Friday, February 5, 2010

Urban Shells Scarf - Free Crochet Pattern!


There is something immensely satisfying about having an idea, and then making it come into being. As I tell DH, I burst with pride inside every time I look at something I made that was TOTALLY my idea. It's such a rush!

The Urban Shells Scarf has been my latest rush... I love this scarf so much!



I named the scarf “Urban Shells” due to the combination of the shell stitches and the post stitches, which created ridges that remind me of power lines. The name of the scarf makes me think of Sandy Bay beach which is so very close to Hobart - a beach (complete with real shells!) in an urban area.



One of the wonderful things about this scarf is that the edging gets done as you go, so when you are done you actually are done! (And there are less ends to weave in - YAY!)



Here is the pattern - I hope you love it as much as I do! (For those of you on Ravelry, here is the link.)

ETA: the pattern is now available as a pdf download on my "Beautiful Crochet" page - see the link below the blog header.


Urban Shells Scarf
300m of DK weight yarn
4.5mm crochet hook
Tapestry needle for sewing in the ends

Measurements: 4.25inches (11cm) wide and 52.5inches (133cm) long

Stitches used (US terminology): chain (ch), slip stitch (slst), single crochet (sc), double crochet (dc), triple crochet (tr), back post double crochet (bpdc)* and front post double crochet (fpdc)*.

Here is a video tutorial for front post double crochet (fpdc) and back post double crochet (bpdc). (This one is good too.)

Special stitches: shell (sh): (2dc, ch1, 2dc) in same stitch or space.

Note: a bpdc gets worked when the wrong side (WS) of the scarf is facing you fpdc gets worked when the right side (RS) of the scarf is facing you. 'St' stands for Stitch,m 'sk' means Skip and 'chsp' means Chain Space (i.e. space created by chaining, such as in the center of the shell). I used 300 yards of a DK weight yarn, but the pattern will easily lend itself to other yarn weights.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Chain 26 (multiple of 5 plus 1 chain for turning)
Row 1: sc in second ch from hook. Sc in each ch across, turn (25sc)
Row 2: ch4, tr in same st, sk 3 st, (slst, ch4, tr in same st), rep across row, ending with a slst in the last st. Do not turn, instead rotate 180' (6 scallops)
Row 3: ch2, sh (shell) in first st, *sk 2 st, dc in next st, sk 2 st, sh in next st, rep from *. Turn
Row 4: ch2, sh in chsp of previous shell, *sk 2 st, bpdc around dc from previous row, sk 2 st, sh in next st, rep from *. Turn
Row 5: ch2, sh in chsp of previous shell, *sk 2 st, fpdc around bpdc from previous row, sk 2 st, sh in next st, rep from *. Turn
REPEAT ROWS 4 and 5 UNTIL SCARF IS DESIRED LENGTH (or the yarn has nearly run out!)
SCALLOP EDGING (so that both ends match!):
Row 1 (WS should be facing you): ch2, 2sc in chsp, *ch1, bpdc around fpdc from the previous row, ch 1, 3sc in chsp of sh from previous row, rep from * until second last sh, ch1, 2sc in sh, turn (25sc)
Row 2: ch1, sc in top of each st to the end of the row, turn (25sc)
Row 3: (ch4, tr) in same st, sk 3 st, (slst, ch4, tr in same st), rep across row, ending with a slst in the last st (6 scallops)
Fasten off yarn and weave in ends.

Stand back and admire, then wrap it around your neck and go look in a mirror!


Please, if you have any questions, let me know!

The copyright of this pattern remains with myself. It is provided free for personal use only. The pattern may not be reproduced for commercial purposes. If you want to sell products you have made from this pattern, you are free to do so (please refer to my FAQ page).

Creative Commons License
Urban Shells Scarf by Katherine Crombie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

32 comments:

  1. That's a really nice scarf. Clever you! I love the way that the edging is done as you go.

    BTW, when I clicked on the pdf link I opened up to a page that said "action not allowed."

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  2. Thanks inkberryblue! Great to see you popping over from Ravelry! :D

    I'll go investigate the pdf linky thing!

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  3. Love this! I found it on ravelry. It is simple and lovely. I made it in brown. Thanks for the pattern!

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  4. Thank you! I'm so glad you like it!

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  5. Thanks for this lovely pattern :)
    Helen from Hungary

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  6. Hey! you're a Tasmanian?? excellent! I have to make this now!! I'm up the other end of the state!

    *waves hi*

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  7. Thank you for your generous sharing of this beautiful pattern!

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  8. I'm working on this scarf with a mohair/acrylic blend in blues/purples for a Christmas gift for my equestrian coach. It's turning out really nice, and I hope to do another one maybe in the Lion Brand Amazing or tweed yarn.

    I like the DK weight yarn too.. Thanks! I'll try to post a photo once I'm done if you want. Happy Holidays!

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  9. Thank you everyone for your comments - they make my day!

    Joylynne - I'd love to see a photo once it's done!

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  10. I know this is an older post but I just found your pattern on Ravelry today and its going to be the perfect project for the 3 skeins of cashmere I bought at a after Christmas sale! Thanks so much for posting your patterns and for free! I love when patterns do new things!

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  11. Hi, my school is having a fundraiser and I was hoping to make this scarf to donate to our craft sale. Since it's technically being sold, I was wondering if I could have your permission to so?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Dani,

      You certainly have my permission, and I hope it's a successful seller. You may want to check out some of the modifications that have been made to the scarf (primarily into neckwarmers) at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/urban-shells. You may need to be a member of Ravelry (free!) in order to see other people's projects.

      Kathy

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    2. Thank you so much :) I really appreciate you making your patterns available and free!

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  12. Help - I am a new crocheter and am having trouble with the directions. I don't understand the "rotate 180 degree" setp. Am I to rotate 180 vertically so that I now have the original chain on top and then crochet back across that side?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, you're exactly right!

      Basically, you've done the edging, now you rotate it to work back along the other side of the chain to start the scarf itself.

      Hope that helps!

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  13. Hi, I love this scarf and am in the process of starting it but I was wondering about one thing, on the 4th row you say to sk 2 and sh, are we doing the shell in the chain space of the previous rows shells?

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    Replies
    1. Hello Marcie. My blog was inundated with spam, and I am sorry for taking so long to reply. Yes, you do the shell in the chain space of the previous row's shells.

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  14. absolutely gorgeous! thank you thank you thank you!

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  15. I am absolutely horrible at reading patterns, is there a video tutorial you have for this by any chance?

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    Replies
    1. I am soooo not technologically clever enough to do a video! I am so sorry.

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  16. Hi, I am crocheting a scarf using this pattern, but instead of one solid color I am putting two stripes on the ends about ten row s to the end. I am doing a white main color and black stripes. It looks good so far. Thank you for the AWESOME pattern!

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  17. I adore this pattern! Thank you! I'm on my second scarf and it's a joy to work.

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  18. I'm not understanding row 2 where it states do not turn but rotate...does that mean start the next row on the chain row?
    Sorry I am just a beginner and love this scarf so had to try it.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, that is right. You are keeping the scarf facing up the same way and just spinning it around so that you work back along the original chain.

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  19. Hi there,
    I just finished making this scarf for my sister! She's going to love it, I will be charging her for it but only the price of the wool but if other's like it I will sell for profit I have linked back to your website to let people know where the pattern came from. I'm hoping this will be okay? It's a beautiful pattern with lot's of texture and was so easy to do, thankyou for making it a free pattern too! Helps me as a mum of two trying to make a bit of extra cash and enjoy making things that people can use :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Becky!
      You are more than welcome to sell them. Thank you for linking back to my website - that is all I ask of sellers. I am so glad you like the pattern and I hope it helps bring in that bit extra money. I know how much an extra $20 can help sometimes :)

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  20. Great pattern! I want to make some of these up to sell at a school craft fair, is that all right with you?

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    Replies
    1. Yes it definitely is! Happy hooking Royce! :-D

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  21. Absolutely lovely! Quick question though, would you be willing to update it with UK terms as well?
    I just had to translate it for a friend of mine to use and it struck me that it'd be well appreciated, if it were available in both US/UK terminology.
    If you're not keen to update it, (with your permission) I'd like to post the pattern with translated abbreviations, giving full attribution, of course.

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    1. Hi Gail!
      I think translating it into UK terms is a wonderful idea! I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. If you are willing to do so that would be wonderful, as my life is rather crazy at the moment. Let me knkw if/when you do, so I can link to it from my blog too.
      Kathy x

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