"How to Crochet a Scarf" by Anais M

Well fellow classmates, it’s November in Southern California and we all know what that means… it’s still warm outside! Nevertheless, we must power through and prepare for the chilly weather that may or may not arrive! So in this article I will be explaining to you all how to crochet a scarf. Now this may seem a little weird but bear with me, this scarf is not only incredibly stylish and a perfect accessory for the gruelling harshness of winter, but it also makes a perfect gift! Mothers, Grandmothers, Tias, Boyfriends, Girlfriends, Cousins, Uncles, Dogs, Kids, Teachers and so many more will rejoice to open their gift on Christmas morning and find a beautifully woven bundle of yarn, that will protect their necks from the frosty air! In all seriousness though, crocheting is one of my most favorite activities to do, especially in the winter time because it keeps my habitually cold hands warm. So I hope my article is easy to understand and that you are rewarded with a beautiful scarf that you can either keep for yourself or gift in the upcoming holiday season. Then hopefully once you are finished, you continue the hobby! So let us begin!

DISCLAIMER: I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND WATCHING A SHORT VIDEO ON YOUTUBE ABOUT THE BASICS OF CROCHETING OR ELSE SOME THINGS MAY GET LOST IN TRANSLATION. IT’S MUCH BETTER VISUALLY SEEING HOW THE STITCHES ARE DONE THEN JUST READING THEM

Estimated time:

Five to six hours (I am now able to complete the square in three hours, but the first time took awhile)

Materials:

+      Yarn- 4 skeins (bundles) of 9mm of soft and bulky, in your choice of color (I personally use LionBrand and that can be purchased at JoAnns, Michaels or Walmart)

+      Crochet Hook- size L, 8mm (both metal or plastic work the exact same, you can buy them individually or if you plan keep doing projects, I would then recommend you buy a pack of multi hooks)

+      Scissors

Step one:

So now that you have all the necessary materials, you need to start by making a “chain”. A chain is the foundation of all crochet projects and it is done the exact same way every time. So you are going to make what is essentially a knot or in crochet terms a “slip knot”. Make a little loop with your hands, then like the diagram, pull yarn through the loop to create the know and another loop on top of it. (illustration 9)

Then keeping your hook in the loop you are going to use the slip stitch to create a chain of roughly 100 slip stitches (the amount of stitches your chain has all depend on how long you want your scarf, so wrap the chain around your neck when you want to check if the length is good). To create the slip stitch, you are going to put your hook through the loop grab the yarn and pull it through the loop again. (illustration  12)

Step two

Once you finish your chain, you are going to do a half double crochet stitch back into the work you did. Now that sounds complicated, but it's really not. Essentially you are adding width to your scarf, so it makes sense to work off of what you already did. (Illustration 27 shows what going back into your work is) So a half double crochet is inserting your hook, wrapping yarn around it, going into the first loop, pulling through, then pulling through the three loops on your hook. Keep doing that until you get to the end.

Step three:

Once you get to the end (or rather where you first started) you are going to chain two of the slip stitches you used to create your chain, and then flip your work. Flipping your work is just grabbing what you already did and flipping it so that the other side is showing, and then do your half double crochets back what you already did.

 

Step four:

Keep repeating step three until you get your desired width.

Step five:

Pull the yarn all the way through your last loop and you are done.

I know this may seem complicated but give it a shot. Doing just a little bit more research on the stitches makes these projects so much easier. I just really want people to know that making something by hand may seem terrifying and unnecessary (especially because you can just buy it from the store) but it is something to really be proud off. Also don't be discouraged if something doesn't turn out, even the master starts out as the apprentice.