Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Ladder Scarf Tutorial

Hello again!

This post is a follow up to yesterday’s Frozen Scarf post.  I figured with all the photos it would be better to split it into two posts and keep the tutorial separate.

This is the scarf I shared yesterday:

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Today I am going to give you a very basic tutorial to make this scarf. 

Disclaimer:  I have never written a pattern/instructions for crocheted ANYTHING… but this is so ridiculously easy that I don’t think I can mess it up too badly :) I am writing this for a  scarf for an adult… shorten as needed per size of the wee one.


LADDER SCARF PATTERN/INSTRUCTIONS:

This scarf is perfect for using up ends of skeins of yarn and misc scraps of yarn.  Mix the colors and textures up as you choose.

Hook size used for this project is a size “H/8-5.00 mm” 

Step One:
- Start first color with a long tail, roughly 7”
- Chain 315 stitches.
- End with a 7” tail. 
 
Step Two:
- Start second color in the same manner, leave a 7” tail.
- Chain 15
- *Count 15 stitches on the first chain and find stitch #16.
- Once you have found chain #16  single crochet with your second color (this will be stitch #16 on your second color) for the next FIVE stitches  You will have connected your two colors to each other with FIVE single crochets.  
-  Chain 15 more stitches.
- Repeat from * until you reach the end.  You should have 15 chained stitches at the ends with a 7” tail string.

Steps  Three – Eleven (Or however wide you want to make it):
- Continue this process until you have reached the desired width of scarf.  My Frozen scarf was 11 rows wide.

Finishing:
- Trim your tails to all the same length.  I tied knots in the ends to prevent fraying.

NOTE:  If you want more space between each row of the scarf you can do five double crochets  or five half double crochets instead of five single crochets.  This will give just a bit more spacing between the rows. 

Here are the instructions in photo format. 
(I have only crocheted a short length to illustrate the process.)

Find your size H/8 –5.00 mm hook

Step One:
- Start first color with a long tail, roughly 7”
- Chain 315 stitches.
- End with a 7” tail.

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Step Two:
- Start second color in the same manner, leave a 7” tail.
- Chain 15
- *Count 15 stitches on the first chain and find stitch #16.

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- Once you have found chain #16  join your colors with a single crochet (this will be stitch #16 on your second color) for the next five stitches  You will have connected your two colors to each other with FIVE single crochets.  

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-  Chain 15 more stitches.


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- Repeat from * until you reach the end.  You should have 15 chained stitches at the end with a 7” tail string.

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Steps  Three – Eleven (Or however wide you want to make it):
- Continue this process until you have reached the desired width of scarf. 

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NOTE:  If you want more space between each row of the scarf you can do five double crochets  or five half double crochets instead of five single crochets.  This will give just a bit more spacing between the rows.  {I believe in the original pattern, the artist used double crochet (posts) for her scarf. }

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AND THAT IS IT!

And that’s it… easy peasy, especially once you’ve attached the second row/color.  You only have to count the 15 chain stitches and can zip right through the scarf. 

Here’s a peek at the chunky yarn scarf I made to test the pattern.  Chunky yarn crocheting achieves length very quickly with fewer stitches.  I think the length on this one is 150-ish stitches and the spacing is 10 chains, 5 single crochet.

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Thanks for popping in.  If you decide to crochet this scarf I would LOVE to see it :) Link up in the comments.  (Miss Jeanne, I sure hope to see one or two made for your girls .. hehe..)

Inky Smiles!

~Erin

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Baby, It’s Cold Outside… A Scarf Inspired by Frozen

While much of the country is freeezing their bums off covered in a blanket of snow, here in Colorado we have been enjoying a lovely, sunny 57* – 63* most of the past week.  (Mind you, we had a visit from the great Polar Vortex just prior to this faux Spring, so it’s been much welcomed, and a tease, because I know what is coming….)

Remember this sneak peek?
I know I promised I was working on the post for it. Here it is…

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My niece had her 5th  birthday on Saturday.  And she just LOVES the movie Frozen, so her birthday theme was “Frozen”…  She  is a lot like I was a child, bright, independent and creative.  She looooves to pretend with her dolls and dress up like her favorite characters.

I decided that I wanted to make her a Frozen scarf… Kisha and I had found a fun scarf pattern on Pinterest a while back, but when I looked up the instructions they were in Finnish.  Thankfully someone had posted some very basic roughly translated instructions in the comments.  I made a big chunky yarn version to start with and LOVED it so I went ahead and made a smaller version.  This scarf didn’t have an official name for the pattern, but I am going to call it a “Ladder Scarf”.  It looks kind of like a ladder…  I used a variety of different types of yarn  for this scarf.  I love how the fringey white yarn looks like snow.  It was a pain to work with, but the finished effect is awesome.

Here she is opening her prezzie… So excited! (Forgive the pic quality… images from texts from my sister.)

Opening

Cheesey

Card

I think it turned out FABULOUS.  In fact, I really want to make one for myself with fun frilly yarn like this.  (We told my niece it was snowflakes and icicles…. she wasn’t quite sure why all the pieces weren’t completely attached in the spaces… “Mom, tell Auntie Erin she needs to finish it and make all the pieces stick together.”   Hehe… )

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And later that evening… in her Anna dress…. One happy little 5 year old!

Anna-Dress

 

Thanks for dropping in!   I loved making this little scarf and I am glad my niece loves it. :)    For you crocheters - I have written a tutorial and it will post tomorrow morning. Inky Smiles! 

~ Erin

Friday, February 21, 2014

Spice, Spice, Baby

Since moving to Colorado I have been working part time as a professional organizer with my friend, Christa, at Peace Together Spaces.  It has been a lot of fun and fills my need to “sort and purge”.  Organizing other people’s spaces is a lot of fun and easier for me than organizing my own spaces (no emotional attachment to things).   Today I wrote a post for the PTS blog… let’s get those spice cabinets organized, peeps!

Check it out by clicking on the photo…

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Inky Smiles!

E.

PS.. I have some crafty goodness to share as well… working on that post as you read… :)  Here is a sneak peek:

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