February 16, 2025

I started this today and it’s working up fine. Tapestry crochet is a little bit slow and it’s taken me a few rows to remember the techniques so the yarns don’t tangle.

I started the first row by crocheting in the back bumps so the bottom edge will be neat since there is no border. I put a stitch marker on the right side so I can carry my yarn more on the back side. It’s a scarf, so both sides will show, but I do like to have one side that’s neater for pictures.

I don’t know why the pattern recommended a 4mm hook. I tried with 4.5mm but it was still too stiff, so I went up to the 5mm that was recommended on the ball band. Maybe the designer used a lighter 4-weight yarn? I’ll steam block it in the end and it will soften up.

February 23, 2025

Now I am 13 (of 20) repeats into this scarf and it’s been interesting. I’ve done tapestry crochet enough before that the motion of changing colors and keeping fairly even tension was a muscle memory. I also knew about how to bring one yarn to the front to avoid the strands from the yarn skeins getting tangled.

What I’m struggling with, though, is carrying the white yarn up so it doesn’t show as much on the sides. I’ve done some searching, but I don’t think there is a way to make it not show at all, and I think the way I have been doing it, of capturing it under the hook before the CH 1 for the next row, is probably the best, I just could have been pulling it tighter to make the exposed bit smaller. If I could have found a way to completely eliminate it, I’m perfectionist enough I probably would have pulled this out and started again even though I’m more than half way done.

I did try slip stitching up the sides to try to cover it up, and that didn’t work. Doing a row of SC would work, but that would also make the edges too wide compared to what an actual movie film strip looks like. Whip stitching along the edge might minimize it, but that’s too much effort for the benefit based on my trial of a few rows.

One last thing I learned during the research is that doing a yarn under when switching colors results in sharper color transitions. I may try to do that for the rest of the scarf since the difference is subtle and I’d like the practice.

Bottom line - I’m enjoying making the scarf and it’s making me want to do more tapestry. Stefanie’s Clapboard Bag is calling my name to make this a set. It’s surprising neither of these is in Ravelry since the scarf at least is so popular on Instagram and TikTok. Speaking of TikTok, I just saw an adorable Popcorn Bucket Scarf with a pattern that’s available on Etsy. This may turn into a whole thing!

March 2, 2025

I’m making this my primary project this week in order to finish it up before I head off to San Antonio. I did buy the Popcorn Bucket Scarf pattern to go along with it that I plan to use as an airplane project. Fortunately, Hannah’s birthday is late in the month!