Self-Designing Scarf
Sometimes the simplest of designs produce the most satisfying results. This 'recipe' lets the yarn do the talking. Choose a yarn with a long colour repeat (colourscape chunky is fantastic, but you may wish to use something like Noro, adjusting hook size to suit) and let the colours design the scarf for you.
Instructions:
· OK, so this isn't so much a 'pattern' as a recipe for getting the most out of that lovely ball of yarn that you have just treated yourself to. Please see the information on the left as to what yarns will work best, but basically any substantiai weight yarn wth a long colour repeat where one colour gradually blends into another will work. · About now the seasoned crocheters among you (by which I mean anyone who's been crocheting for more than a few hours) will have noticed one vital thing here - yes, the scarf is made up of nothing but the faithful, ever trustful double crochet stitch. Yup, that's right, nothing more. But it's how you use the colour that is important. See, it is great to utilise the colour in the gorgeous yarns that are avaialble, and what better way to show them off than in these long, blending stripes? The trouble is, when you turn your work (in both crochet and knitting) these stripes double back on themselves. · If you look at figures 1 & 2 (below - yep all the way down on the next page...) you can see the different effects in the striping if you are just prepared to break these 'turns' - compare the columns of colour highlighted inboxes A and B. In A the colours form little sections where the colour doubles back on itself,whereas in B each colour is allowed to stand proud of its neighbour and so you end up with five glorious colours in the column at the end, instead of the three colour blocks caused by turning the colours back on themselves. Great stuff, eh? · The solution, of course, is simple. If you crochet (or knit) your scarf along its length rather than backwards and forwards across its width, the colour will almost certainly have changed by some degree by the time you reach the other end. This will not fix the problem of the colour turning the corner itself, but it does make for a lovely scarf if you are prepared to snip that yarn. · OK, enough already, lets get on with it! What? Was I waffling? Sorry. OK, so, with the Colourscape or your substitute yarn, make a base chain of 120 stitches (more if you are using a thinner yarn/smaller hook combo). Done? Good. Now, leaving a tail of about 12cm $(5^{\mathfrak{n}})$ cut that yarn. Yup, just cut and secure the end. · Now, starting back at the other end of the scarf, where you frst began your chain, start double crocheting into the chain, all the way along. Ah.. admire the pretty yarn as you go. When you reach the end, don't turn your work, snip away again and go back to the beginning! · Don't turn your work at any point - always keep the same side facing you - you'll get lovely, uniform stitches and the colour will stay seperated and defined. · You should get about 7 or 8 stripes of unadulterated colourful goodness out of one skein of the Colourscape yarn. · Once you are finished you can weave in the ends if you like, or if you are feeling lazy creative you can add any leftover yarn at the end to make a lovely fringe to fiddle with whilst you are waiting for the bus (I know you're the kind of person who likes to do this...) · See, not complicated enough to be a 'pattern' but what a. snuggly and colourful result!
Self-Designing Scarf: page 2
So, there you have it, wonderfully simple yet, I hope you'll agree, very affective! Thank you so much for taking the time to download this pattern. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to drop me a line and I'll endeavour to do my best to help!
