around three times, but it's great just wrapped twice!  I've really been liking them for the spring mornings when it's still in the 30s and 40s but the afternoons warm up.

And this is probably my favorite style of all.  I've got gradients, or ombre if you're cool, in pink, purple and teal coming to the shop!  This yarn is amazingly soft and shiney and the colors are just so fun!

I'll holler when they're up in the shop!  And these are going to be most of my inventory for the Bust Craftacular on May 4th.  So much stitchin' to do!

First Crochet Class

So I mentioned this a while back and it took me way too long to post about it.  At my day-job, they've got lots of after-work events, usually some kind of happy hour or yoga.  But I was asked to do a crochet class, and I absolutely obliged.

Being completely self-taught (mostly by youtube :P), I was super nervous that I'd be terrible teacher. So the weekend before, Andy was the best husband ever and let me teach him a slipknot, chain and single crochet!  It was a huge help to really tell where I was over or under communicating.  Any time you have to present anything, I recommend a dry-run every single time.  That weekend before, I also went to Michael's and picked up some yarn and hooks.  We used a chunky Bernat and 9mm hooks...I thought it would be easier for them to see their work on the big stuff.

About 9 people showed up and it was super fun!  I'm not gonna lie, learning a new craft, no matter what it is, can be hard.  But everyone did really great!  I was so proud of everyone's progress and it was great the following week when they'd come up to me and show me pics of how their projects were progressing.

I would love to have the opportunity to teach some more.  Learning a new skill is so fun and so rewarding.  Seeing how people can take the knowledge you give them and turn it into something all their own is just...awesome! 

Also, a huge thanks to my friend Kristen Kochanski for taking photos.  Aside from her photography...she's also started a food blog.  So ridiculously talented!

Exploring Color Palettes

I've been working on a pretty large project lately that's been taking up a lot of time, but last weekend, I took some time away to take some fun photos of some of the newer stuff I've been exploring.  My Fall/Winter palette is pretty versatile, but I've been aching for some more bright, springy colors!  I've also been exploring styling options for scarves in the warmer weather.  A chunky scarf with a tank is one of my favorite looks.

This grey is variation of my Perfect Chunky Cowl.  It's 50% lambs wool and 50% acrylic.  The yarn I've used here is SUPER light!  It's like like crocheting little pillows.

The is what I call Blogcademy Blue ^_^ (and a hint as to what my big project is).  It's a Triple Wrap and one of my better designs for warmer weather.  You can triple wrap it on chilly mornings and then double to loosen it up as the day warms up.

This one is another Perfect Chunky Cowl...but in the most incredibly perfect neon pink I've ever seen!  The yarn for this one is chunky, but still soft.  Like a mix between worsted and soft.  I'm kind of obsessed with it.  This color, a neon fuchsia and neon purple are absolutely coming to the shop soon.

This one is just a prototype.  My first attempt at an ombre cowl.  I love how this turned out...though it's a bit big and unwieldy haha!  I'm still on the search for the perfect yarn in good gradient colors.  Any suggestions are more than welcome!!!

Please let me know what you think!  And stop by my shop to peep some other designs that are currently for sale ^_^