Beginners Scarf

 I have just started giving crochet lessons to a friend, and I find that I am largely underwhelmed by the kinds of projects found in beginner pattern books.  They're boxy and clunky, and I don't think beginners should be stuck with square animals, ill-fitting garments, or useless decor just because they're still learning.

I aspire to write several beginner's patterns for my friend.  They will be designed to take shape easily, to teach how to see the parts of stitches, to progress quickly, to make mistakes easy to see, to build skill, and to help people new to the craft understand how the same 5 stitches can work together to create so many different kinds of structures.  They'll also be cute and useful. (See my previous post for tips for beginners.)

This is the first pattern.  After working an admittedly useless swatch of sc and dc in boring straight rows, she will move on to this--a scarf for her first grade daughter.

A small swatch from this pattern.  Obviously, a scarf would be longer. 

Yarn: worsted weight acrylic
Hook: H or I (check the yarn)
Gauge: not important for this project

Abbreviations:
ch   chain                                
sc   single crochet
dc   double crochet

Ch 18.
Row 1: Insert hook in 2nd ch from hook. sc in each ch across. (17 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn.  sc in each sc across (17 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn.  sc in each sc across (17 sc)
Row 4: Ch 3, turn. (counts as first dc, so don't work into the first stitch!) dc in each of the next 2 sc. *ch 1,    skip next sc, dc in next sc* 6 times, dc in each of the next 2 sc.
Row 5: ch 3, turn. (counts as first dc, so don't work into the first stitch!) dc in each of the next 2 dc. *ch 1,                   dc in the next dc* 6 times, dc in each of the next 2 dc.

Repeat Row 5 until scarf is desired length.  After you've reached the length that is appropriate for your person:

Row ?: ch 1, turn.  sc in first dc and in each of the next 2 dc.  *sc into ch 1 space, sc into next dc* 6 times, dc in each of the next 2 dc.
Row ?2: ch 1, turn.  sc in each sc across.  (17sc)
Row ?3: ch 1, turn.  sc in each sc across. (17 sc)
Finish off.

On Reading the Pattern

• When you see *...* in a pattern, it means you will be doing the same thing over and over a few times. In this pattern, you repeat what is between the *...* 6 times.
• When you are working in dc, your turning chain counts as your first dc.  In order to keep the right number if stitches in the row, you need to skip the first stitch in the row below.
• When you are working in sc, the turning chain is there just to give you leverage.  You WILL work into the first stitch of the row below when you are working in sc.