What's on your hook? Joy's scarf

Joy brought this lovely scarf to a recent meetup and shared her work-in-progress with us.

That's a beautiful scarf. What kind of yarn are you using?
The yarn is a sock yarn - I don't have the ball-band with me so I can't tell you the brand - but the fiber content is a washable wool and it feels like it has a small amount of nylon in it. I found the yarn at a shop in South Dakota and I loved the color so bought it to make something for myself.



Sock yarn? Isn't that made just for socks?
Absolutely not! Sock yarn is a wonderful weight for crocheted accessories and garments. I had used this pattern before in lace-weight yarn, but wanted something a little heavier so it's working out great.

What is the pattern and where did you find it?
The pattern is from the book Crochet One-Skein Wonders. If you're not familiar with this book, it's a collection of patterns from many designers so each one is unique. All patterns can be made with one skein of yarn and the patterns are grouped by yarn weight. The scarf pattern I'm using is in the lace section and it's called Bristleberry Scarf; the designer is Mike Horwath. The pattern is a six-row repeat that's easy to "read" and remember - so it's the perfect project to bring to a meetup.

Is there anything else you can tell us about this project that would help other crocheters?

Two things. First, when you're making items like scarves or shawls don't be afraid to experiment with hook size. The pattern calls for a size G hook but I like the drape and weight of this yarn with a size F hook so that's what I'm using. Second, when you're working with a lacy pattern, remember that you'll need to block the item when you're finished to get it to look its best. You can approximate the blocked effect by stretching it out as I'm doing in this picture so be sure to check early on in the pattern to see if you'll like the finished look.

Thanks for the tips Joy, can't wait to see the finished scarf!