Hello Kitty Granny Square Scarf Crochet Pattern.doc

Materials:

5.00mm/US H(8) crochet hook 
6.00mm/US J(10) crochet hook 
Yarn needle 
Optional but highly recommended: Stitch markers 
(Alice at futuregirl.com has a tutorial on how to make stitch markers out of paper clips. Quick, easy, and cheap!)

Worsted weight yarn for:

·        

face (white)

·         outline (your choice; I used grey; red is also very nice)

·         background (your choice; I used bright pink for one scarf, purple for another, and aqua for a third)

·         eyes and whiskers (black)

·         nose (yellow, or light pink if you don’t care about being “authentic”)

·         flower or bow (your choice; I used yellow)

·         granny square colors 1, 2, 3 (I used white, grey, and my background color)

(Model made with Caron Simply Soft)

Gauge:

4 sc = 1” (2.5 cm), 4-5 rows of sc = 1” (2.5 cm) 
(if gauge even matters here)

Finished Size:

Width: about 7” (18 cm) 
Length: depends on number of squares you use 
Each granny square*: 5” x 6” (13 cm x 16 cm) 
Face appliqué only: 3¼” x 4” (8 cm x 11 cm)

*The finished “square” is actually not. But who’s ever heard of a Granny Rectangle? So I’m just going to call them as squares throughout.

Abbreviations:

Most of these abbreviations are standard. The ones I made up are shown in bold. 

Special Stitches & Techniques:

DOUBLE = skip 4 st, 3 dc in next st (for face square) 
or skip 3 dc st from prev rnd , 3 dc in next ch sp (for granny square)

EAR = sl st in next st, hdc in next st, ch 1, dc in same st as hdc, ch 1, tc in next st, ch 1, dc in next st, ch 1, hdc in same st as dc, sl st in next st

fsc = foundation single crochet. A year ago, I’d never heard of this stitch. Now it’s my favorite way to start. In this case of only 4 starting stitches, it doesn’t make that big a difference, so if you’d rather not learn it right now, I’ve provided an alternate method. But on pieces that start with longer chains, I find fsc so much easier, faster, nicer. Essentially, each fsc stitch is made of up a “chain” part and a “stitch” part. So you get your starting chain and your first row at the same time! Do an online search for “foundation single crochet” for more info, tutorials, videos… Here’s a great fsc tutorial with photos to get you started, from Alice at futuregirl.com

magic ring = an alternate beginning method when crocheting in the round, which allows one to avoid having a hole left at the center start. Essentially, instead of slip stitching a short chain to make a ring, you make a ring by looping the yarn around your fingers. Need some photos and more instructions? Here’s a great magic ring tutorial by June that includes a comparison picture (“normal” way with hole and “magic ring” way without hole), but her tutorial uses single crochet around the ring. Here’sanother great magic ring tutorial by Donna which doesn’t have the comparison picture but does use double crochet which is what we need for the granny squares.

JSS = joining slip stitch. Another great technique, this is for joining granny squares as you go instead of stitching them all together at the end. I first sawthis technique beautifully explained by Lucy at attic24. Essentially, you substitute a slip stitch for a chain stitch along sides you want to join, inserting your hook into the corresponding chain space of another square before completing the slip stitch. For the scarf, always join along the longer edge of the square. I’ve given detailed steps with photos in theJoin As You Go section below.

picot = sc, ch3, sl st in 1st ch or sl st, ch 3, sl st in same st or whatever picot stitch you prefer

TRIPLE = skip 4 st, 3 tc in next st (for face square) 
or skip 3 tc st from prev rnd , 3 tc in next ch sp (for granny square)

Setup & Planning

This pattern is for a crocheted Hello Kitty Granny Square Scarf as shown above – a scarf with a Hello Kitty Granny Square at each end and seven regular granny squares in between (four with white at the center, three with grey). The scarf, intended for a 5-year-old girl, ended up about 45” long.

If you want to make it longer or change the pattern of the squares, here’s what I can suggest: Figure out how many squares you need by dividing your desired finished scarf length by 5” (12.75cm) and rounding to nearest whole number. Decide how many face squares you want to include, then figure how many granny squares you need to reach your total. Also, decide on the pattern or order in which to attach the squares.

Note: I made this scarf by joining the squares as I crocheted the last round of each square and that’s how I’ll describe the steps. First I’ll give the patterns for how to make the kitty faces and the first three rounds of the granny squares. Then I’ll give the stitch instructions for completing the kitty face squares and granny squares, joining them to previous squares as you go. (If you’d rather, you can complete each square as if it’s the first, then whipstitch or crochet them together at the end.) Next, I’ll give the instructions for the scarf border. And finally, I’ll give the instructions for adding the embroidered facial features and crocheting the ear accessory.

Kitty Faces

You’ll need to make one for each Hello Kitty Granny Square in your scarf. I’m making two per scarf.

I used my own shorthand for writing these directions. Example: R5: ch1, turn, sc x 2, V, sc x 6, V, sc…  means that after you chain 1 and turn, you make 1 single crochet in the next 2 stitches (sc x 2), then make 2 single crochets in the next stitch (V), followed by one single crochet in the next 6 stitches (sc x 6), and again 2 sc in the next stitch(V), followed by 1 single crochet in the next stitch (sc), etc.

If you would prefer to use conventional crochet pattern terminology, here’s the pattern using abbreviations and here’s thepattern using full text.

Notes:

·         Stitch count is shown at end of each line. Ex. “—18 sts.”

·         Do not count the ch1 at the start of each round as a stitch. Do count the sl st at the end of each row as a stitch. (So, the sl st at end of current round becomes the “first stitch” to use in next round.)

Start with face color yarn(white) and 5.00mm hook:

R1: 4 fsc (or alternate method: ch5, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in remaining 3 ch) —4 sts.

R2: ch1, turn, V (in top of fsc closest to hook), sc in next 2 sts, V (in top of last fsc), V (in bottom of last fsc), 3 sc in bottoms of next 3 fsc, sl st to 1st sc of current round —12 sts.

R3: ch1, turn, sc, V, sc x 2, V x 3, sc x 4, V, sl st to 1st sc of current round —18 sts.

R4: ch1, turn, sc, V, sc x 6, V x 3, sc x 6, V, sl st to 1st sc of current round —24 sts.

R5: ch1, turn, sc x 2, V, sc x 6, V, sc, V, sc, V, sc x 8, V, sc, sl st to 1st sc of current round —30 sts.

R6: ch1, turn, sc x 3, V, sc x 8, V, sc, V, sc x 2, V, sc x 10, V, sc, sl st to 1st sc of current round —36 sts.

R7: ch1, turn, sc x 3, V, sc x 10, V, sc x 2, V, sc x 2, ear, sc x 4, ear, sc x 2, switch yarn to outline color (grey), sl st to 1st sc of current round (pulling the new color through) —52 st.

Continuing with outline color (grey):

R8: ch1, turn, sc x 3, skip sl st, sc x 4, W (mark middle/2nd stitch), sc x 4, skip sl st, sc x 4, skip sl st, sc x 4, W, sc x 4, skip sl st, sc x 2, V, sc x 2, V, sc x 14, V, sc x 2, sl st to 1st sc of current round; bind off —56 st.

Granny Square Centers

Time to make the other squares for the scarf, the ones that looks like regular Granny Squares. Only thing: they’ve been altered slightly to make them into rectangles instead of squares so that they’ll match the finished shape of the Hello Kitty Granny Squares.

Make as many as you need for your scarf. I’m making at least 7 per scarf, 4 starting with white and 3 with grey.

In a nutshell, along two sides opposite each other, I substituted triple crochets for the double crochets (see photo below). So if you already know how to granny square, grab a 6.00mm hook and have at it, making the necessary stitch changes on two sides.

Otherwise, here’s the pattern for the slightly altered granny squares.By the way, here’s a video by Beth showing how to change color and draw in your starting tail on granny squares and here’s a video by Anne showing how to weave in your ending tails on granny squares.

Start with Color 1 (white/grey) yarn and 6.00mm hook:

Start: use a magic ring (or alternate method:  ch 6, or 5 or 4…, sl st to starting ch to join into a ring).

R1: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc st, here and throughout), 2 dc in ring, ch 2, 3 tc in ring, ch 2, 3 dc in ring, ch2, 3 tc in ring, ch 2 (this makes the 4th corner), sl st to top chain of beg ch-3. Bind off.

Switch to Color 2 (background color: pink, purple, aqua) yarn.

R2: Insert hook into the 4th corner ch-2 sp, yo (with new color) and pull a loop through, ch3, 2 dc in same sp, {ch1, DOUBLE,} ch 2, 3 tc in same sp, {ch 1, TRIPLE,} ch2, 3 dc in same sp, {ch 1, DOUBLE,} ch 2, 3 tc in same sp, {ch 1, TRIPLE,} ch2, sl st to top chain of beg ch-3. Bind off.

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