Crochet Lace Scarf

What is it with me and lace?  Lace knitting and now lace crochet.  I like watching the pattern develop and I like the delicate look at the end.  This one is a long, long center panel (1 row repeated row after row after row), with borders crocheted around the long skinny rectangle.

Variegated yarn worked out just fine, though I was a
bit on edge about it at first.

The pattern is from Interweave, but not free.  It's called Emerald Scarf because it's shown in -- wait for it -- emerald green.  Designer Tracy St. John lives in Montana and I'm betting some reader out there knows her.

Stage by stage you can get an idea of the structure.

First the long skinny rectangle, crocheted back and forth across the short side until the long side is either a) as long as you want it or b) as long as you think you can stand to do another row or two.  Lots of yarn required so I made this one shorter and eliminated a couple of borders.

By this point the rectangle is about 4 1/2" wide.
I didn't count the rows but there are at least 160.   The final
interior base rectangle is about 48" long

Don't break off the yarn, because at the end of the last row of the base you turn and crochet up the long, long (and getting longer?) side of the rectangle.  This process takes you all the way around to the point where you began the journey . . . so you can begin again.

Here I am just finishing the second trip around the rectangle
base.  First round was a series of loops (the darker stitches
to the left of the hook.)  The second round is hdc (crocheters
will 'get it') in the loops.  These stitches appear on the left
edge and to the right of the hook.

And because I do not have enuf yarn for all 6 rounds around, I decide round 3 will have to be the fini of this scarf.  I begin -- and then I have to stop.  About 1/3 the way up the first long side I just know I won't have enough for even this border.  But I don't like the scarf with only the two borders.

I've been crocheting almost as long as I've been knitting (one of those "combined experience of 137 years,"  or something) so I pull this section back to the corner and devise a final border that takes much less yarn.  It's a nice finish, though perhaps not as elaborate as the original design.

This picture shows off the variegated thread, the lacy pattern
used for the base rectangle and 3 border rounds.
The last one made little open shells that resulted in a
'fringe' of scallops all around.

Packing this one into wrappings after I put it on the blocking board for overnight.  A bit of steam to even things out.  Sure wish I had a steam button for life.  Don't know about your life but sometimes a roller coaster with more gentle slopes and slides might be nice.  Well, I don't know -- boring probably.

Bundle up with your own crocheted or knitted scarf if you're a resident of the Northern Hemisphere.  If you live below the equator, add something cool and flowing around your waist while you stroll the beach or sit by the pool.  

Cold or warm, the Coming Guest will find you if you open your heart to Him.  Blessed 4th Sunday of Advent to all.