Should you choose to accept this mission . . .

A fellow yarnie tagged me with a new mission: find the sixth photo in my sixth photo folder and write about it. Sounds simple enough but then I got to thinking (always a dangerous thing my friend Lisa always says because I say that about her): do I have six folders in My Pictures folder? Do I have even six photos in that folder? Worse yet, what if the photo is stupid, embarrassing, or just plain crass? So, with some trepidation, I embarked upon my mission impossible.

How fortuitous that my sixth-sixth is one of my favorite pics. Here is 4-1-1:

My father, the curmudgeon (I'm being nice), was visiting from Utah and had taken the girls and I out to dinner. My father -- Uncle Earl to a slew of nieces and nephews, and Paw Paw to his grandchildren -- likes to push the parental envelope by teaching his grandchildren and nieces and nephews silly things -- like how to cuss or by telling them slightly inappropriate stories. On this day, Lariat had just gotten braces and was actually quite excited and proud. She looked good in them too, despite the fake tattoo on her cheek. As usual, as we were sitting waiting to order, Paw Paw was regaling his granddaughters with some nonsense or another. I was happily snapping photos with my new phone. I don't remember what story my father was telling but was fortunate to snap this pic just as Lariat registered her reaction with a very vocal "Ewwww."

Now, my father is not the only one who borders on the silly in an effort to entertain. Lariat thought to liven things up by sticking crayons up her nose and exclaiming, "Look at me! I am a walrus!" Go figure the mind of a 13-year old.

The evening ended on a good note. The food was good, and there weren't any arguments. Of all the ones taken that evening, I like this photo best.

Now that I have told you about that photo, I must explain the rules for the five people for whom I have selected to take up this mission.

Linda's Yarn Closet
Wannabe Domestic Goddess
DeltaPurl
Knit One, Purr Two
Unraveling Sophia

Rules:
1) Go to your photo folders
2) Select the sixth file folder
3) Open it and select the sixth photo in that file folder
4) Write a story for that picture, post it and
5) Select five bloggy friends to tag
6) Be sure to let them know they've been tagged

Good luck if you choose to accept this mission. This blog post will not self-destruct after 10 seconds. It's on the Internet, so it is forever.

Pattern: Collared Tippet

Type: One Skein Wonder
Skill Level: Easy Skill Builder
Wearability: Fun

This scarf is militaristic in style with a pointed collar and round epaulets that form the front of the scarf. The look is finished with metallic buttons. Although the body is worked in a flat round without turning, the collar is worked by turning between rows.

Supplies

Yarn: Approximately 120 (100,80) yards of a DK (worsted, Bulky) weight of your choice. Just remember to pick something that feels good against the skin and isn't too rigid. For those comfortable with boucle style yarns, feel free. Just remember to use your stitch markers.

Hook: H or other to get gauge

Stitch markers

2 Buttons

TIP: Hate counting stitches over and over again? Keep your sanity by using stitch markers to mark the beginning and ending stitches for both sides of the base.

Gauge

Go ahead! Feel free to use a DK weight or a worsted/aran weight or even a bulky weight yarn. This pattern offers instructions for all three -- which is indicated by DK (Worsted, Bulky).

• DK [3]: 16 dc + 10 rows = 4 in -- I used James Brett's Marble in Navy
  
• Worsted/Aran [4]: 12 dc + 8 rows = 4 in -- I used Naturally Caron's Country in Teal
  
• Bulky [5]: XX dc + X rows = 4 in -- I used Lion Brand Suede
  

TIP: Love how your swatch looks but can't make gauge? If changing your hook doesn't work (i.e., you don't like how the effect), try adapting the number of starting chains. Here's how: Given that the base of the scarf at the first row is 16 inches, multiply the number of dc stitches from your 4 inch gauge by 4 and then add 5. For example, if your swatch is 15 stitches = 4 inches, then chain 60 + 5 = 65 chains.

BODY

Ch 69 (53, XX).

Rnd 1: 2 dc in 4th ch from hook (counts as first dc); dc in each of next 64 (48, XX) ch, 6 dc in last ch; pivot (no turn) to work in free loops along opposite side of foundation ch, dc in each of next 64 (48, XX) ch, 4 dc in last ch; join with sl st in top of beg ch [124 (108, XXX) sts]

TIP: To help the scarf to lay flat, work stitches into the bump of the chain.

Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc on each succeeding round), dc in same space as join, 2 dc in next dc, 4 dc in next dc, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, 4 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, 3 dc in each of the next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, 4 dc in next dc, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, 4 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc; 3 dc in next 2 dc, 1 dc in next dc, join with sl st in top of beg ch [148 (132, 1xx) sts]

NOTE: The base of the scarf will always be the same width and is represented by those stitches which form the top and bottom straight edges of the scarf. In this pattern, these stitches are illustrated as "64 (48, XX)."

Rnd 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in next dc, (dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) 3 times, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc) 4 times, 2 dc in next two dc, (dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) 4 times, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc) 4 times, 2 dc in next two dc; join with sl st in top of beg ch [168 (152, 1xx) sts]

Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in next dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next two dc) 3 times, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next two dc) 9 times, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next two dc) 5 times, 2 dc in next dc; join with sl st in top of beg ch [188 (172, 1xx) sts]

DK and Worsted weight only:

Rnd 5: Ch 3, dc in next dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next three dc) 3 times, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next three dc) 5 times, dc in next dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next three dc) 4 times, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next three dc) 5 times, dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc; join with sl st in top of beg ch [208 (192, 1xx) sts]

DK weight only:

Rnd 6: Ch 3, dc in next dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next four dc) 3 times, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next four dc) 5 times, dc in next dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next four dc) 4 times, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next 64 (48, XX) dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next four dc) 5 times, dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc; join with sl st in top of beg ch [228 (212, 1xx) sts]

Fasten off and weave in ends.

COLLAR

Row 1: Going to base stitches, work 1 sc in each stitch of base, ch 1, turn [64 (48, XX) sts]

Row 2: sc in first sc, 2 sc in next st, sc in remaining stitches until 3 st remain, 2 sc in next st, sc in last sc, ch 1, turn [66 (50, XX) sts]

Row 3: Repeat Row 2 [68 (52, XX) sts]

Row 4: Repeat Row 3 [70 (52, XX) sts]

Row 5: dc in first sc, sk next st, ch 1, 2 dc in next st, sk next st, ch 1, dc in next st, sk next st, ch 1, repeat to last three stitches, 2 dc in next st, sk next st, ch 1, dc in last st [72 (54, XX) sts]

Row 6: Repeat Row 4 [74 (56, XX) sts]

Row 7: Repeat Row 6 [76 (58, XX) sts]

Row 8: Repeat Row 7 [78 (60, XX) sts]

Fasten off and weave in ends.

FINISHING

Attach buttons to rounded epaulets, trying on to ensure proper placement.

copyright June 2009, Victoria Robinson

Dream a Little Dream of Me

I had the weirdest dream last night.

I've been off my crochet game the past few weeks, preoccupied with work (new President, new Administration, new priorities, same old deadlines, longer hours), playing chauffeur to teens who had to get to and from after-school chorus rehearsals and evening chorus concerts, and squeezing in birthday pool parties for not one but two teens. All that to say that I haven't picked up a crochet hook save to put it with its mates. Nothing on my hook, nothing in my blog. But then I had this dream.

In my dream, I was sitting with friends (aka crochet buddies) and I pulled out my current project and started to work. The dream ME blithly drew up various parts to a child's sweater -- two front panels, the back, one complete sleeve, and the beginnings of a second sleeve. The dreaming voyeur ME was a bit taken aback. For one, I don't have a current project even started, let alone lacking all but a right sleeve. And second, I don't even recognize the yarns. The lightweight sweater draped leisurely across my hands and seemed to be made of sport or DK pima cotton of deeply saturated colors. Most of the sweater was crocheted from a lovely shade of emerald green with a touch of buttered sweet corn yellow striping tossed casually near the top of the setpin sleeve but just below the drop shoulder, which had a couple of rows of mutely varigated ballet pink and cherries jubiliee and forest pine and sunbeam yellow. Nothing remotely like those yarns in my stash.

The sweet little sweater was crafted in simple hdc (I think). Perhaps it was a shell pattern, perhaps not; I didn't get a close look. But what I do remember admiring about "my work" was the multi-colored row of delicate little rosebuds clusters ringing the edge of the drop shoulder. Actually I (the dreamer) was quite proud of the job I had done so far.

Like most dreams, my midnight reverie turned to other matters. I don't remember much else because soon thereafter, I awoke. When my head cleared, I began to wonder -- had I seen this little diddy somewhere or did I dream this up (so to speak)?