Hobbes Inspired Tiger Scarf by Louisa LJ

Hobbes Inspired Tiger Scarf

Crochet
December 2016
yarn held together
DK
+ Bulky
= Bulky (7 wpi) ?
None
8.0 mm (L)
4.5 mm
273 - 328 yards (250 - 300 m)
UK
English
This pattern is available for free.

This pattern has not been made by anyone but me, and I only made it once, so if you make it and find any tricks or tips, please let me know!

The chart uses some slightly homemade definitions for symbols, to match the slightly homemade variations on stitches used. In order of ascending height, this pattern used:
UK term (US term) Abbreviation, symbol on chart
Chain (Chain) ch, 0
Slip Stitch (Slip Stitch) ss .
Double (Single) dc, +
Half Treble (Half Double) htr, plain T
Treble (Double) tr, T with one extra bar
“Half Double Treble” (“Half Treble”) hdt, T with two extra bars
Double Treble (Treble) dtr, T with three extra bars

A “half double treble” (“half treble”) as far as I know is not an official crochet term, but is nonetheless the stitch I used. To work it: yarn over twice (three loops), insert through work, yarn over and puil through (four loops). Yarn over and pull through two loops, as usual for a double treble (three loops). Then yarn over and pull through remaining three loops at once (one loop, finished the stitch).

To work this pattern:
Starting with orange chunky, using 8mm hook
Row 1: ch21
Row 2: ch4 (turning chain, counts as one dtr), 2dtr, hdt2, tr2, htr2, dc3, htr2, tr2, hdt2, dtr3.
Row 3: ch1 (turning chain, does not count as a stitch) dc3, htr2, tr2, hdt2, dtr3, hdt2, tr2, htr2, dc3
Row 4: ch4 (turning chain, counts as one dtr), 2dtr, hdt2, tr2, htr2, dc3, htr2, tr2, hdt2, dtr3.
Change to black DK held double
Row 5: ch1 (turning chain, does not count as a stitch) dc3, htr2, tr2, hdt2, dtr3, hdt2, tr2, htr2, dc3
Change to orange
Row 6 onwards - repeat this four row pattern (three orange, one black) until you have something long enough for a scarf, then finish off with three orange rows.
Note: A black row should always start with ch1, dc3, NOT ch4 dtr2
Edging:
With white DK and a 4.5mm hook, work the picot variation down the long sides:
Fasten to one corner, then * dc1, ch4, ss to the side of the first dc, dc1. * Repeat between * ‘s until you get to the end of the edge. Note there are two dc’s between each ch4. I found I put four dcs on a dtr and one on a dc, meaning I did five repeats of the picot for every four row repeat of the pattern.
Tassels:
Cut up loads of white DK into 6-8 inch/15-20cm ish pieces. Pick up three, then fold in half. Push hook (I used 4.5mm) through a stitch on the short edges of the piece, then pull the middle of the yarn through to get a loop made of three stands on the hook. Then yarn over with all 6 strands of white and pull through. Repeat in all 21 stitches/chains. I’m sure this has a name, but I don’t know it! Make sure you’re consistent with the side you’re coming from along each edge, otherwise it might look a bit odd!

Gauge not important. My tension is apparently quite tight, so you may end up with a slightly larger scarf, using slightly more yarn, than I did.

Yarns used:

  • Chunky Orange: about 150g (one and a half balls of Hayfield Baby Chunky)
  • Black DK: about 50g (half a ball probably of Robin Double Knit I had hanging around, not sure if I might have used some from the ball already)
  • White DK: about 60g (less than 3 25g balls of white DK I got free from magazines)

Variations:

  • You may like to do this pattern as I intended to do, with chunky black yarn, rather the double held DK I improvised with. The double DK did give a nice depth to the black sections as it’s slightly thicker and denser than the plain chunky yarn, so YMMV.
  • If you don’t mind weaving in all those ends, it’s quite a smart generic tiger scarf with no edging. I hate ends weaving, hence edges!
  • About half way through I wondered if it might be nicer with five rows of orange to each row of black, but I was too lazy to go back.