Sunday, September 26, 2010

And for a change...

And for a change, here's another FO!

A while ago (November last year!), I was visiting with my buddy D, who, in a fit of optimism, had bought the yarn and pattern to crochet a scarf for her daughter. In a similarly inspired fit of optimism, I offered to do it for her, because we all know crochet is quick, and the scarf only used 2 balls of 8ply/DK weight yarn.
Yeah, you already know how that turned out, just by the date of this post! But now it's done, huzzah!

Details
Pattern: Aroma by Donna Yacino, published by Berroco. A crochet scarf using a pretty motif and bands of filet or basic shell crochet between the motifs.
The pattern is relatively easy, but has that annoying "at the same time" business which tripped me up more than once. It's also completely written, and could have benefitted by using charts. I also think it could have been written to avoid some of the cutting and rejoining of the yarn (and thus minimising the number of ends to be sewed in). And finally, if I was to make it again, I'd also make it symmetrical - ie work from both ends into the middle. That's a relatively minor quibble though.
Yarn: 2 x 50g balls of Berroco Latitude, a very interesting cotton/rayon yarn comprised of many plies of slightly variegated yarn all wrapped with a fine strand of a darker colour. It's a mite stiff to crochet with but I think will wear nicely. It is slightly difficult to sew the ends in however! I imagine if you were knitting with it, especially stocking stitch, you'd probably have to separate the plies to sew them in in a way that avoids bulk.
Hook: 4mm

Time: 2 December 2009 - 30 August 2010. But really, this is a project which could be completed in a few days - I finished one ball of yarn some time ago (probably January) then got sidetracked, until mid-August, when I finally got it out again, after a timely prompt from D!!
Note on pattern: Interestingly, the pattern specifies 3 balls of yarn are required. I had some left from the 2 balls I used (not enough for additional motifs though). And I made the pattern exactly as specified, getting a length of 136cm/53".
You can see from the pattern picture however that the filet/shell sections between the motifs are much longer than the pattern calls for (with a specified total length of 158cm/62"). Clearly that's where the extra yarn went! Bit of a fail though on the part of someone at Berroco! Good way to add length though, if you want to, without making extra motifs.

12 comments:

DrK said...

Hooray for finished objects! What an amazing looking yarn, it looks completely different in the skein to the finished product, which is beautiful of course. Im sure it will be much appreciated.

Michelle said...

What a lovely scarf! And that yarn! It's divine - have never seen it before.

Bells said...

gosh that's pretty fabulous looking. Really interesting. Had not heard of the yarn - I wonder what this would work up like in something soft and silky? Maybe it needs something a bit stuff for structure? Would be quite a different scarf I think.

Good job on getting it done finally!

Anonymous said...

I love the scarf. Thanks for the information about the yarn quantities - I'm pretty suspicious of the Berocco estimates. They seem to be very generous...

2paw said...

It is a very pretty pattern, and of course I love the colour!!! You must feel very chuffed now it is finished!!

MadMad said...

Very pretty! I never understand why designs don't just use charts - I hate the written out nonsense, and trying to keep track direction by direction. I think there's more room for typos (on their part) and mistakes like skipping a direction or even an entire line (on ours). But that is a great scarf!

Donna Lee said...

Such a pretty scarf. So delicate and feminine.

I haven't crocheted anything in a good long while and I'm thinking I might like to give the hooks a workout sometime soon.

D said...

Dear Miss J - Miss K loves her scarf to bits....in fact as I type this Master H has it wrapped around his neck (amidst protestations from Miss K) to see what it is like as he hasn't been allowed near it.

I know and you know you had other things to do in-between start and completion. And I still haven't kept my part of the bargain yet. But I will. This week.

1funkyknitwit said...

So glad it's FINALLY finished.. hehehe

Love the yarn, very interesting, and great job with the crocheting.
A little secret, if it were up to me to finish this project it would still be on the hook ;D

Sarah said...

Nice crochet - and a total lightbulb moment for me about sewing in ends - separate the plies - why have I never thought of that - thank you!

Alwen said...

Ha ha!

Boy, I remember those days. It's amazing how much time taking care of a baby takes up.

michele said...

oh boo - this isn't for you! it's still so very pretty.

i've seen this yarn in the stores and thought about buying some. it looks like it could be used for a lot of different things. i think i've seen a skirt done in it. the black twist through it reminds me a bit of Habu yarn.

anyway very nice job you did here.