17th December: Handmade Gifts No.4 - Crochet Infinity Scarf - Free Crochet Pattern!

I'm usually very shy about showing off my creations, worrying about what others will think (worrying is my middle name!), but I'm so over the moon with how this crochet infinity scarf turned out that I want to show it off! I only taught myself how to crochet a few months ago and became a bit crochet-obsessed in the process. This was the second scarf I made having made myself a mesh-style scarf first. This scarf I've made for my best friend, Jess, as part of her Christmas present and I do hope she likes it.

 

I've made it in a lovely light pink colour with a soft aran & alpaca yarn. Jess loves this kind of colour so I think I've chosen well. I decided to do this scarf as an infinity scarf as they're my favourite and I didn't really follow a pattern for this but instead chose my favourite crochet stitches to put together to make a nice scarf with a pretty shell pattern in the middle. It took me a LONG time to make the scarf and at one stage I had to back track quite a lot as I changed my mind halfway through (as you do!). I'm hoping I'll get quicker at making this type of thing as time goes on and by the end I was speeding through the stitches. There's certainly something very therapeutic about sitting down with a crochet hook and yarn and creating something. Some might add that a cup of tea goes down well at the same time but I'm one of those strange people that doesn't like any hot drinks so I'll stick with a glass of water or lactose free milk (lactose intolerant too!).

 

Here are instructions on how to crochet this scarf. I've used abbreviations and I'm afraid there aren't any instructions on the different stitches but if anyone gets stuck please please ask me and I'll be happy to help. This is my first ever time at writing out my own crochet pattern and I've checked it numerous times! It was fun to be able to make up my own based on what I learned when making my last infinity crochet scarf and choosing an array of stitches (which was also good practice).

 

You Will Need:

7mm Crochet Hook

2x 100g balls of 4" Aran Yarn

Scissors

 

Abbreviations:

ss - Slip Stitch

dc - Double Crochet

tr - Treble Crochet

dtr - Double Treble Crochet

 

Important Notes:

I've used UK crochet terms, please see below for a conversion chart for reference. I've split my instructions into the three different sections of this scarf to make things easier. I also used 2 balls of yarn (as outline above) simultaneously to add extra thickness to this scarf.

 

 

 

Instructions:

 

Section 1:

• Chain 180. ss to first to create a ring, but make sure you check that the chain hasn't become twisted before doing the ss.
• Chain 1, then dc around and ss to first.
• Chain 3, then tr around and ss to first.
• Chain 4, then dtr around and ss to first.

 

Section 2:

• Row 1:
• Chain 1, 1 dc in 2nd chain from hook. *Chain 1, 1 dc in each of the next 4 stitches. Chain 2, 1 dc in each of the next 4 chains. Repeat from * until the last 2 chains. 1 dc in each of these last 2 stitches. Ss to first.
• Row 2:
• Chain 1, *1 tr, chain 2, 1 tr in 1-chain space (created in previous row). 2 tr, chain 1, 2 tr in 2-chain space (created in previous row). Repeat from * until round is finished. Chain 2 and then ss to first.
• Row 3:
• Chain 1, *2 tr, chain 1, 22 tr in the 2-chain space. 1 tr, chain 2, 1 tr in the 1-chain space (so kind of the opposite of what you were doing in row 2). Repeat from * until the round is finished, chain 2 and ss to first.

 

Section 3:

• Chain 4, dtr around and ss to first.
• Chain 3, tr around and ss to first.
• Chain 1, dc around and ss to first.
• Fasten off and thread in any loose ends.

 

Hopefully that all makes sense! I've done it nice and simple I think and the scarf was good fun to make. The trickiest part is making sure you don't get the ring twisted at the start. If anyone would like the pdf document of the crochet pattern to print then please let me know and I'll send it to you.

 

I'm really pleased at how the scarf turned out; it's quite weighty but lovely and soft so hopefully won't be scratchy around the neck. I really hope Jess likes it!

 

If anyone else would like me to make them one, for themselves or as a gift, please do let me know!

 

Here I am modelling said scarf, this one was too nice to model on the dog, not to mention too big!

 

And here it is all wrapped up, ready to give to Jess!

 

Em x

Crafting Weekend

Morning All,

Hope everyone is ok on this dreary Monday morning, looks like there's a lot of rain on the way over the next couple of days but at least the sun shone for us on Saturday.

Jack headed back to Cambridge this weekend with his friend, so that they could go and play rugby. It had been a while since Jack had played (he's only played a couple of times since fracturing his ankle last season!) but they had fun (no injuries, hurrah) and won 56-0, a lot LOT better than England managed on Saturday night. I am gutted that England are out of the world cup, especially as we're off to watch them play Uruguay in Manchester this coming weekend, but fingers crossed they'll still play a good game and give a good fight. Go England! :-)

My friend stayed for the weekend and we enjoyed a girly weekend that mostly consisted of a lot of nattering, some crafting and diving into a box of Milk Tray while watching Strictly and the Rugby(without the boys there to steal the chocs!). Rosie brought bags full of craft supplies and along with mine we were a little overrun on our small dining table. I just upgraded my phone and the new one is so slippery, so my first crafting project of the weekend was to crochet a simple sleeve for said slippery phone. It fits nice and snugly and it was good for me to practice trying to keep much better tension when crocheting (something I've not been very good at). I'm happy with it anyway and it does the job, especially when my phone is rattling around next to keys in my handbag. The new phone is brilliant too, the camera is amazing which is what I tend to be after in a phone these days because I can't lug my SLR camera everywhere. I was due an upgrade and managed to get a fantastic deal through my network (proves that you should always cancel first and they'll come begging for your custom) and so upgraded to the iPhone 6S. I used to hate iPhones and swear I wouldn't jump on the bandwagon but eventually did and I have to admit they are fantastic phones and so easy to use. Dad's happy as I'm giving him my old iPhone!

My finished phone sleeve

 

We next moved onto making some Christmas cards (sorry for mentioning that word but I'm secretly excited and trying to be organised) and I had fun with some glitter too. I've got lots more cards to try and make and I'm determined not to buy any this year to try and use some of my craft supplies up - I've banned myself from buying anymore at the moment (how long will that last...?). I also want to make some gift tags when I get a chance.

 

Christmas card making

A couple of cards I made

 

It was a lovely weekend anyway and flew past (how is it Monday already?). Jack arrived back from his Parents' Sunday afternoon and got straight into shed building, weather and light is now against him so he needs to get it built fast.

 

 

I did some gardening late afternoon on Sunday to tidy up plants that have almost finished flowering and give the beds a bit of a weed. I harvested the rest of our potatoes - not brilliant but hopefully they'll taste ok. I picked lots of sage leaves too and I'm going to try drying them in the airing cupboard; has anyone tried this? I hear it works well, but advice is welcome!

 

Sage is my favourite herb :-)

 

I also took some cuttings from my Rosemary plant. Hopefully they'll root, I've taken plenty just in case and read in one of my new books that it takes about two months for them to root.

 

Decorating plant labels just because I think they look nice in the ground!

 

It was so chilly last night as the wind picked up and brought this rain over us. Barry is a fantastic hot water bottle though and I took him upstairs with me while I watched Downton (he fell straight asleep so he's obviously not a fan!). Jack came to hook him out of our bed a couple of hours later though and took him back downstairs to his own bed much to Barry's dismay! He'd love to stay upstairs with us but he also loves his bed downstairs and is usually found sprawled out in a tangled mess of blanket and little Jack Russell legs with a toy close by!

 

 

Weekend Activities & Barry Update

The weather was kind to us all weekend after the torrential downpours during Wednesday and Thursday and it was nice to see my water butt full once more in the garden (I must must invest in another water butt, I'm sure I can fit another one somewhere in the garden). We enjoyed sitting out in the garden in the sunshine admiring the hard work we've done in the garden so far. Jack has been busy clearing a space where he's going to construct his shed and he's also been busy building the outdoor tortoise run (photos coming soon). He wasn't the only one doing manual labour; I weeded the beds (Barry ran off with said weeds, scattering soil everywhere) and I painted the trellis - well half of it anyway as almost all of the top half is covered in a very happy and healthy Montana Clematis.

More Dahlias flowering in the garden

 

The combine was humming in the background nearly all weekend as it harvested the wheat in the distant fields, only a matter of days now I should think before they cut the wheat in the field directly behind our garden. As much as I love watching the Combine, Tractor and farmers working hard, the day they cut the wheat I will ensure I'm not home because the dust will do my Hayfever no favours (it's been behaving for the most part so I don't want to trigger it off again with lots still to do in the garden).

 

We fetched lots of bricks for the purpose of providing a base for the tortoise run (wood fencing on top, but the bricks buried into the soil around the perimeter will hopefully deter Squirt and Lola from trying to dig their way out) and so Jack's car was rather red and dusty inside by the time I'd finished. I was kind though and gave it a hoover and also washed it too while the weather was nice - good excuse for exercise and definitely just as energetic as a gym session!

 

Barry helped me wash the car

 

I took Barry to the Vets this morning for his check-up. They're pleased with how well the wounds are healing and his leg is looking nice and straight. We can increase his walks again now and gradually get him back to normal, so he's a very happy puppy. The Vets and Nurses at Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery have been amazing, but I do hope we're not at the Vets any time soon other than for something very routine!

 

Sleepy Barry keeping me company on Saturday night while Jack was at Twickenham cheering on England in the World Cup warm-up - excuse the state of our sofa, I've patch-worked and fixed it so many times, we will eventually get a new one!

 

I also managed to get around to a little craft time at the weekend and made a simple Birthday card for my brother's partner, I do hope she likes all things floral and colourful!

 

 

Wishing you all a good week! :-)