Whit's Knits: Icarus Scarf
The Silken Straw yarns used to make this scarf are like blasts of sunshine. They shimmer and glisten and make me feel like I'm on a winged journey straight to the sun! Combining Alchemy's usual color wizardry with a beautifully nuanced texture, the effect is rustic and elegant at the same time. Definitely one of Purl's most sophisticated yarns, it crochets up into a very special scarf.
Materials
- 3 skeins of Alchemy's Silken Straw. These colors, from left to right, are Canary ("Color A" in the pattern), Michelle's Marigold ("Color B"), and Persimmon ("Color C").
- 1 size D crochet hook
The Pattern
Gauge
6 single crochets = 1 inch, before blocking
Finished Size
4 inches wide x 64 inches long (including the fringe), after blocking
Notes
At the beginning of every row (except the first), skip the first stitch and start the row in the second stitch from the hook.
At the end of every row (except the first), make the final stitch into the top loop of the chain that you made at the beginning of the previous row.
When it's time to change colors, loosely carry the yarn that you need up the edge of the scarf. It doesn't matter if your edge looks a little messy because the fringe will cover it.
The Scarf
With Color A, chain 300 stitches (give or take a few).
Use Color B to chain 3 more stitches (counts as first half double crochet of next row).
Row 1: Make a half double crochet (hdc) in the third chain from the hook (the last Color A chain). Make 1 hdc in each chain to the end.
When making the last hdc of the row, make the first half of the hdc with Color B (yarn over and make a loop).
Then use Color C to pull a stitch through the three loops on the hook.
Turn the work.
Row 2: With Color C, chain 3, make a double crochet (dc) in each stitch.
When making the last stitch of the row, work the dc until you have 2 loops on the hook. Then use Color A to pull a stitch through the final two loops.
Turn the work.
Row 3: With Color A, chain 1, make a single crochet (sc) in each stitch.
When making the last stitch of the row, only work the first step of the sc so that you have 2 loops on the hook. Then use Color B to pull a stitch through the two loops.
Row 4: With Color B, chain 2, make a hdc in each stitch. Change colors at the end of the row the same way you did at the end of Row 1.
Repeat Rows 2-4 four more times.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 one more time.
Cut the yarns and weave in your ends.
The Fringe
Cut 24 twelve inch pieces of each of the yarns.
Take one strand of each of the three colors, align their ends, and fold the yarns in half.
Insert the hook under at least two strands of yarn...
...and pull the fringe yarns through to form a loop.
Hook the tails of the fringe and pull them through the loop.
To finish, pull the tails tight.
Continue like this, making 12 fringes across each end of the scarf.
Block the scarf and wear it all spring!
May 3, 2009
Reader Comments (15)
I LOVE the photos that accompany your patterns. They are beautiful, and even better than books or videos for so very clearly showing how to do whatever stitch is needed. They may even be better than learning in person, as a teacher so rarely holds work in such good light and in extreme closeup! Thank you so much.
Thanks for the great photos and clear instructions.
Any idea what the weight of your finished scarf was?
The finished Icarus Scarf weighs 47 grams, just over one skein. So three skeins would definitely make 2 scarves, and maybe even three if you cut the fringe a little short. Of course, you would also need to switch around which colors you use for each row. It'll be fun to see the different results!
Thanks for your question - it's a good one!
Whitney
Here's what I recommend: Soak your scarf in a sink full of tepid water and mild soap (like Soak, which is nice because you don't have to rinse it [ http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/search/?search_keywords=soak#searchResultTop ]. Ivory dish washing soap is also fine. People seem to agree that Woolite is not as gentle as advertised.) Rinse the scarf if you have to, and then squeeze the excess water out (don't wring or twist!). Next, roll the scarf in a dry towel and squeeze some more. Finally, lay your scarf out on another dry towel, being careful to straightening the edges and to not overstretch the scarf lengthwise so that it gets too skinny. Then just let it dry for a day or two!
Blocking is an important step for Silken Straw; it really transforms into a soft and supple yarn!
Thanks for the great question! And enjoy your Icarus Scarf!
Whitney