#Mashup – Crescent Moon

IMG_0670

The Yarn

Company/Store: Malabrigo Rios
Colorway: Label says UNK 5007 currently not listed on the site so I am unsure if this is a commonly available dye lot
Weight/Length: 100 grams/210 yards per skein, worsted weight
Material: 100% merino wool
Hook size used: 5.0 H

Admittedly its been awhile since I have been able to crochet a lot recently. New Job has been taking up much time every week so I am trying to get better and squeezing in crochet time when I can. Fortunately! I am finished with this fun crescent moon shape wrap that I made with some Malabrigo yarn I picked up at Stitches West back in February. I  wanted to try something a bit different than a standard scarf but since I didn’t have enough yarn to do something like a shawl or cardigan, I opted to look for a wrap in an interesting shape.

The Pattern

Name: Mezzaluna (Crescent Moon) Wrap (Ravelry Link)
Author:  Nancy P

IMG_0664

To clarify, since this pattern has a few iterations and versions, I used 2 of the included instructions. For the body of the scarf I follows the pattern titled Mezzaluna_Wrap_simplified_terms_by_Judy_OC. For the edging I followed the pattern titled Mezzaluna_Wrap_UK_English_Terms_by_dsweeney (Edging #2).

Once you figure out the repeat its pretty easy going for the body, and I like the look of the bobbles, not too many so it is not too heavy. The trim is a fun scalloped and picot trim. I added a row of sc around the entire piece prior to starting the trim on the outside edge.

I like how it turned out, the colors are so wonderful, reminds me of a watercolor painting of a flower garden. I have not blocked it yet, I am not sure if I think it needs it, it is soft and sturdy enough already.

Check out the finished item photos below, final measurements are around 56 inches in length from tip to tip, and at its thickest it is about 10 inches wide. I had 3 skeins of this yarn and have about a half a skein left so I am guessing around 500 yards total used.

IMG_0669

IMG_0668

IMG_0667

IMG_0666

IMG_0663

IMG_0662

Thanks for stopping by! If you have any questions about this item or how I used the pattern, please leave a comment below!

#Mashup – Rainier Scarf

The Yarn

Company/Store: Cascade Yarns Pure Alpaca
Colorway: 3014 – Rainier Heather
Weight/Length: Worsted Weight/220 yards x 2 skeins
Material: 100% Baby Alpaca

IMG_6084

I got this yarn awhile back and could not get over how much I loved the color. It is mainly a medium heather purple color but it has specks of blue, yellow, red and orange in it. So soft too, the only yarn condition I hold higher than how much I like the color.  Although it is listed as a medium weight 4, I feel its on the thinner side of that compared to others I have that list it as a 4. I wanted to find a pattern that was not too heavy so it could be worn more of the year.

After making a bunch of things for friends lately I opted to make something with this yarn for myself, as a pat on the back for starting my shop, selling at fairs and doing much better than I ever thought possible in sales. I hope I continue to grow in this craft on and upwards as I gain more experience. So this is where I say, Go Me!

The Pattern

Name: Richelieu Scarf (Ravelry Link)
Author: Wolf Crochet (link to blog and written pattern)

IMG_6088

I like the pattern because its very basic, but looks intricate. It also works up really quickly, I have already finished 1 skein and have balled up and started the 2nd already so it should be done soon. I want to make it extra long and include the fringe the pattern has too. This will also be my first attempt at blocking my crochet pieces. I have yet to try this (I didn’t have an iron) but got a tiny iron that does steam and an ironing pad from Amazon recently so I will post some details about that process once I give it a go as well. Yay for more learning!

IMG_6085

IMG_6079

Thanks for stopping by!

#Mashup – Monochrome Scarf

The Yarn

Company/Store: Tess Yarns (bought at the Feb 2013 Stitches West yarn show)
Colorway: Variegated white to light gray to medium grey (the label does not specify a name or #)
Weight/Length: Superwash Merino/570 yds
Material: 100% Wool

 IMG_5809

I wish I had taken a photo of the yarn before I balled it up, it was beautiful, but I forgot so you will have to imagine these whites and grays looking like this prior to me winding it up.

Now I want this color too….

The Pattern

I tried about 6 or 7 different patterns before I opted to try something similar to the pattern I used for a few of my scarves already. I used the Aquatic Blossom pattern as my base and altered a few key elements.

First, instead of the foundation chain being [ch5, then tr in first ch, repeat] I shortened it to [ch3, then dc in first ch, repeat], this created a shorter star pattern that I like better for this yarn. I wanted it to not be too airy or be able to see through the stitches. For the rest of the pattern I followed it like normal but instead of triple crochets I used double crochets. It created this really neat ripple pattern with the stars and the color changing in parts also looks like wide stripes.

IMG_5815

IMG_5812

IMG_5811

So far I am liking this pattern, I have done 3 full rounds, it will be a circle scarf. 570 yards is a lot so I will see how thick I end up making this and maybe I will have some left over for a few bracelets or a headband hopefully. Either way I love this yarn and the monochrome colors, hence its name! More photos once its finished!

Final Stats

Size: 6 inches wide by 57 inches in total length, 8 total rows were made with this 1 row repeat pattern.
Yarn Used: I had a lot of yarn left over from this project so I also made a hat to go with it! So I can estimate that I used approximately 300 yards for the scarf. I love how it started to zig zag the colors as the rows were built. Very happy with how it came out, its light but warm!

This item is For Sale! Link to Etsy Product Listing!

IMG_5909

IMG_5911

IMG_5913

Thanks for stopping by!

#Mashup – Wintergreen Skies Shawl

The Yarn

Company/Store: Schaefer Yarn: Nichole (sadly out of business)
Colorway: Peter; mint greens and light blues
Weight/Length: Fingering/405 yards
Material: 80/20 Extrafine Merino Wool/Nylon

wintergreenskies

This is the last of my Schaefer yarn, I got 2 of these skeins pictured above for this project so I had a total of approx. 810 yards to work with. I opted to find a pattern for a shawl that would show this yarns lovely mints and blues off well and be a bit airy to be able to wear throughout the year. Great colors for spring and winter both! Reminds me of wintergreen or spearmint mints like tic tacs or altoids and the blue is just a great gradient of lights and medium baby blues. So pretty!

The Pattern

Name: Colchique (Ravelry Link)
Author: Alix Gonzalez

Colclique Shawl

At first when I downloaded the pattern I learned that it was written in French, I took French in grade school and barely remember any so I wasn’t immediately set on using this pattern. However thanks to a great Ravelry user who left great notes and photos in the Project section for this pattern, I was able to follow along quite well. I will note, that the converted pattern and chart is in UK terms, which I noticed after making the first row! So once I learned that the chart was easy to follow, and works up quite quickly. Here are some in progress shots:

wintergreenskies1
wintergreenskies2

This shawl is fun because you mirror the pattern on both sides so it makes it symmetrical. Another nice thing about this pattern is that it is very easy to lengthen or widen, the foundation chain is simply a multiple of 7, and it is an easy 4 row repeat. Based on the original pattern I followed it but added an additional 28 chains at the beginning to make it just a tad longer. I kept the suggested 5 times repeat on both sides as well. I really like how its turning out and as I am writing this post I have just finished it so I will be adding completed photos very shortly!

Final Stats

Size: 66 in long x 10 in wide
Yarn Used: Out of the 810 yards I have on this yarn I estimate I used about 750 yards total

This item is For Sale! Link to Etsy Product Listing!

wintergreenskies7

wintergreenskies4

wintergreenskies5

wintergreenskies6

Thanks for stopping by!

#Mashup – Bold Berries Scarf

The Yarn

Company/Store: Western Sky Knits
Colorway: Renaissance
Weight/Length: DK/280 yards
Material: 100% Superwash Merino

boldberries2

boldberries1

Another awesome color combo from WSK, I love the bold colors. Also, it was on sale, so how can you pass that up!

The Pattern

Name: Sweet Lorraine Lace Scarf (Ravelry Link) (CrochetMe.com link to pattern, free to register with email, pattern #4)
Author: Doris Chan for CrochetMe.com

Sweet Lorraine Lace Scarf

At first I thought that this pattern wouldn’t work well with a variated yarn, but after the first few rows I really liked how it looked. Reminds me of a fresh fruit cup with blackberries, melon, strawberries and blueberries, with a sprig of mint on the side. When you download the pattern, it shows in both written and diagram form, which is very helpful, once you get familiar with the written pattern, the diagram is great for reference. It also works up quite fast so I am excited to finish this one soon and post up some completed photos!

boldberries4

boldberries5

boldberries3

Post Update: 10/1/2013

I am happy to say that I am finished with this scarf and it turned out super cute, worked up super fast too, just a few hours. Take a look at the final photos, I really like this pattern and would use it again on other colors of yarn too.

Final Stats

Size: 6in x 48 in
Yarn Used: All but a few yards so approx 270 yards

This item is For Sale! Link to Etsy Product Listing!

IMG_0167

IMG_0166

IMG_0168

Thanks for stopping by!

#Mashup – Rainforest Squares Scarf

The Yarn

Company/Store: Misti Alpaca
Colorway: Macau CSP24
Weight/Length: DK/327 yards
Material: 83/17 Pima Cotton/Silk

rainforest1

rainforest2

I picked up 2 skeins of this yarn from Uncommon Threads recently, I am a big fan of green and was really taken by this yarn with so many colors, but they all seem to come together. I did not know the name of this yarn was Macau prior to comparing it to the rainforest when choosing a name for this scarf either! (I do seem to be featuring a lot of scarves lately I know, I will try and do a hat or something soon instead if I can…) It is super soft, as all yarn I buy has to be, and since its mostly cotton I wanted to find a pattern that was good for any season.

For those wondering, I got the idea to wind yarn onto a toilet paper roll after seeing this Pinterest photo.

The Pattern

 Name: Mirror Lake Scarf (Ravelry Link) (FaveCrafts.com also called Green Sheen Scarf)
Author: Lisa Gentry for Caron Yarns

Mirror Lake Scarf by Caron Yarns

So far I have only done 1 of the squares needed for this scarf. I do really like how it is turning out. I wanted to note that I changed my hook size to a G, instead of the I that is recommended for the pattern, I started with the I hook and it was way too loose. The G is working out great for this yarn for me. Otherwise I am following the pattern as described and will update again when completed!

rainforest3

Post Update: 10/3/2013

After a few weeks of neglecting this project I finally got into gear and completed it! I followed the pattern and made 8 squares, and then did the edging. The only change I made was on the edging where I only did 10 dc instead of the instructed 14, I wanted to ensure I had enough yarn left over at the end. I adore how it turned out!! Photos below!

Final Stats:

Size: 8in x 70in
Yarn Used: 1 full skien and about 1/2 of another, so about 450 yards total
This scarf found a home shortly after completion at a craft fair!

rainforestfinal1

rainforestfinal2

rainforestfinal4

rainforestfinal5

rainforestfinal3

Thanks for stopping by!

#Mashup – Rainbow Scarf

The Yarn:

Company/Store: Schaefer Yarn: Nicole (sadly out of business)
Colorway: Hermione; all colors of the rainbow
Weight/Length: Fingering/405 yards
Material: 80/20 Extrafine Merino Wool/Nylon

rainbowyarn

The photo does not do this yarn justice for how amazingly colorful it is. It is literally a rainbow in yarn form. I so wish I could find more but alas the company is no longer in business so I knew I had to choose wisely to find a pattern that shows off this rainbow yarn perfectly!

The Pattern:

Name: Atlee Scarf and Shawl (link to Ravelry)
Author: Bev Matheson of One Yarn After Another

Atlee Scarf and Shawl by One Yarn After Another

Atlee Scarf and Shawl by One Yarn After Another

I came across this pattern on Ravelry and instantly knew, this was the right pattern to show off the ribbons of color in this yarn. So, I know as I continue to crochet I am going to come across things I make that I have trouble parting with, however I know that I will usually have enough will power to list almost anything despite how much I like it. But I am so keeping this one for myself I can’t dream of parting with it, check out the photos of how it turned out!

rainbowscarf2

rainbowscarf3

I did not end up having enough yarn to fully complete the pattern, it came out super long, but I love how the rows lined up with the color changes just enough to really make it look like a rainbow. Needless to say I am thrilled with the result and cannot wait to show it off this winter!

Thanks for stopping by for another Mashup!

#Mashup – Autumn Leaves Scarf

After doing a few of these neat yarn and pattern combos I have decided to call them Mashups! I am learning that I really like finding cool patterns and matching them with an interesting yarn that really makes the two compliment each other. I hope to feature these mashups every week or so. I will give them my own unique names so the owners of the yarn and pattern can retain their titles for their respective products. Ok on we go to this weeks Mashup: Autumn Leaves Scarf!

The Yarn:

Company/Store: Cascade Yarns – Pacific
Colorway: 25; A beautiful fall, dark, rustic orange
Weight/Length: Worsted/213 yards
Fiber: 40/60 Merino Wool/Acrylic

While not exactly an exotic yarn, I really love this color orange. I knew I wanted to find a pattern that would be able to be worn in the Fall to show off its wonderful color.

The Pattern:

The pattern I found is by Moogly Blog called Winter Sunrise:

Winter Sunrise Scarf by Moogly Blog

Winter Sunrise Scarf by Moogly Blog

It uses a cluster stitch that makes it puffy but still airy enough to wear starting in Fall. I admit after 3/4 completed I realized I was supposed to stop half way and go back to the start to made the other side match. The pattern causes an arc as you go so the end is rounded. I did not do this haha so not wanting to undo so much work I improvised with 2 rows of shells at the end to make it more flat so it resembled the beginning more.

I am going to definitely use this pattern again and this time make sure I follow it the correct way! However I am super happy with how it turned out, here are some photos of my completed Autumn Leaves Scarf.

This item is For Sale! Link to Etsy Product Page!

autumnleaves1

autumnleaves3

Thanks for stopping by!

#Mashup – Plum Lace Scarf

Another fun yarn/pattern combo that I found that I am going to call Plum Lace. Details below!

The Yarn:

Company/Store: Western Sky Knits
Colorway: Dark Night; a variegated yarn with dark purples, plums and magentas
Weight/Length: DK/250 yards
Material: 80/10/10 Mer/Cash/Nyl

The Pattern:

I found this pattern by Lacy Crochet called Lacy Stitch for a Scarf:

Lacy Stitch by Lacy Crochet

Lacy Stitch by Lacy Crochet

I knew it would work really nicely with the purple yarn and would really show off the subtle changes in its colors. Here are some work in progress photos:

lacyscarf2

lacyscarf1

It works up quickly but looks really intricate, so I hope to finish it soon and will post a photo of the completed scarf!

Post Update: 8/23/13

Completed! The final dimensions are 6in width x 60in length.

This item is For Sale! Link to Etsy Product Page!

plumlace5 plumlace4

Thanks for stopping by!

#Mashup – Ocean Waves Scarf

I wanted to share another scarf project I am working on currently. I call it the Ocean Waves scarf as the pattern with this yarn reminds me of ocean waves lapping up on the shores of a sunny beach. Another yarn/pattern combo that I am super glad to have found.

The Yarn:

I found this beautiful Schaefer Yarn recently at a yarn shop called Imagine in Bemus Point, NY while visiting family for the 4th of July holiday. While there I learned that the owner of Schaefer Yarn retired and so the company went out of business in late 2012. However I snagged the last 2 skeins of yarn the store had and this was one of them. The color is noted as Julia Morgan however the photo better describes the colors, blues, aquas and sand colors.

OceanWaves1

The Pattern:

I am following the pattern called Modulation (Ravelry Link) and I think its turning out really cool. The yarn transitions colors in a neat way that makes these zigzags which after the first few rows started looking like waves.

OceanWaves2

Since the yarn is fingering its taking awhile to make but I have about 12 inches done so far and I am really liking how its going. So once  I am done I will post up a photo of the completed scarf! Hope you like it too!

Update 9/4/2013

My photo above has been featured on the Ravelry Page for this pattern! Super neat! Also I am still not finished but as soon as I am will post photos!

Update 11/4/2013

As I got near the end of the skein I had, I quickly realized that this scarf was not going to get too much longer than 40 inches, which I was originally very sad about, its about 34 inches long right now. By luck however I was browsing Ravelry’s stash pages for yarn and happened to find someone willing to sell 2 smaller skeins of this exact Schaefer yarn! What luck! I ordered them right away and they arrived this afternoon so this project is off the back burner and now something I hope to finish soon. I am so looking forward to finishing this as I love the colors. Here is an update shot with the additional yarn I got today.

IMG_0447

Final Stats

Size: 8 inches wide by 64 inches long
Yarn Used: 450 yards (all of original skein) + 250 approx of another skein totaling about 700 yards!

The first skein I bought was a full skein at 450 yards, I ran out of yarn around 40 inches in and was so sad that it might not get any longer! No fear! Ravelry to the rescue! I found someone who had 2 smaller skeins (320 yards each) of this exact yarn being sold as a pair and I snatched them up quick. I used almost all of another of the smaller skeins so I have 1 smaller skein left plus about 60 to 70 yards.

By far the longest it has ever taken me to finish a scarf (about 5 months) however I worked on it off and on, it was a great travel project, and factoring in having to get more yarn played a part too. However it is done and I cannot be more thrilled with how it looks!

I do admit the newer skeins I bought have a deeper aqua color than the original skein I bought so it does shift in color a tad a little over halfway through but I consider it more of a blend and it is not so drastic it looks off, so I am still super happy with it, below are finished pics!

This item is For Sale! Link to Etsy Product Listing!

IMG_5977

IMG_5978

IMG_5979

IMG_5980

Thanks for stopping by!