Queen Anne's Lace Crochet Scarf Tutorial (with pattern modifications)

This is a great scarf pattern (thank you, 1craftyboy, and all you Ravellers out there who have made it and shared it). It works up quickly and beautifully in all kinds of yarns.  The only thing I don't like:

The ends don't match. That vaguely flower-shaped one on the left is the beginning of the scarf. The graceful scallop on the right is the end. It's not a big deal, but if you're adding a border to the scarf, then the disparity really gets obvious.  Wouldn't it be nice if both ends looked the same, like this?

Modified pattern with matching ends.

I thought so too. So here's the modified pattern, with tutorial. (Please excuse the lighting variations.  I really thought I had it down.)  Happy crocheting!

Scarf Tutorial

But first, a word from our blogger:  Why, oh why, don't crochet magazines and websites CHART more patterns? When I see those endless paragraphs full of "dc in sc, *3 hdc, sk 3 st, sl st in 4th st, repeat from * to end of row, ending with triple salchow in v-st", MY EYES GLAZE OVER AND MY BRAIN SHUTS DOWN!

How much nicer to have a little picture that shows you exactly what to do. Like this:

Mrs. Micawber's Modified Queen Anne's Lace Scarf

(Note to chart followers:  2 small mistakes have been found in the chart.  See photos 11 and 15 below, and the instructions just above them, for the correct information.  Mea culpa, and thank you, Lisa.)

Now that I've got that off my chest, here's the tutorial.  The only abbreviation used here is "dc" for double crochet.  Otherwise this tutorial is written in plain English. 

The First Shell:
Chain 5. Double crochet in first chain:

(1)

Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet), TURN, then make 13 more double crochets in ring:

(2)

Chain 1 and TURN. *Single crochet in 1st dc. Chain 4. Single crochet again in same dc.* Repeat this process in 2nd dc.

Single crochet in 3rd dc. *Chain 4, then single crochet in next 2 dc.* Repeat until you get to 13th dc.

In 13th  and 14th dc (which is really the chain-3 that started the shell), make loops as in 1st and 2nd dcs (single crochet, chain 4, single crochet again in same dc.)

You should now have a shell with 9 loops,like this:

(3)

Congratulations!  Shell 1 is now complete.  On we go to:

The Second Shell
Chain 4, TURN, and attach with slip stitch to the last loop you just made.  Now you have the "ring" for the next shell (it's that little loop sticking out to the right):

(4)

Chain 3 (to equal first double crochet), and TURN.  Now the "ring" is on the left:

(5)

Make 13 double crochets in "ring":

(6)

Insert hook in bottom chain of Shell 1's first chain-3:

(7)

Yarn over and pull through (or in crochet lingo, slip stitch):

(8)

Chain 2, then insert hook in base of other side of Shell 1.  Yarn over and pull through:

(9)

Chain 2 and TURN.  Single crochet in first dc of shell just made:

(10)

Chain 3. (Note to chart followers:  the chart says chain 2 here.  The chart is wrong.  Sorry about that!)  Remove hook from loop.  With loop on left side of work, insert hook from front to back into the top of Shell 1 end dc:

(11)

Put hook back through loop. Yarn over and draw yarn through both loops on hook:

(12)

Chain 3 and single crochet in 1st dc of Shell 2...

(13)

Right next to the single crochet you already made there:

(14)

Now you're ready to add the loops and finish Shell 2.  *Single crochet in next dc, chain 4, single crochet again in same dc.*  Repeat in next dc.  You should have 11 dcs left in your shell (one of them is the starting chain-3) at this point.

Single crochet in next dc. *Chain 4, single crochet in next 2 dcs*.  Repeat to end of shell, ending with 2 single crochets.  Now you have a shell with 7 loops.  See where the pencil is pointing?  Slip stitch in that loop (Note to chart followers: the slip stitch on the charted pattern points to the 3rd loop.  The chart is wrong.  Slip stitch in the 2nd loop, as pictured here):

(15)

Congratulations!  Shell 2 is done:

(16)

The awkward part is over.  From here on in, it's plain sailing...

Shells 3 and beyond:
Chain 4.  See that loop the pencil is pointing to?

(17)

TURN and slip stitch in that loop.  Now you've made the "ring" for the next shell.

(18)

Chain 3 (counts as first dc), TURN, then make 13 double crochets in the "ring" you just made.  Slip stitch in that next open loop.

(19)

Chain 1, TURN, and single crochet in next 2 dcs.  *Chain 4, then single crochet in next 2 dcs.*  Repeat until end of shell, always ending with 2 single crochets.  Slip stitch in the next open loop of the PREVIOUS shell (again with the pencil!), and you've completed another shell.

(20)

Now you're ready to chain 4, TURN, and slip stitch in the last loop you made - which is of course the first step of making the next shell.  It's kind of addictive - I always want to make just one more shell before I put it down, and in next to no time, the scarf is 5 feet long.

Two reminders for this pattern: 1) TURN at the end of every pass, and 2) new shells are always attached to PREVIOUS shells at both ends.

Hope you find this helpful, and again, happy crocheting!

P.S.  Here's another great key to crochet chart symbols.

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