Work for Idle Hands: Saved by colour

I was making the scarf for a women’s refuge which had requested items for women and children. It was the only thing I could realistically attempt with the limited time and experience I had.

I had been saving some soft pure wool for something like this. A rich navy blue, a hue that I really like. (I wonder what colour your monitor will show..?)

I started with the quickest stitch I knew, treble crochet. I’d finally mastered the turning stitch at the end of the row. This was something I’d had to undo many times. I must break that habit of ‘hope for the best’!

I pressed on, and thought to add some fancy to break up the colour, so added 2 rows of a grey-pink. I had to frenzily crochet to get this done in time, so I blitzed back into the navy. As the scarf grew, it occurred to me that it was looking more and more like a men’s scarf! How I wished I knew how to do love hearts and flowers!

As much as I loved this colour, and would have worn it myself, I thought this women’s scarf had to look more feminine. So I sorted through the charity stash and started adding purples and pinks.

This part of the making, the improvising, was very enjoyable. The work was growing and evolving. I still didn’t know how it would look finished. I could even add a love heart if I got ahead of time.

I found myself daydreaming about what could be added – a granny square, a pattern or motif.