The Amelia Scarf

As promised, the second free, simple, super easy, chunky scarf pattern! When ever I type chunky, I think "chunky monkey" in my head. Odd, yes. In any case, here is a pretty, simple, and quick knit (thank you chunky monkey yarn) that produces a nice, squashy fabric. My little sister saw this while it was on the needles and now wants one, so they must be reasonably cool and hip, though I think a fisherman colored scarf has a rather classic look to it.

The Amelia Scarf
A free pdf of this pattern is available for download here on Ravelry.

Materials: 110 yards chunky yarn, needle (size recommended on ball band), tapestry needle, sewing needle, and a button of your choosing. The button shown here is about 3/4” in diameter.
Gauge: None needed! This pattern can easily be made wider, skinnier, longer, and shorter.

Notes: Above, I recommend chunky yarn, but this scarf can be made with any gauge, depending on taste. I used one skein Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn on 9mm needles, which produced a thick, springy fabric, and a short scarf.

Cast on 18 stitches.
Both sides: Sl, K1, P1, *K2, P1, repeat from * to end of row.

When scarf measures 42” long, work buttonhole row:
Sl 1, K1, P1, K2, P1, K2, P1, YO, K2tog, P1, K2, P1, K2, P1
Work pattern for two more inches, and bind off, weave in ends.

To affix the button, use a piece of yarn (I used one ply of this yarn, since it was so chunky) and a sewing needle. Fold scarf in half, and affix button on the cast-on end of the scarf to line up with the button hole on the cast-off end of the scarf.




Happy Friday!

Project Runway, Here I Come

The fruits of my sewing labor!!! An especial thanks to ms. sara for talking me through my bobbin winding crisis a couple weeks ago. Very helpful...I have now even troubleshot a terrible clogged bobbin fabric rumple back tracking crisis.



Sewing FO: My first project (since that delightful one pice jumsuit skort I made when I was ten. No, that is not a joke. I wore it on the first day of fifth grade.)
Scrap Tote
Pattern: Simple Tote
Designer: Lotta Jansdotter (Simple Sewing)



This scrap fabric tote bag (see the paisley in its original context in my Drops Cable Bag) is about 16.5 inches tall. It can easily accommodate a small amount of groceries (the bottom is reinforced with 2 layers of fabric), books or magazines, or knitting projects! It will likely become my new living room project bag that I use to hide the projects I am ignoring at the moment (swallowtail and a sock, at the moment).



The paisley fabric comes from a great shop in Petaluma, the Quilted Angel, a quilter's version of the coveted LYS. All the fabrics they stock are cottons (my preference in fabric) and they have a wonderful array of patterns and prints. The stripey fabric at the bottom is from Fabrix, on Clement Street here in SF.



In the below picture you can see some unevenness in my seaming...its the homey touch.

Overall, I love this bag, despite its quirks (aka mistakes!) I think its a handy size, and will be very useful for car trips and such.



Here is a strap, with a close up of the fancy stitch I used for the strap seaming on my sewing machine.

Picture of the day: Buttons!

This is my haul from the huge bin 'o' buttons at Fabrix. I don't think I bought a single practical button. I can't decide if I have grandma or little kid taste in buttons.



Have a happy weekend! I know I will, eating my way through the city with Kristina, Sara and co. :)

Wee Brûlée for a wee Ukranian

Wee Brûlée
Pattern: Brûlée Scarf by Skrilla Knits
Yarn: Tiur by Dale of Norway (sport weight 60% mohair 40% wool)
Needles: 3mm bamboo straights

Please forgive myself and the wee scarf for getting ridiculously carried away with a photo shoot out the window of my work's third floor library. I was on my lunch break, but still, taking photos leaning out a window while posing a scarf on the ledge.....lets hope no coworkers spotted me.


The yarn is quite fuzzy; the mohair makes it a bit scratchy. I am hoping the mohair softens a bit in the blocking process. This is my first time blocking, and I forgot to buy pins today, so hopefully I will start tomorrow!

I was instantly attracted to this pattern because it is named after one of my favorite desserts, and I decided to knit it for some simple car knitting. The pattern is simple, but the crochet shell trim lends a fun, girly feel. I started my adult crafting madness with crochet, but quickly abandoned it as I learned the versatility and variation of knitting. Before I learned to knit I told myself that I loved to crochet and would continue doing both equally as a took up knitting. Quickly, the hooks fell to the bottom of an tote bag at the back of the stash, and I started ordering knitting needles on ebay like a maniac (all sizes for 10 bucks! Who cares if they are a little to bendy...at that price I could not resist.) This pattern made me pick up my hook once again, and frankly, I had fun! It was a nice way to clean up an edge. My scarfs often flare at the corners for some reason (something I should probably learn to correct with blocking) and the shell stitches hid the flare and made the whole thing look finished.
I found my buttons at Britex, a four story sewing haven that is filled with such beauty that I bought a roll of remnants despite not knowing how to sew or having a sewing machine. There is a whole wall of fabulous buttons, where I found these little shells.




This scarf is destined to belong to a 3 year old in Ukraine, so I wanted to add a touch of fun in the buttons. For some reason these shells captured my attention, and reminded me of something I would have liked as a kid. Hopefully she will love them!

That thing just wouldn't stop posing...cheeky scarf.