Forager Ruana/ Shawl MAKE ALONG
Week 3 Highlights: Inspiration, My Quest to Prevent TV Drama, Foraging Essentials, and Border-sectomy.
Previous posts:
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October 25: Week 4
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October 11: Week 2
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October 4: Launch
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September 27: Gauge swatch, Joined Double Crochet
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September 15: Yarn Amount Calculation for Different Color Layouts
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September 13: Announcement
The Make Along takes place in the official Scheepjes Facebook groups:
Get the pattern with 20% off October 4 - 25:
Week Three: Berry-licious Foraging
Hello there,
Last week, we found ourselves on a smoother path leading us towards the Wide border. It brought a smile to my face to see more Works in Progress (WIPs), and our crochet pioneers continued to inspire us by revealing one leaf after another!
Once again, don't forget to visit the gallery to marvel at all the amazing projects created by our community. We have one finishied ruana panel by Lucia Lucke! Congratulation!
I want to extend a huge thank you for being such great sports and persevering through any bumps in the crochet road. You're absolutely acing it! To be completely honest, both our testers and I have encountered comparable challenges, and right from the start, I had full confidence that all of you could overcome any crochet obstacle with a bit of friendly venting. It's essential for letting off a little yarn pressure, ensuring our ideas don't unravel, and keeping our sanity tightly stitched together! :))
The Lazy Way to Berries
In my ongoing quest to be your crochet guardian angel, one burning question popped up in the group. We're talking about adding berries to a completed row, or maybe even your entire masterpiece. Now, for my prototype, I crafted these little delights 'as you go', but we had some curious testers who gave the 'add them later' technique a whirl. I had to try it, but as it turns out, I'm still Team 'Berries-in-the-Row', but let's explore the wild possibilities of the 'add them later' approach.
Picture this: You're nestled in your favorite chair, wrapped in a cozy blanket, a cat purring on your lap, or your dog's head on your feet. Your steaming cup of tea or coffee teases your senses with its aromatic dance. Your favorite TV show is on, and perhaps a glass of wine is winking at you. Life couldn't be more snug and perfect. And then it happens - out of nowhere, a row with berries leaps at you from the pattern, but alas, that color yarn is chilling in another room. Disaster, right? Are you seriously going to get up from your comfy throne? Absolutely not!
And at that very moment, it strikes you: Natalia foresaw this very crisis and made a video for the 'Lazy Bobble Clusters'. She knew that someday, crochet and Netflix would collide, and when they did, she'd be your savior. Heh heh! :)) Here it is:
Crochet Chronicles: When Yarn Gets Sassy, I Get Surgical!
Oh, the crochet escapades! Have I ever had a smooth sailing? Honestly, I can't seem to recall one. If there's a way to make something go wrong, you can bet I'll stumble upon it first.
So, here's the story. I'm racing against the clock, trying to finish my Work In Progress (WIP) before the Make-Along (MAL) comes to a close. I finally tried on the project, and it's a head-scratcher why I decided to branch in that direction.
Long story short: I had to perform a bit of crochet surgery right at the beginning of my project. The Narrow border had to go, and I replaced it with the Wide border! After much pondering and some mild stretching, I decided to take the scissors to Row 12 (which was the last Narrow border row of those joined double crochet).
After the border-ectomy, the edge looked a tiny bit stretched, but the stitches held together. To tidy things up, I took the same color yarn and worked a row of slip stitches in the edge (in Row 13 through Row 14). Then I added a row of single crochet in the back loops of that slip stitch row, followed by joined double crochet in the front loops with sangria color, and then continued with the Wide border instructions.
The surgery went pretty darn well, and unless you squint really hard, it's almost invisible. Phew!
Yarn: Scheepjes Terrazzo yarn in a delightful palette: 720 Sangria, 765 Guscio d'uovo, 710 Pera, and 706 Paglia.
Foraging Essentials
Every forager needs a bag, right? That's what our tester Lauren Wolf thought looking at the left overs. You are likely to have them too because yarn usage includes a bit of extra to prevent us from a chicken run.
It might be a bit early to talk about, but the next week blog post is going to be the last one and I can't contain my excitement to share a fantastic little bag created by Lauren. With her kind permission, I'd love to provide you with the basic instructions to make your own.
Interestingly, Lauren used a motif from one of my other patterns, the Serenum Cardigan, which incidentally was also featured in the Scheepjes Make-A-Long in 2021. If you don't have this pattern, you can simply start with another round motif or plain single crochet round bottom. Additionally, you should be able to read the chart. If you are not comfortable with it, watch Practice Swatch video below and have a Chart Key handy. So, let's outline the steps:
Step 1. Bag bottom
Rnds 1-7: repeat from Serenum motif.
Rnd 8: ch1 (doesn't count as st throughout), [5sc in ch5-space, 6sc in ch5-space]x8, ss (in first sc throughout). (88sc)
Rnd 9: ch1, [14sc, inc (2sc in same sc), 13sc, inc]x3, sc, ss. (88+6=94sc)
Rnd 10: ch1, [18sc, inc]x4, 17sc, inc, ss. (94+5=99sc)
Alternative bag bottom 1: You can make any round motif and continue with sc to have 99sts (33 stitches x3). For a flat circle, add 6sc in each round. In the last row make remaining increases (from 1 to 6 to bring stitch count to 99sc).
Alternative bag bottom 2: You can make the bottom entirely with single crochet, starting with 6sc and making 6 increases in each rnd:
Row 1: ch2, 6sc in first ch, ss (in first sc throughout). (6sc)
Row 2: ch1, 6inc (2sc in same sc), ss. (12sc)
Row 3: ch1, [sc, inc]x6, ss. (18sc)
Row 4: ch1, [2sc, inc)x6, ss. (24sc)
Row 5: ch1, [3sc, inc]x6, ss. (30sc)
...
Row 16: ch1, [14sc, inc]x6, ss. (96sc)
Row 17: ch1, [31sc, inc]x3, ss. (99sc)
Step 2. Bag body
Rnds 1-35: follow Forager Body chart for Rnds 15-49: skip first 6sts (including Bsc), start with next st.
Work in rounds. Repeat 33sts x3.
Start each round with ch1 (doesn't count as st).
Finish each rnd with ss blo in first st.
If rnd starts and ends with dc, use invisible join technique (see video below): make last dc in 2sts at the same time: in last st and in first st of rnd in which dc has been already made.
Make last ss with leaf color.
Step 3. Upper edging
Rnd 1: with leaf color make a round of sc in both loops with 3 decreases (2 sc together; spread decreases evenly), with berry color ss . (99-3=96sc)
Rnd 2: with berry color ch2 (= first dc of dc2tog), dc (in same st), [ch1, sk sc, dc2tog (2 dc together) in next sc]x47, ch1, sk sc, with leaf color ss in first dc.
Rnd 3: with leaf color ch1 (doesn't count as st), 2sc in each ch1-space, with bag background color ss in first sc. (96sc)
Narrow border:
Rnd 4: with body background color 96dc.
Follow Narrow border chart: skip first 6sts (including Bsc), start with next st. Repeat 8sts x12.
Rnds 5-12: rep Rnds 3-10 from Narrow border. Make last Rnd 61 (Rnd 10 of the border) with berry color.
Step 4. Drawstring closure
Drawstring (x2):
Row 1: with desired color leave a tail fora tassel, chain to desired length. Fasten off, leaving a tail for a tassel.
Row 2: with desired color leave a tail, ss in the back ridge of each ch. Fasten off, leaving a tail.
Assembly:
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Begin by drawing the first string through the clusters around the upper edge of the bag.
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If you're not using a bead, tie the ends of the string together.
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If you are using a bead, draw the ends of the string through the bead.
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For added texture or flair, you can add 1 or 2 more strands of yarn if desired.
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Tie a secure knot to finish.
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For the second string, repeat the same process but start by drawing it from the opposite side of the bag.
Big thanks to Lauren for creating this adorable bag! Whether it's for your foraging adventures or as a charming gift, it's a true gem!
Testers
I wouldn't be able to do it without our fabulous testers!
Big shout-out to:
Alison Platt, Arlene Bort, Barbara Dobrska, Bianca Vernaleken, Joyce Richardson, Karin Terpstra
Lauren Wolf, Linda Toering, Lorene Hardie, Monica Bia, Yannic Helsen
Thank you!!!
As we approach the final week of our MAKE-A-LONG journey, I want to express just how proud I am of each and every one of you. Your dedication, creativity, and the beautiful ruanas you've crafted truly warm my heart. I'm deeply thankful for all the kind words and encouragement shared within our wonderful group.
A massive shout-out to our fantastic group moderators, the real unsung heroes who help and encourage everyone around the clock, without whom the MAKE-A-LONG wouldn't be possible. They're the ones who cover my rear by answering questions day and night, so I can occasionally sneak in some much-needed time to eat and sleep! :))
In our last post, coming up in just a week, we'll celebrate your amazing achievements and share one last burst of inspiration. Until then, keep stitching, keep sharing, and keep spreading crochet love!
Stay in touch via the official Scheepjes Facebook groups:
Happy crocheting!
Natalia
