Super Speedy Sari Silk Shawl (crochet)

I couldn't resist the alliteration, but if I were going to give it another name, it would be Rainbow Crow shawl, because the soft effect of the frayed edges of the recycled sari silk ribbon and all the colors reminds me of the story of Rainbow Crow.

By super speedy- you can make a small version of this shawl in an evening with 4 skeins of Darn Good Yarn's Tibet Jewels. The full sized version in my photos is made using 7 skeins and took 2 evenings of tv watching. Probably 6 hours? Maybe less.

Tibet Jewels is the easiest of the sari ribbons I've found to wind into balls, and it has so much texture and color it's just amazing.

The 4 ball version- the finished size without the fringe is 52 inches along the hypotenuse and 26 inches deep.

You will need:

• 7 (or 4) balls of Tibet Jewels 
• Size S crochet hook 
• Scissors
• Size P crochet hook for putting on the fringe

So this is a bottom up shawl, and once you start, it just flies off your hook.
American terminology
Stitches used:
ch=chain
sc=single crochet
tr= treble crochet
sl st= slip stitch
st or sts= stitch or stitches

Chain 7, sl st to join in a ring

Row 1: Chain 5, sc in ring, ch 2, tr in ring (2 loops)
Row 2: Ch 5, sc in same loop, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 2, tr in 3rd st of ch 5 from previous row (3 loops)
Row 3: Ch 5, sc in same loop, ch 3, sc in next loop,ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 2, tr in 3rd st of ch 5 from previous row (4 loops)
Row 4: Ch 5, sc in same loop, ch 3, sc in next loop, work across the same way- at the last loop, ch 2, tr in ch 3 of beginning ch 5 of previous row.
Keep repeating Row 4. Each row will be one loop wider than the row before it.

For the 4 skein variation- when you get close to the end of the 3rd ball of yarn, finish that row and if you need to add in the 4th skein to finish, do that. Then break off leaving the tail long enough to be one of the fringe, and cut your fringe. Put a fringe at the base of each row along the short sides, and one in the center of the beginning chain 7.

For the 7 skein variation- complete 26 rows, and break off leaving a 13 inch tail. Cut 53 fringe pieces 26 inches long (if you want it like mine, shorter fringe is fine) and put one fringe at the base stitch of each row. (where the rows join)

Attach the fringe by inserting your P hook into the stitch at the base of each row- where they join up, and fold the fringe in half, pull a loop though, then pull the ends through the loop.

This is 3 balls crocheted up-

Festival Bun Cover- Photon Yarn

I'm so wild for this yarn, and the long bohemian fringe of it hanging from this bun cover.

The bun cover is actually made in 2 parts. The cover is one, and the fall is the other, so you can wear it without the fall. The yarn is Darn Good Yarn's Recycled Photon Rainbow Sport Weight Silk Yarn.
(check out this bracelet pattern in the same yarn)

To make this festive bun cover you will need:

• 2 thick no metal hair elastics
• Recycled Photon Rainbow Sportweight Silk Yarn
• Size G hook
• Yarn needle
• Scissors

Stitches=

• ch=chain
• sc= single crochet
• dc=double crochet
• sl st= slip stitch
• st or sts= stitch or stitches
• repeat ** means repeat the instructions between the asterisks.

American terminology

Bun cover:
Ch 8, sl st to join
Round 1: Chain 1 loosely (counts as first stitch), 11 sc in ring, sl st to ch 1 to join (12 sts)
Round 2: Ch 5 (first dc and ch 2), *dc in next st, ch 2, * repeat ** 10 times, sl st to 3rd st in beginning ch 5 to join (12 spaces)
Round 3: ch 1 loosely, 2 sc in space, *sc in next st, 2 sc in space*, repeat ** 10 times, sl st to first chain to join (36 sts)
Round 4: Ch 5, skip 2 sts, *dc in next st, ch 2*, repeat ** 10 times, sl st to 3rd st in beginning ch 5 to join. (12 spaces)
Round 5: Repeat round 4
Round 6- Hold hair elastic against the last round, and single crochet over the hair elastic into the stitches on the last round to encase and attach the elastic. Sc in each stitch around, sl st to join. Break off, weave in ends.

Hair fall-
Cut 18 lengths of yarn twice as long + 2 inches as you want the fall to be. Working with 2 strands at a time, pull them through the other elastic and tie in overhand knot close to the elastic.

To wear it, you make your bun- I just twist a section of hair up and hold it in place while slipping the bun cover over, then hold the bun cover in place while putting the fall over it. Slip a nice hair stick through weaving it into your bun to lock it into position.

The bun cover above is made with Darn Good Yarn's Chiffon Ribbon, and I'm giving the pattern to them exclusively. Follow Darn Good Yarn and Shala's Beadwork and Printables on Facebook to find out when it's posted! (I'll also update this entry then) 

Darn Good Cuff Bracelet Tutorial (crochet)

I love recycled sari yarn. It has all the things my little hippie heart adores. It's recycled from saris, it's silk!, it's got all sorts of colors and fun texture things going on. A lot of people like it but then don't know what to do with it. It's almost too much goodness. I didn't have that problem with this skein because I ordered it knowing it was going to be bracelets and accessories.

The company that sells it is Darn Good Yarn- and if you use my link, you'll get a coupon for a good savings and I'll get a credit on my next order. Win win right? Then you can refer your friends and they can get a coupon and you can get credit. Awesome loyalty program.

This is the yarn I bought from them in my first order and what I plan to do with it. The 4 skeins on the right hand side are a chiffon ribbon yarn that I'll be using to make a purse. The one in the forefront is the Recycled Photon Rainbow Sport Weight Recycled Silk Yarn that I used to make the bracelet above.

So the bracelet is simple enough to make. It's single crochets, chains and a pretty button. The yarn has so much going on that I wanted to simply show off the yarn. The problem is, because of the length of color changes, simply crocheting back and forth didn't work. It just made stripes instead of the sort of organic shape color changes I wanted. You can see my bracelet on top in this picture- and what it looks like working back and forth in the bottom picture.

So to get the color changes, I worked in 2 directions.

Darn Good Cuff Pattern:

You'll need a size D or E hook

• 1 skein of sport weight recycled sari silk yarn
• Large needle for weaving in ends
• attractive/8ths to 7/8th inch button

Chain 4

Row 1: sc in second chain from hook, sc in next 2 chains

Row 2-32: Ch 1 to turn, sc in each st (3 sts)

(adjust rows as needed for size. You want it to fit with an inch of overlap for the button) 

Switch direction! 

Row 34: Ch 1, working down the long side, sc in next 2 sts, ch 3, skip 3 sts, sc in the rest of the sts

Row 35-37: ch 1, sc in each st down the length

Round 1: ch 1, sc in st, sc down length, 3 sc in corner, sc across end, 3 sc in corner, sc down length, 3 sc in corn, sc across end, 2 sc in last st, sl st to first sc of round to join.  Break off

Weave in all ends.  Stitch button on opposite side of button hole. I just used some of the yarn.

The yarn is very strong, and very crisp feeling. It looks kind of like jute twine, but it's very soft to the touch with a nice amount of structure. You can gently handwash finished pieces, lay flat to dry. If you want your finished item softer, putting it in a dryer on delicate/low heat for a few minutes will soften the yarn.  One skein will make a lot of small projects like this with 147 yards per skein.