Impatient

Guess who started working on the purple hat last night?
I know I should finish the blue-green scarf first but I want to wear the purple hat sooooo badly. I even used a hook that is two sizes too big. I'm curious to see how that effects the design. I already know I messed it up. I have to unravel it when I get home. I was so tired, I added 14 dc's instead of 13 in the second row.

Okay I'll just finish up the blue-green scarf and stop jumping around on projects ...

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Frederickvan Scarf

I made my friend a scarf and decided to share the pattern. The colors are based on his branding logo which are red and black. It only makes sense to name the scarf and pattern after him. He’s a Photographer, Marketer, ... and a whole bunch of other stuff. If you want to learn more or see his work visit: frederickvan.com.

It took me about 5 days to finish it. I mostly worked on it when the CMS at work went down, on the bus ride to work, waiting for the train or late at night (I’m a night owl). He’s really tall so I was trying to make the scarf long. When I finished, it was about my height, but when I washed it and laid it out to dry (blocking), it stretched to be even taller than me; I think it is about his height. The pattern is loosely based on a bag I saw. I liked it so much I wanted to make it into a scarf.

I didn’t think to share the pattern until after I made the scarf. It’s a fairly easy pattern. I have in-progress photos, but not “how to” in progress photos, sorry. If you use this pattern link back to this post and let me know so I can show off your work :-).

Materials

2 skeins Cascade Yarns Soft Spun 100% Peruvian Highland wool in Black (2807)
1 skein Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes 50% royal alpaca / 50% merino in Red (2000)
1 #8/H (5.00MM) hook

The Scarf

Key:
sl: slip stitch
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet

Note:
I had to choose two different types of yarn because they didn’t have any black alpaca and I really liked the feel of alpaca and the red was the exact color I wanted. The gage for both yarns were the same, so it wasn’t much of a problem. When it comes time to change colors, it gets a little tricky because the alpaca is silky and the wool can pull apart. I was so worried about finishing the scarf and getting it shipped in time that I forgot to count how many black rows I crocheted. I have a good guesstimate because I know how many red rows I made and how long it measures. Either way, you can make the scarf to the length that is comfortable for you.

Start with red yarn
Row 1: ch 26
Row 2: 25sc starting from the second chain from the hook (ch# 25); ch3 (counts as a dc)
Row 3: 2dc in every other stitch. You should end up with 11dc pairs. In the last stitch 1dc; ch3
Row4 -14: repeat Row 3
Row 15: repeat Row 3, except do not ch3

You should now have 1ch row, 1sc row, and 13 red dc rows. You need to switch colors to the black yarn and then ch3

With black yarn
Row 16: 2dc in every other stitch. You should end up with 11dc pairs. In the last stitch 1dc; ch3
Row17 -105*: repeat row 16
Row 106: repeat row 16, except do not ch3

switch colors back to red yarn and then ch3
With red yarn
Row 107:  2dc in every other stitch. You should end up with 11dc pairs. In the last stitch 1dc; ch3
Row 108 - 119: repeat row 107
Row 120: 2dc in every other stitch. You should end up with 11dc pairs. In the last stitch 1dc; ch1
Row 121: sc in every stitch
Row 122: sc in every stitch. sl to end

* I forgot to count how many rows of black I used. I reversed engineered the amount by the length of the scarf, the measurement of the red section and rows used in red section (I <3 math). Make the scarf as long as you want.

When you are done, you can use this blocking technique from craftnectar.com that mellowbeing found and sent to me. I washed the scarf in Woolite but I’m sure you can use whatever detergent you currently have.

Enjoy :-)

Blue-Green Scarf

So after I finished the scarf for my friend, I started working on the scarf to match the Blue-Green hat. It's taking me longer than the previous scarf because I don't have a deadline like I did with the last scarf. Plus I am using a double crochet in every hole and a thinner yarn. I've only been working on it for about a week. Not to mention, I was at work late almost every day last week so I didn't touch it when I got home or during my commute home.

I really want to start on the purple hat. I bought a multicolor purple yarn a few weeks ago and I am dying to start the hat. I only have #8, #9 and #10 hooks. The yarn states I should use #6. So I will either use what I have, order a full set online or cave and head to Purl Soho, or the other two yarn stores close by my job.  We'll see ...

He Likes it!

OMG! The suspense was killing me. I think I'm going to tell people when I am doing something for them from now on. I can't take the waiting. The package was waiting at his job for almost a week because he was out of the office for a while. He finally got the package and opened it today. He likes it, so now I can post photos.

I'm only posting one photo for now. I will post the rest another time with the instructions on how to make it. I like giving back and helping out :-).

The Gift is Done

I finished the scarf .. I just noticed I said scarf before, so even if he does follow my blog (doubt it) he knows it is a scarf, that's what happens when you work 10 hrs days at work and get little sleep. I finished it on Sunday after my brother drove me home from hanging with family to watch the Super Bowl. I brought it with me to my mom's apt so I could work on in during my 2 hour trip home to The Bronx and before the game.

I bought Woolite and washed it tonight. I was so paranoid about it not being long enough, but now after I washed it, it stretched. I used the directions on this blog that Mellowbeing sent to me. I think it might be close to 6 feet. Now, I'm wondering if it is too long because I don't know how he wears his scarves. I hope it settles into itself while it dries. I also hope it is dry by the morning.

I took pictures yesterday morning. I'll try to take more in the morning since it is washed and done, but I won't be able to put up photos until he receives the gift. Maybe I can get him to pose with the gift:-D

I Got The Last One

So I went to the yarn store during lunch. I brought with me the label from the finished yarn and the project in case they didn't have the yarn I needed and wanted to sell me something similar. For a small shop, Purl Soho always has customers in there. No matter what time I stop or pass by. 
I gave one of the workers the label, he went searching and pulled out the last skein of yarn in that color. I was so happy. I didn't want to finish up the black section with a different material. Nor did I want to travel down to the wall street area to the other store I know about because at the time I thought I had to go to a baby shower the next day and needed the time after work to shop for a gift. Turns out the baby shower is in a month.


Hopefully I will finish this project tomorrow, take photos and then finish up the blue-green scarf to match the hat. I also might start on making baby booties and a hat since I have to go to a baby shower in a month ...

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

I Ran Out Of Yarn

I'm making a scarf for someone and I ran out of black yarn this morning. I was sure I bought enough because the scarf has more than one color. I kept debating on whether or not to just use what I have or go back to the store to get more and make the scarf longer. He is tall and I don't know how he wears scarves so I have to make it long enough for him to wear it how he pleases.

I am about 75% done and I started on Tuesday .... well actually Monday night. I bought the yarn Monday at lunch, started the scarf Monday night, but Tuesday night I unraveled the scarf about three times and started over. So I count it as if I started making the scarf Tuesday night. I really only get a chance to crochet at night when I get home from work (which has been around 10 pm last few days). I try to crochet on the bus in the morning depending on how many people are on the bus or which bus I take. I don't crochet on the train. Mostly because I am not a puppet show.

I can't put up photos yet because it is a surprise gift. I highly doubt he knows about or follows this blog, but just in case, I don't want to spoil the surprise. I will say I'm using 100% Peruvian Highland wool and 50% royal alpaca / 50% merino :-).

I'll make another yarn run during lunch today .. oh yeah and get lunch too ...