Flowering Clematis Scarf Pattern and Tutorial

Blossom time is slow to arrive here in chilly, drippy Wisconsin (just daffodils and hyacinths so far in my area).  But scarf time is always with us.  So here's a new offering for you:

Mrs. Micawber's Flowering Clematis Scarf ~ Turquoise

Flowering Clematis is fast, easy and fun.  Like most vines, it grows quickly (my favorite kind of pattern.)  I also made a second version in a different gauge, just to see if it would work.  It did:

Coral Clematis

Turquoise Clematis, about 60" long, was made with a size I hook and less than 1 skein of Stitch Nation's Bamboo Ewe (bought at Michael's) - a lush, soft, springy yarn that blocks beautifully.  I'll definitely be buying more of this yarn in future.

Coral Clematis, also about 60" long, was made with less than 1 skein of some clearance yarn from Michael's - Loops & Threads Sophie Super Fine, using a size F hook.  It's a decent little yarn, although it splits a bit while working, and it blocks well.  (The color is very saturated.  It's hard to accurately capture in photos.)

You may use any yarn you like, with the appropriate sized hook. Let's crochet!

Flowering Clematis Charted Pattern

See instructions below for special stitch "str-c"

Special Stitch:  I'm calling it the "stepped triple crochet cluster", or str-c.  This is how it's made:

*Yarn over twice, as for triple crochet.  Insert hook into base stitch, yarn over and draw through stitch;  yarn over and draw through 2 loops; yarn over and draw through 2 loops (2 loops left on hook).
Repeat from * 2 times (4 loops left on your hook.)
Yarn over and draw through 2 loops at a time, 3 times, leaving 1 loop on hook.

Scarf with one side border started

Scarf with section of flower fringe

Flowering Clematis Shorthand Pattern

Leaves and Vine Stems:  Ch 10.  Make str-c in 5th ch.  Ch 6, sc in first ch.
*Ch 5, TURN.  Make str-c in sc.  Ch 6.  Sc in space of previous ch-6.
Repeat from * until scarf is desired length.

Side Border:  Ch 3.  Attach with sc in next ch-5 space of str-c at side of scarf.
**Ch 5, sc in same space.  Repeat twice. (equals 3 picots).  Ch 3.  Attach with sc in next ch-5 space.
Repeat from ** to end of scarf, ending with ch 3.

Flower Fringe:

Note:  I made 5 flowers at each end, with stem lengths varying from 3-7 chains.  Since I'm trying to break my habit of symmetry, I purposely mixed up the stem lengths a bit:  5-3-7-5-3.  You may of course make the stems any length you like.

For first stem/flower, sc in end space of scarf.
Ch desired stem length (3, 5, or 7, for example) + 1.
Sc in next ch from hook.
***Ch 5.  Sl st in the two left "legs" of sc (the ones that point back towards the chain--see photo in tutorial below).
Repeat from *** 5 times - 6 petals total.  Ch stem length again (3, 5, or 7 for example)  Attach with sc in end space of scarf.

Repeat above steps, varying stem lengths, as desired.  I would suggest at least 3 flowers and probably not more than 5 or the end space gets too stretched out.

Ch 3, attach to next ch-5 sp in other side of scarf.

Optional (Simple) Scarf End:

Make 3 ch-5 picots as in side spaces.  Ch 3, attach to next ch-5 sp in other side of scarf.

Finishing:

Repeat Side Border up the other side of scarf.  Repeat Flower Fringe at other end of scarf.
Attach with sl st to next sc.  Cut yarn and weave in ends.  Block if desired.

Flowering Clematis Photo Tutorial

Vine: Chain 10.

Starting Leaf / Stepped Triple-Crochet Cluster:  Make stepped triple-crochet cluster in 5th chain.  You're essentially making 3 partial triple-crochets in the same spot, then working the loops off the hook 2 at a time.

Yarn over twice.
Insert hook into 5th chain (Photo 1), yarn over and draw through stitch.
Yarn over and draw through 2 loops.
Yarn over and draw through 2 loops again.

Now you should have 2 loops left on hook (Photo 2).  The first partial triple crochet is made.  It looks like you have 2 partial triple crochets, because those extra 5 chains are sitting next to the one you just made.

Repeat the above steps to make a second partial triple crochet in the same stitch (the 5th chain).
Now you should have 3 loops left on the hook (Photo 3).

Repeat again to make a third partial triple crochet. Now you should have 4 loops left on your hook (Photo 4).

Yarn over and draw through 2 loops.  Do this twice more (yarn over, draw through 2 loops, yarn over, draw through 2 loops), leaving 1 loop on hook:

Your first leaf is made!  (The rest will go much faster.)

Starting Vine Stem:  Chain 6, single crochet in very first chain.

Regular Leaf:  Chain 5, TURN.  Make a stepped triple-crochet cluster in the single crochet (follow the steps above to make 3 partial triple crochets in the same stitch, then work the loops off your hook 2 at a time).  Now your vine has 2 leaves.

Regular Vine Stem:  Chain 6.  Single crochet in space made by previous chain 6.

Make another regular leaf (chain 5, TURN, stepped triple crochet cluster), then another regular vine stem (chain 6, single crochet in last chain-6 space).  It's pretty simple:  leaf, stem, leaf, stem.

Look, your vine is growing.  Pretty, isn't it?  (You could even make your scarf with just the vine section, skipping the side borders and flowers at each end.  The choice is yours.)

Keep making leaves and stems until your scarf is the length you want, ending with a stem and a single crochet in the chain-6 space. Remember this single crochet.  It's where you'll attach the last stitch of the scarf later.

Now you're ready to make the first side border.

Side Border:  Chain 3.  Attach with single crochet in the chain 5 space of first leaf at side of scarf.

Picots:  Chain 5, single crochet in same space at side of leaf.  First picot made.  Do this 2 more times to make 3 picots in leaf space.

Chain  3.  Single crochet in side of NEXT leaf.

Make 3 picots in this leaf space (chain 5, single crochet, 3 times). Chain 3 and single crochet in NEXT leaf.  Keep going down the side of the scarf until you get to the other end.

Now you're ready to make the flower fringe.  Or, if you like you can just make 3 picots in the end space, chain 3, and continue up the other side of the scarf.    But if you want that dancing little cluster of flowers, here we go:

Flower Fringe:   Note:  I made 5 flowers at each end, with stem lengths varying from 3-7 chains.  Since I'm trying to break my habit of symmetry, I mixed up the stem lengths a bit, on purpose:  5 chains long, then 3 chains long, then 7, then 5, then 3.  You may of course make the stems any length you like.  If you want your flower cluster perfectly balanced, you can do a pattern of 3-5-7-5-3 on the chain stem lengths.

First Stem and Flower:

After making picots in last leaf, chain 3.  Single crochet in end space of scarf.

Outgoing Stem:  Chain desired stem length (3, 5, 7, for example) + 1 extra chain for turning.  I started with a 5-chain stem, so I chained 6 total.

TURN and single crochet in next chain from hook.  Stop and look at your single crochet.  Find the 2 left "legs".  This is where your hook will go to slip stitch the flower petals.

Petals:  Chain 5.  Slip stitch in the two left legs of  the single crochet.

Do this 5 more times (chain 5, slip stitch in same spot) to make a total of 6 petals.  Now you have a flower:

Return Stem:  Chain your desired stem length again (this time it was 5). Attach with single crochet in end space of scarf.  (Be careful you don't twist the scarf and attach in the chain-3 space instead).

Make more outgoing stems, flowers, and return stems this way.  You can choose whatever stem lengths you like and make however many flowers you like.  Change it around a few times if necessary, to get a combination you like.  The flowers are pretty quick to make.

My yarns worked best with at least 3 flowers, and not more than 5, or the end space got too stretched out.

Remember, always add 1 chain to your outgoing stem chain to allow for turning.

Here's my scarf with the 5 flowers and stems done:

A cluster of clematis blossoms

Now you're ready to go back up the other side of the scarf.

Return Border:

Chain 3, attach to next chain-5 space in first leaf of other side of scarf.

Make side border as before (chain 5, single crochet in side of leaf, 3 times total, chain 3 and attach to next leaf space), all the way up the second side of the scarf, ending with chain 3 and single crochet in other end space of scarf.

Make flower fringe as before.  Slip stitch the final return stem single crochet to the single crochet you made way back when, just before you started the first side border.  Cut yarn, weave in ends, block scarf if desired, and enjoy your new Flowering Clematis scarf.

You may do whatever you like with the items you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern.  (That handy phrase came from Snowcatcher. Check out her amazing crochet/cycling/quilting blog. It will make you want to move to Colorado.)

Thanks for viewing, and happy crocheting!

P.S.  If you have any questions, or find any mistakes in this tutorial, please let me know by commenting below, or send me a message in Ravelry.  I try to double-check everything, but after a while it all becomes a blur.  : )

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