Tiny Crochet Motif Scarf

This idea came about from two things, I really wanted a Sophie Digard scarf and I also have become disenchanted by the number of crochet projects on the internet that are all instant gratification. So few take any time at all. This is a slow cloth project. I’ve used embroidery thread and size 20/2 weaving cotton. It took weeks to make and sew the motifs together. If you want to substitute yarns or threads, it can be done. You could use pearl cotton or bamboo, or alpaca lace weight, or fine merino. I have plans for doing this in the future. The larger the motif though the less interesting the idea is, because it’s such a simple idea.

There are 464 circles in this scarf. That’s what I began with. The circles, hours of crocheting tiny circles. They are tiny and tedious. It’s takes a good bit to get used to working with 3 plays of embroidery floss. You can make them in a single color, or all colors, it depends on what sort of statement you want to make. I like so many colors that I really couldn’t make up my mind. I started with blue, than purple than added a few and just kept going until, well you get the idea, it sort of grew.

Materials list:
Tools;
Crochet hook no 2 amour hook 1.50
Scissors
Very fine blunt point needle.

Threads;
Very fine cotton thread, size 20 or if you prefer 20/2 weaving cotton for base
Color and to join motifs.
Embroidery thread in skeins, about 30 in what colors you like, I used every
Color I could think of.
A contrasting color to use as an edging. I used size 20 bamboo weaving thread in a dark red.

To prepare the thread, I cut and divided each skein into actual pieces. Each skein was folded into 8 equal lengths and cut, length is approximately 38 inches.
To use it, I split each length into 2, 3 ply strand lengths. Each skein yields a total of 16 tiny circles. This takes time and patience, I did all my thread cutting first. The separation I did as I made the motifs to avoid more tangling. This step may have you swearing, I did more than once. If its tangles too bad, have some extra skeins, its easier to toss a few lengths than have your blood pressure go up.

How to do a magic circle
How to do double crochet
How to do a chain stitch
How to do a slip stitch for joining rounds
How to do a picot if you decide to try joining as you go.

I didn’t include tutorials for those, because there are hundreds of them on the web.

The tiny circles I made to start of course, a couple of hundred at least. It was slow at first, but I got faster. I’m a bit of a klutz with really poor eyesight. Glasses don’t help much. The diagram is more of a suggestion, sometimes when working tiny, your gauge will change, so you work with what it gives you. Sometimes I found that there was one or two stitches more or less than I wanted. I did not go back and make the circle over. I just finished it off and wove in the ends and went for the next one. You can go nuts trying for perfection with this idea.

I used this motif idea to make the squares. It lends itself easily to fudging when the numbers don’t add up. I did try for consistency in numbers of stitches, but size seemed to be the most important factor. The square themselves are about an inch. This made it really easy for me to decide how big to make the scarf and how many it would take. Be sure to leave a long tail at the beginning and at the end, you will use them to sew the scarf together.

Using the size 20 cotton for the outside of the motif makes the heavier embroidery thread stand out. As you make the motifs, you can leave a beginning and ending tail about 4 or 5 inches long for sewing together, I tried joining as I went at first, but find I don’t care for that method. I made 8 motifs and joined them in rows and then 8 more for the next row. It seemed like it took forever, but row by row it got done. I was quite happy with the results, it’s light enough for the summer, but still quite nice under my coat in the winter and it didn’t itch!

I intend to make a few more of these scarves. I’d like to try pearl cotton, alpaca and merino lace weight. I’ve also got plans for a cardigan out of these motifs. I find that this is one of those things I can do when completely muddled. Making the circles, really distracts and becomes so mindless, I’ve gone to sleep, when I was having trouble sleeping and woke up with the hook and motif still in my hand right where it was.