Free Pattern: Sea Fairy Shell Scarf

I was talking on the phone to Twiglet (8) the other day and she asked me if I was making anything for her. We haven’t seen each other for well over a year.

I said.”If I were to make you something, what would you like?”

The reply was, “a scarf in blues please”.

The thought of making a scarf with hundreds of short rows is not my idea of crochet fun, so I decided to create a pattern that goes around a central long row of double crochets at the centre.

Here it is:

Sea Fairy Shells for a Child

(This pattern is untested at the time of posting – I would love to know if any of you try it out – all feedback welcome ❤ )

Size:

104cm x 11cm

41inches x 4.5inches

About 54gms DK yarn and 4.5mm hook

I use US terms and I am left-handed

Special Stitches:

V st : (dc, ch1, dc) in the same stitch.

Shell: [dc, (ch 1, dc) 4 times]

Foundation chain.   Ch 154

(when I create a foundation chain I put in a stitch marker every 20 sts when I am counting.

I don’t count the loop on the hook)

Foundation Row: Dc in the 4^th ch from the hook, dc to the end. 

Counting the chains at the beginning as a stitch. 152stsRound 1: Ch 1, sc into the same st, (dc over the bar of the last dc of the Foundation Row, ch 1) 4 times, dc over the bar, sc in the first loop at the base of the foundation row,

(skip 2 sts, in the next st: [dc,(ch 1, dc) 4 times], skip 2 sts, sc),  repeat 24 times to the end of the row.

In the end bar (which is the foundation chain that formed the first stitch of the Foundatuion row) [ dc, (ch 1, dc) 4 times],  skip2 sts, sc in first st (where the stitch marker is in the photo),

[Skip 2sts, dc, (ch 1, dc) 4 times, skip 2sts, sc]  Continue making these shells to the end, making sure that the centre of the shell is opposite the shells on the other side of the Foundation row.

25 shells each side of the Foundation Row and one at each end.

It takes about 20gms yarn to get to this point.

Round 2:

(Round 2 and 3 use approx 15gm)

Colour 2: Standing sc in the third dc of the end shell., *ch3, V st into the next sc. Ch2, (sc into the 3^rd dc of the next shell, ch1, V st in the sc, Ch1)  24 times, sc into the 3rd. dc of the next shell, ch2, Vst into the sc, ch3*, sc into the 3rd dc of the end shell, Repeat from * to * . Sl into the standing sc.

 

Round 3:

Sl into the V of the standing sc. Ch4, into the V of the standing sc (dc, ch1, dc)

ch1, *sc into the ch3 space, (make a shell into the ch1 of the next V st, skip 2sts,  sc in the next sc) 25 times,

make a shell into the next Vst., sc into the ch3 space, ch1,• into the V of sc [dc, (ch1, dc) 4 times], ch1,

Repeat from *to *, into the V of the standing sc (dc, ch1) twice.

sl into 3rd ch to complete the round. Cut the yarn and fasten off.

Round 4:

(Round 4 and 5 take approx 20 gms yarn)

Start with a standing sc in the 3rd dc of the 13th shell on one side.

(starting here so that the sewing in of the ends can be as discreet as possible)

^^(ch1, Vst in the next sc, ch1, sc in 3rd dc of the next shell)^^ 13 times.

**ch1, Vst into the next sc, ch1, Vst into the same sc, ch2,

sc into the 3rd dc of the end shell, ch2, Vst into the next sc, ch1, Vst into the same sc, ch1, sc into the 3rd dc of the first shell of the next side.**

Repeat from ^^ to ^^25 times,

Repeat from ** to **

Repeat from ^^ to ^^ 12 times.

Sl into standing sc, do not cut the yarn.

Round 5:

ch1, (skip 2sts, shell into Vst, skip 2 sts, sc into sc) 13 times

^skip 2 sts, [into the next ch1 space, (dc, ch1) twice, dc] 3 times, skip 3sts, sc into the next sc.

skip 3 sts, [into the next ch1 space, (dc, ch1) twice, dc] 3 times. skip 2 sts, sc into next sc,^

make 25 shells in the V sts to the end.

sc in next sc, Repeat from ^ to ^

Make shells to the end of the round, sl into ch1.

Cut yarn and fasten off.

These scarfs are like hugs and kisses for my Granddaughters

Twig’s Scarf: Teal and Lobelia

Scarf 2: Storm , Duck Egg, Petrol

Twiglet’s Scarf +1: Stash busting, machine washable DK yarn.

 

 

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Photo Tutorial: Spiro Star centre for Mandala Madness

Mandala Madness is such a wonderful pattern created by Helen Shrimpton. Go to Google images to see the multitude of fabulous mandalas that have been created using Helen’s pattern.

I enjoyed doing her Spiro Star pattern so much for the Nuts About Squares CAL, that I experimented with putting it at the centre of Mandala Madness – I’m really pleased with how it turned out

and just had to try it in another colourway.

A few people have asked me to explain how to marry the two together so here goes:

Make the Spiro Star up until Round 11

I followed the Spiro Star video tutorial by Esther from Its All In a Nutshell.

If you prefer a written pattern there is one on Helen’s site: with Photo tutorial.

About 40 years ago, I learnt to crochet from an American Book so all the crochet terms I use are US terms. And, I am left-handed, which you will probably notice in the photos. I have made a few slight variations in the way Spiro Star is worked, which I explain below, but you can simply follow the above tutorials until Round 11 if you prefer and go straight to Joining Round 1.

I am using a 3.50mm Drops Circus hook and Scheepjes Stonewashed 4ply cotton and acrylic yarn.

Round 1: Colour = Moon Stone

Starting with a Magic Ring, work a Ch3 then 15 DC giving you 16 sts.

The pattern suggests you cut the yarn at this stage, but I try to minimise sewing in as much as possible, so after closing the circle with a slip st in the first Ch3, I open up the loop and pull the whole ball of yarn through and pull tight, leaving the thread at the back whilst I work the next round.

Round 2: Colour = Rose Quartz

Worked as the above tutorials suggest.

Round 3: Colour = Rose Quartz

At the end of the round this is how it looks front and back.

I mark which stitch I’m aiming for to start the next round and working on the back

slip st. up to it. (click on any photo to see it larger)

Then, turn your work to work from the front.

Start the next round as instructed.

Round 4 and 5: Colour = Moon Stone

Again, I have not cut the yarn, but pulled the whole ball through the loop as before.

Front:

Back:

The slip stitching hardly shows on the back.

Rounds 6,7,8, 9 : Colour = Citrine

Rounds 10 and 11: Colour = Moon Stone

Slip st along the back, from Round 5, doing 2 chain sts at the end to get in the right position to start with a bphd.

(don’t cut the thread, it will be used for one of the Joining rounds)

Joining Round 1: Colour = Pink Quartzite

Working mainly in the back loops (bl).

Work a standing sc in the sc before any fpdc (which is the point of the star),

*sc the next two sts together, sc, 2 blscs in the next st, 2blhds in next st, 2bldc in next 2sts, 2bltrs into next st, bltr, 2bltrs into next st, 2bldcs into next 2sts, 2blhds into next st, 2blscs into next st, sc.*

Repeat from * to * all the way round until the last repeat

at the end of this repeat, missing the final sc, slst into the standing sc to close.

Joining Round 2: Colour = Moonstone

On the back of the work, slp st with the Moon Stone yarn into position. (into the joining slst).

(If using a fresh colour, join in any sc just before the sc2tog of the previous row)

Ch1 and do a bpsc in the standing sc from the round below, missing out the star point stitch, (effectively dec 1 st at each star point) bpsc in each st until the next star point st, miss this st. Continue round the petals and join with a slst to close the round.

Joining Round 3: Colour = New Jade

Start on the 4th st back from the star point.

Standing sc,

sc, miss 4 sts, sc, sc, **ch 5, bpsc round the post of the centre tr on Joining Round 1, ch5, sc in the st 4 sts back from lowest point, sc, miss4 sts, sc, sc.**

Rpt from ** to ** til the last petal, ch5, bpsc on central tr from Joining Round 1, ch5, slst in the standing sc to close the round.

Joining Round 4: Colour = New jade

As Round 17 in Mandala Madness ( which is in Part 2 video made by Esther )

Joining Round 5: Colour = New Jade

as Round 18 in Mandala Madness

Joining Round 6: Colour = Larimar

This is very similar to Round 19 of Mandala Madness with a few little tweaks.

Start with a standing sc in the back loop of the st before the centre of the petal in Joining Round 2. (The central st has the bpsc worked in New Jade on it in Joining Round 1). Work this together with the sc in front of the bpsc behind the petal from Joining Round 1 , miss a st at the front and work a bpsc through the next st on the petal with the 2nd sc behind in Joining Round 1.

If you watch Esther’s video tutorial, I expect/hope this will make sense.

The stitch count to find those two central stitches at the top of the petal is the only thing that is different in this Round, so I go by the position of the bpsc in New Jade (Green) rather than counting the stitches.

Feel free to contact me if you get stuck!

So! We’ve done it! We’ve joined the two patterns together! Phew! I hope it worked for you.

Now move to the instructions for Mandala Madness 

You are ready to work Round 20 of Mandala Madness and continue with Helen’s pattern.

Enjoy!

Let me know how you got on. Any problems, please let me know. I am usually able to reply within 24 hours. This pattern has not been tested by anyone else so I would love to know if it works for someone else.

My heartfelt thanks go to Helen and Esther for the wonderful patterns and the amazing videos that helped me through them. A big thank you to both Helen and Esther for giving me their permission to share these instructions with you.

Go check out what else these fantastically talented and generous women have to offer – it makes my head spin to think of all the hours they give to this wonderful crochet community of ours.