Crochet scarf

After my GIANT granny square blanket (still not finished, but almost....) got too big to commute to work with me I decided I need a smaller project that could come with me on the train each day, and also with me on my trip to Vietnam. It was great to have this on the plane with me - the flight went so fast, and it also kept me occupied in my hotel room at night.

Enter my first EVER crocheted scarf! It's a bit wonky as my tension is TIGHT then LOOSE then somewhere in the middle, but when it's around my neck you cannot tell! Plus it feels so nice to wear - so nice and soft!

The wool is from the Granny Square in Newtown and is an 8ply 100% Australian Merino. This colour is called Beluga Twist and whilst I really needed a plain black scarf I got distracted by this. I used five balls for this scarf (from memory) and at $10.90/ball it's not a cheap scarf; but for the entertainment value of making it I think it's a bargain.  In hindsight though I probably needed a wool that "split" less as I was using it -- something more beginner friendly. 

The pattern came from here (it's called the Straight Up Scarf) and was a very simple beginners pattern. The whole scarf is made using a double crochet - which is "the" stitch used for making granny squares...simple!

----

Simple scarf making

I recently picked up two smallish pieces of silk at various sewists meet ups.  Both were too small for a garment (also I don't really wear woven garments so not great loss), but perfectly sized for scarves. I wear scarves every day when the weather is cooler so the fate of these two pieces of silk was determined the day I took them home.

In order to get the length I wanted I cut both pieces of fabric in half width ways and then joined them together using a (I think) flat-felled type seam. It's not ideal to have a great big seam running down the center back of any scarf but needs must.

I finished the edges with a rolled-hem on the overlocker. It's not THAT hard to change thread on the overlocker and I already had the rolled hem set up from an earlier project so took the opportunity to get these two small projects out of the way.

And the end result...here we go:

I wore the blue scarf out for a supermarket dash on Sunday and I love it! The print is definitely my style and as the fabric is quite soft the back seam isn't noticeably felt when I'm wearing it. The creamy scarf was worn to work yesterday. I find the fabric quite "twee" and not really my style but it was lovely to wear and garnered an unsolicited compliment so that's always nice.

Overlocker Class and a new scarf

After the overlocker drama with the Anita Ponti Pants (that I'm sure you're sick of hearing about) I realised that my 3 spool Singer overlocker from the 1980s wasn't going to cut it for the type of garments I want to sew....which is stretch stretch stretch. I didn't realize that the 4th spool (aka the "secure stitch") was essential if I intended to sew garments entirely on my overlocker. Whoops.

A quick skim on Gumtree saw me racing up to the Central Coast to collect a Bernina 800DL...pre-loved, but less than half the price of a new one. SOLD! Full disclosure: I choose this machine in particular as Susan has the same one...if the machine totally poops itself I can go crying to Susan (sorry Susan)!

Before I started using the machine it went in for a service at the Bernina Sewing Centre in Chatswood and on the day I picked it up I took part in an overlocker class run by the store. This class is EXCELLENT (best $60 I've ever spent) and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's not just for Benina machines so if you have any hesitation in using your overlocker then this is the class for you.

During the class we learnt SO much about how to use our overlockers.  I can thread up it no worries, and I know how to set it up to do a rolled hem LIKE A BOSS! I can oil it, change the needle, disengage the knife...oh, so many things!

I was super keen to use the machine as soon as I got home - particularly the "rolled hem function", so after the class I ran up to Tessuti in Chatswood and went straight for the remnant bin. I found a nice piece of poly something-or-other for $10 that I thought would make a nice scarf.

I retheaded the overlocker in black thread LIKE A BOSS, and then removed one of the needles, and set it up for a rolled hem by following the instructions in my manual.  Within about 15 minutes I had myself a great new scarf . I LOVE the way the rolled hem looks.

And here I am wearing it and totally loving myself sick! This was such a quick, gratifying project and perfect for me as I love scarfs and wear one nearly every day when the weather permits. I thought the Poly might feel a little scratchy against my skin, but it feels quite lovely.

I also love my Bernina 800DL...

I love my new scraf so much that I wore it out to brunch the very next day...and I didn't spill egg on it (not that you'd notice with this crazy pattern)!

Oh Bernina 800DL...I cannot wait until we meet again!

Spoiler alert: the very next weekend I sat at my overlocker to make a toile of the Lady Skater Dress and the machine fought me at EVERY turn. Talk about machine issues!  I now hate my Bernina 800DL...why has it betrayed me?