The yarn exchange scarf in crochet

Hi all! I'm finally getting round to posting a few pictures of my completed yarn exchange scarf. I opted to use the crochet pattern -- it's so fantastic! The design is really lovely and I already have plans to make another as a Christmas gift.


I started the scarf using a repeat of 7 rows and it turned out a little shorter than I thought it would. So I added (1) a section of pink yarn I had left over from last year's scarf and (2) smaller sections using the rest of the exchange yarn. Now it's the perfect length and ready to keep someone very warm during the winter.

As D'Arcy mentioned in her scarf post, the best thing about this project was getting to use a wide variety of yarns. They all worked up so differently. I chose to use a smaller needle (size J) than what was called for in the project (size N) because I wanted a smaller, tighter weave.

Of all the yarns, the lavender variegated yarn (it looks a little blue in the image above) was by far my favorite. It's soft and wooly and really holds its shape. To whoever chose this yarn, I'd love to know what it is and where I can get it (or something similar).

Meanwhile, the hats are coming along. The warrior hat is on my needles as I type, and I've caught up on all the others. I've even crocheted a couple more just because. More pictures to follow!

Feather and Fan (Old Shell) Hat

Hello All,
Here is the second to last hat pattern. Isn't it great! Thanks so much to Lisa who designed the pattern!
Feather and Fan (Old Shell) Hat Pattern
Getting Started:
Size: Adult
Finished Measurements: The circumference of the hat measures ~ 18 inches with enough stretch to accommodate most head sizes (19-21 inches). Length ~ 6 ½ inches.
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn. I used Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in “Barn Red” for one hat and the other hat was knit with Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted in “Fuchsia”. 1 skein
Needles: 16 inch circular needle, size 7 (4.5mm)
1 set of 5 double pointed needles, size 7 (4.5mm)
Gauge: 5 sts = 1 inch in stockinette stitch
Notions: Yarn needle, stitch markers

Pattern Notes:
A little stitch pattern fact: Many knitters use the name Feather and Fan interchangeably with Old Shale, when in actuality they are two different patterns. Not only that, but the name Old Shale is really Old Shell (Shale is how the Shetlanders pronounce shell). If you’re interested to find out more on the history and differences of these lace patterns, see what Elizabeth Lovick writes at http://northernlace.wordpress.com and then search for Feather and Fan versus Old Shale.
The stitch pattern is written for working in the round.
The traditional pattern calls for a garter ridge, but if you prefer not to have this ridge on your hat then knit Row 4 instead of purling.
The decrease rounds are on the pattern row (Row 3).
K2 tog= knit 2 stitches together
Sts= stitches
YO = yarn over

Stitch Pattern:
Feather and Fan (Old Shell) pattern:
Row 1: (right side) Knit
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: Pattern row: * (K2 tog) 2 times, (YO, K1) 4 times, (K2 tog) 2 times, repeat from *
Row 4: Purl

Directions for Hat:
Cast on 96 sts on circular needle (careful not to twist when joining). Place stitch marker to identify beginning of rounds.
Knit stitch pattern, Rows 1-4, 6 times.
Knit Rows 1 & 2 (length of hat at this point is ~ 4 ½ inches)
Start decreasing on Row 3 as follows:
1st decrease round: * (K2 tog) 2 times, (YO, K1) 2 times, YO, (K2 tog) 3 times, repeat from *. You will now have 80 sts.
Purl Row 4, Knit Rows 1 & 2
2nd decrease round: * (K2 tog) 2 times, (YO, K1) 2 times, (K2 tog) 2 times, repeat from *. You will now have 64 sts. Change to double pointed needles, placing 16 sts on each of the 4 needles.
Purl Row 4, Knit Rows 1 & 2
3rd decrease round: * K2 tog, (YO, K2 tog) 2 times, K2 tog, repeat from *. You will now have 48 sts.
Purl Row 4, Knit Rows 1 & 2
4th decrease round: * K2 tog, YO, (K2 tog) 2 times, repeat from *. You will now have 32 sts.
Purl Row 4, Knit Row 1
5th decrease round: K2 tog all around. You will now have 16 sts
Knit 1 row around
6th decrease round: K2 tog all around. You will now have 8 sts.

Break yarn, leaving ~ a 10 inch tail. Thread tail on needle and draw thru the remaining 8 sts on your knitting needles. Pull tight and weave in all ends.

Designed by Lisa K.

Scarf exchange - update

Well it sounds like several of you are on their way. I found this scarf SUPER easy and fun. It was exciting to switch colors and see how the yarn would behave. I did the straight forward big block of color - but I really like D'Arcy's with the narrower stripes. However you decide to do your scarf it will be fabulous! So I mentioned another hat I tried after having some ends left after the scarf.
This is a very easy pattern- it's just the prep that requires some thought or planning.
About a year ago I couldn't bear to throw out the tiny extra yard or two of thread. It's terrible - but I feel so guilty. So I sorted the yarns I have into stuff I could knit with size 8 - 10 needles and stuff I would knit with 4 - 6 needles. I just knitted all the strands together and kept adding over the year. I had a hunch that with the scraps from this scarf I might be able to eek out a hat and I was right. It's not quite what I expected. I expected to have more of the little tufts. But if you don't want tufts you can adjust for that - and if you have a ball of ONLY wool - you can do the splice and spit.
The take-home message is: start your ball of scraps! This will be the last hat pattern. Before we get to that though, we have another guest pattern writer - wait 'till you see this hat! It's gorgeous!
Happy Knitting!

Scarf in progress

Well, somehow I haven't managed to post a single thing here yet, even though I have finished knitting the first two hats (will post those later). I think I'm blog-phobic.

But since I was home sick all weekend I had plenty of time to dive into the yarn exchange scarf project, and am pretty happy with how things are going!

I am a beginner, self-taught knitter who has learned most everything I need to know from two books or the Internet, and who has knit nothing before the knit-a-thon but rectangles (a poncho and some scarves). Since joining the knit-a-thon I've learned to knit in the round, to increase and decrease, to purl, and for the yarn exchange scarf finally figured out how to do a Yarn Over!

I was pleasantly surprised by how easy this pattern is, even for a beginner like myself, and yet how great the results look! And it's definitely fun to be knitting with such obviously (for my price range) exotic yarns. Great fun!

I was lucky enough to score a few additional colours from another yarn-exchange participant who was cleaning out her stash (thanks Caitlin), so some of the colours in my scarf may not be in anyone else's. I know that might be considered cheating by some, but hey, I'm very particular about colours (purple and I just can't be friends)!

Unfortunately I did not read Tara's tip that we could get 7 repeats out of each colour until after I'd already knit through the first six colours. Since my first ball of yarn only gave me enough for 3 repeats, that's what I stuck with for all the others. That being said, I have enough yarn left over for most of the colours to go through them all again a second time if I want to make the scarf extra long, and I just may do that once I see how long it is once I've finished knitting the last two colours.

And yes, I spell it c-o-l-o-u-r because I'm Canadian.

Hope you like my scarf as much as I do!


Only two more colours to go!

Crochet Pattern for the Scarf

Greetings All -
Lisa, one of our fabulous participants, wrote up the scarf pattern for crocheters. Thanks Lisa!

Crochet Pattern for Pinkknit-a-thon
Yarn Exchange Scarf

Getting started:
YARN: 12 bundles/each bundle= 30yds of various weights and colors
HOOK: Size N/13 (9mm)
GAUGE: 24sts= 8 ½ “and 3 rows = approx.3” in alternating shells pattern with worsted weight yarn, before blocking
NOTIONS: Yarn needle

Stitch Pattern:
Alternating Shells (multiple of 8 chain + 4)
Row 1: 1 dc in 4th ch from hook, * skip 2 ch, 5 dc in next ch for a shell, ch 2, skip 3 ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, repeat from * across, ch 3, turn.
Row 2: 1 dc in next dc, * 1 shell in first dc of next shell, ch2, skip 4 dc, 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, repeat from * across, end last dc at end of last repeat in top of turning-ch, ch 3, turn.
Repeat Row 2 for pattern.

Notes:
The pattern will create a wavy edge at the finished end of the scarf. So that both edges of the scarf have wavy edges you can add a crocheted scallop edge to the beginning chain row (how-to instructions are below in the scarf pattern). Sample is shown with and without the scallop edge.
The 30yds of yarn will give you various options for arranging the color layout for the scarf:
-The scallop row can be crocheted with the same color or different color from the first rows (as in sample).
- You can crochet 6 rows of the same color before changing colors or 3 rows of the same color in two separate sections of the scarf. Sample is shown with 3 rows of two different colors and 2 rows of another weight/color yarn.
If you want, the scarf can be made narrower and add a scalloped edge all around the scarf. To do this it may be helpful to know that 1 row in pattern stitch uses approx 4 ¾ yds of yarn with worsted weight yarn.

Scarf:
Lay out yarns in desired color sequence. Consider the weight of the yarn and how they will work with each other.
Ch 28.Work in alternating shells patt. If you have chosen to add on the scallop edge on the beginning chain row you will need to do 2 things: put aside approx. 5 yds of yarn in the color that you want for the scallop edge and crochet 1 less row at the start of the scarf (ex: if you plan to do 6 rows, then only do 5 rows; if 3 then only do 2 rows).
Change colors in the sequence you decided upon (ex: every 6 rows or every 3 rows).
Work until all your yarn is used up.
Work scallop edge (with the yarn you set aside): Holding scarf upside down and starting at the right corner of the chain row begin scallop: Ch 3 into top of turning-ch, 1 dc in next dc, 5 dc in ch 3 sp, * ch 1, sl st in sp between 2 dc, ch 1, 5 dc in ch 3 sp, repeat from * across, end with ch 1, sl st into sp between last 2 dcs.
Weave in ends and block.

Designed by Lisa K.

Yarn on it's way!

Hello All!
I finally have twelve batches of yarn!Last night I divied it all out. So today it's in the mail!
I couldn't wait to try out the pattern.By my estimate you can get 7 repeats of the pattern out of the 30 yards. This is going to be beautiful.
I will post the crochet pattern tomorrow.
Happy Knitting!!!