Pink Crocheted Scarf

I finished up one last project for 2011!  It's a pink crocheted scarf.  It's so pretty and I can't wait to wear it.  It's really long, perfect for wearing in a European Loop. 

I haven't crocheted in decades!  I have been knitting a bit.  A tiny bit.  Washcloths.  Do not be impressed.  I used to crochet like crazy and even made some afghans in my day.  Still, I was never a pro and I never was a perfectionist about it.  A true yarn artist would be amused (or horrified) by my creations.

My mom made a scarf for my niece, Sarah, for Christmas.  It was lime green - Sarah's new favorite color.  It was fabulous.  I fell in love and decided it would be such fun to try.  I needed a TV watching project.  This was a timely project.  I have a winter cold and I've been a couch potato for the last couple of days.

The pattern had come from a free Hobby Lobby pattern card.  I was able to find the pattern - Taffy Pull Scarf - online.  The original pattern is for a striped scarf.  The one my mom made was a solid color and I liked that MUCH better.

Over the summer I had come across a bunch of wonderful cotton yarns at - where else - a yard sale.  Needless to say, I had a stash to pull from.  I chose the pink.  It's not as thick as the pattern calls for.  Since I'm not a perfectionist, I didn't let that worry me.  I had a number of crochet hooks.   The pattern calls for size I-9.  Didn't have that so I used a J-10.  Close enough. But I should have compensated by decreasing the chain stitches at the beginning to maybe 200 or 225. I ended up with a lacier scarf than my niece's.  Both are pretty.  I am thinking that I'd like to make an ivory or gray one with a thicker yarn.  It would be good to have a warmer scarf, too.  The bottom line - it will come out pretty even if you don't use exactly what's called for.

When I printed the original pattern, the print was too small to easily read, plus there was lots of extra info about changing colors, which I didn't plan to do.  I redid the pattern for one color.  If you want the  original pattern, go here.  If you want solid, copy and paste this:

Taffy Pull Scarf

Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller "Bamboo Ewe™"
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS - Scarf is 6" x 85". (I didn't measure mine, but this is pretty close).

MATERIALS
177 yd - 3.5 oz (100 g) balls
I used 3 1/2 skeins of 115 yd -  50g - 1 3/4 oz - 100% cotton - Patons Weekender yarn in coral (looks like a dusty pink)
Crochet Hook: 5.5mm [US I-9].
Yarn needle.


Ch 256
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across – 255 sc.
Note: I used a hook one size larger and my scarf is too long! 
Rows 2 - 5 : sc in each sc across.
Row 6: ch 4 (counts as tr), turn, *skip 1 st, tr in next st, tr in skipped st; repeat from * across to last st, tr in last st. (Sounds hard, but is very easy!)
Row 7: ch 1, turn, sc in each st across, sc in top of ch-4.
Rows 8-9: repeat Rows 6-7.
Rows 10-11: repeat Rows 6-7.
Row 12: ch 1, turn, sc in each st across, sc in top of ch-4.
Rows 13-16: ch 1, turn, sc in each sc across.
Fasten off.

The triple stitches used in rows 6, 8 and 10 create the lacy bits down the center of the scarf.

FINISHING
Cut 12" lengths of different colors of yarn to add to long tails. Matching colors with row tails, fold lengths in half. Each Fringe should have 6 strands. Pull folded end of lengths through each row end. Pull ends of lengths and long tails through folded end.
Weave in ends.

GAUGE: 12 sts = 4" in single crochet. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. (I obviously didn't bother) Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.
Note: Scarf is worked lengthwise. Leave 6" tail when beginning and ending to add to Fringe.

ABBREVIATIONS:
ch = chain
mm = millimeters
sc = single crochet
st(s) = stitch (es)
tr = triple or treble crochet
* = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated

Two Booth Expansions

Well, I've been pretty busy lately.  First, The White Booth which I share with 4 other fab ladies, has expanded.  The White Booth had been in two 10x15 booths.  We now occupy three of them and our latest one is a corner booth.  We were getting a bit crowded and really needed the space.  We painted the floor and wall and moved in all in one 10am - 5pm day.  Here's one picture and you can see more on my White Booth blog.

What's funny is that this weekend we sold lots of big pieces and a number of things in this photo are gone.  But other things have been brought in. 

Just before we expanded The White Booth, I moved my main booth from a 10x10 to a 10x15 corner booth.  Mmmmm.  The corner booths are nice!  I really tried to convince myself that I was just fine in the cozy little 10x10.  It was just too cramped.  I asked to be put on the waiting list for a corner booth and amazingly, the one I wanted came open.  That's crazy because people are fighting to get a booth at our store.  It was meant to be.

As you can see, my main booth is the opposite of The White Booth.  This booth is big on color and getting bolder all the time. The White Booth answers one side of my personality - the desire to be clean and neat and pure and sweet.  But this booth is the real me. Bohemian and wild and changing all the time. This photo was taken right after I got everything moved.  The next day I tweaked and made some nice improvements.  This angle is not my favorite.  Ninety-nine percent of our customers approach the booth from the opposite direction.  I set up the booth with that in mind. 

I love the charm of this round table and tablecloth in the corner.  It looks really nice with the lamp turned on, but photos turn out lousy with the light.  You'll have to use your imagination.  Excuse the lopsided tablecloth... it's on straight now.

This enamel top table is was a favorite thing.  It sold really fast.  The legs and base had been wood colored.  I knew that a little paint would give it a new lease on life.  It did.  In fact, I nearly kept it, but how many retro tables can one person have... without being considered a hoarder?

The stool in the photo above is another recent redo.  I painted it with chalk paint.  It sold quickly, too.

Once the green table sold, I brought in this little beauty.  I had pictured it going in the booth in January or February, but sales are going faster than anticipated.

I wasn't crazy about the floor color, but there was no time to paint it the day I moved.  Once everything was in, the floor color felt just fine.  The wall was painted.  It had been a mustard yellow.  I seriously considered painting the wall silver.  I came very, very close.  If I had had to go to the paint store, that's probably what I would have gotten.  My sister-in-law had leftover wall paint so that's what I used.  Thanks, Nancy!!!

By the way, those things on top of the wall are not mine.  They are my neighbor's - Kathy.  She's also one of The White Booth girls.  Someone asked if those things bothered me or if I wanted to use the ledge.  The answers are no and no.  I don't like putting things up high where they are hard to reach.  Hard to reach = hard to sell.  Kathy can have that ledge!  By the way, one of these days I need to show photos of her booth. It's wonderful. Her booth is also a corner booth.  It's set up more open than mine towards the center aisle, but customers are approaching her booth from a different angle.  The customers in our store tend to start on the right side of the store and work around.  I think it's very important to know where your customers will be when they first notice your booth. 

One other improvement was the way my pictures are corralled.  There's never enough room to hang them all on the wall.  Many would end up propped on the floor.  I brought in an old trunk that had been in my attic and now the pictures and frames stay grouped.  They are easy to look through without sliding or toppling.  Some have already sold.  Now I've added some vintage windows.  I'll share photos of those soon.  I have some really nice chippy ones!

That's all for now.