Tuesday, September 22

Hello Kitty Granny Squares Scarf

A project from a few weeks ago, for a sweet young girl on her fifth birthday:

IMG_1373

I’d seen the idea on Ravelry: a scarf (and a bag) made of granny squares and Hello Kitty squares. But when I tried the pattern for the HK part, I couldn’t get the face to look right, especially those ears.

So I tried my hand at making up my own pattern, using the photos I’d seen as a jumping off point. And I actually figured it out! (Though I lost track of how many times I started over and how many bound-off white faces got tossed in the reject pile.)

IMG_1349BTW: I love using paperclip stitch markers (green one visible in bottom left of photo). Idea – and superb shape-tweaking instructions – came from futuregirl.com.

Some close-ups:

front “right” side with flower… and a face
that my perfectionism embroidered and ripped out
about twelve times before my rational side said
“It’s good enough already. Stop it!”IMG_1375

back “wrong” side without flower,
but with intact face which is one reason for the dozen do-overs –
I wanted BOTH sides to look nice…IMG_1378

granny square #1 IMG_1377

and granny square #2IMG_1376

BTW: I loved joining the squares as I made them. Idea – and superb photo-illustrated instructions – came from attic24.typepad.com.

* * *

12/6/09: I’ve written up the pattern and posted it here. Warning: it’s really long – I’m not sure how best to shorten it. Brevity: not one of my strengths! But so many who’ve been requesting the pattern are fairly new to crocheting, so I wanted to include the kind of stuff I wish someone had told me when I was first learning… But seriously, it’s really long!

At the end of it is a link to a shorter, less information-packed but hopefully helpful pdf of the pattern.

27 comments:

  1. Your scarf looks wonderful, I've seen the hello kitty square on Flickr and was wondering what one could do with it!

    I'm making a scarf at the moment too....and was wondering if I could pick your brain re the dinky little picot edging you put round yours, which looks beautiful...any chance you could tell me how you did that???

    Thanks for sharing, its been a pleasure :o)
    Lucexxxxxxxxxxx

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  2. Pleeeese can we have the pattern. My little one would die for it!

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  3. This is awesome! I made a granny square scarf a couple of years ago but it was a pain linking the squares, so I'm definitely going to try this again.

    And hello kitty... you did such a fantastic job on it. Did you find a trick to the ears then? I'm raising my hand to be a tester!

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  4. Karin, you are amazing. A bit damaging to the self esteem...but amazing!!! :-) I'm starting to feel cool just saying, "I know her!"

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  5. I agree with Dee! (The five year old will love it.)

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  6. This is so. stinking. cool. Wish I knew how to crochet just so I could make one!

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  7. Lucy, watch for a picot post coming soon.

    Timepass & natalie, I plan to write out the pattern this week. I'll send it on to you then...

    Dee & Jenny, you are both too kind. And I am so blesed to know each of you!

    Sara, glad you like it. Ya know, crochet is NOT that difficult to learn. And so portable! And relatively inexpensive. And so versatile in terms of what you can make once you know just a handful of stitches! ...Have I convinced you yet to try it? : )

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  8. What a beautiful scarf! I saw this and thought of LiEr's Hello Kitty party, and then saw the scarf over on her post this morning!

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  9. Thanks, MA. Yup, it was for one of LiEr's little ones.

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  10. Still looking for people to test this scarf? I've been wanting to try something just like this, so let me know.

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  11. Sure, Penna! I'm about halfway through writing it down in "normal people" language.

    Send me your email address (or leave it in a comment here). I couldn't find it on your profile or blog...

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  12. Ooops. That would help. My profile (and blog) need to be updated badly.

    Thanks, Karin.
    pennabe@gmail.com

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  13. This is so adorable, and personally, I think it's much nicer than the other HK granny square patterns I've seen. :) If you're still looking for people to test this out, I'd love to give it a try! My e-mail is sailorstarfire@gmail.com. Keep up the great work! Love your stuff!! :)

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  14. thanks, rebecca. I'll be sending out the pattern soon and would love to include you! thanks for stopping by and leaving a note!

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  15. I would love to make this scarf for my daughter for Christmas! Money is incredibly tight, and she'd love it. I'd love to have the pattern

    Mandy
    shorty1kanobi@hotmail.com

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  16. Mandy, it's ALMOST done now. Will add you to the list of who to send it to!

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  17. Hi! I would love to test this out, it is so cute! It would be a perfect christmas gift for my sister.
    Can I please have the pattern too? :)
    My e-mail is jennifersantos_@hotmail.com

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  18. I am the biggest HK fan! Everything is HK for me! I have been knitting my whole life and while never having attempted to graph HK into anything I've knit, I also crochet and would LOVE this pattern. I would truly appreciate having this pattern. Please share if possible!
    Nenaniffa@gmail.com

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  19. dysespwnz@hotmail.com. I'd love to try it out.

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  20. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  21. Hey,

    This is a inquiry for the webmaster/admin here at madebyk.blogspot.com.

    Can I use some of the information from this blog post right above if I give a link back to this website?

    Thanks,
    Jack

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  22. Jack, thanks for asking. If by "some of the information," you mean one photo and one or two sentences, sure. If you'd like to use more than that, please email me and tell me more about what it is for...

    Thanks,
    Karin
    kmskms (at) charter (dot) net

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  23. I can't wait to make this scarf. Thanks for sharing. Do you have a pattern for a tote or bag also? If so I would love to have it. Your work is so wonderful. Great job!
    Linda

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  24. Nope, no bag pattern, Linda. But I have some ideas if you want to hear them. Just let me know. (Didn't want to type them all up if you're not even going to see this... : ))

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  25. Would love this pattern, do a lot for the children's hosptial

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  26. Could I have the pattern too? I have 2 major Hello Kitty fans here at home and I would like to make it for their birthdays.

    lisakartanou at hotmail dot com

    Many thanks
    Lisa

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  27. Hi! You do great work! I just wanted to let you know, someone is using your photos on their Facebook page.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=546085912125473&set=a.510278369039561.1073741845.325573734176693&type=3&theater

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