This is a crochet pattern review of the Easy Skinny Summer Scarf and the Retta Crochet Infinity Cowl designed by Crystal Marin for Christaco Design. Review done by Kami Jones for Cre8tion Crochet.
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Find the crochet pattern review below or: click here for the free Easy Skinny Summer Scarf from the Christaco Design Website; click here for the free Retta Crochet Infinity Cowl from the Christaco Design Website!
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Hi! This is Kami. Be sure to come join me over on Instagram and say Hi.
I have always wanted to make some thinner springtime fashion scarves since it isn’t cold here for more than a few weeks every year. My daughter absolutely loves scarves and shawls to wear all year round. My earlier scarf post (The Susie Blossom Scarf by Punky Peach Crochet) had got me thinking if it really was faster to make a scarf lengthwise, as I had said I felt it was in this post.
I came across these scarves by Christaco Design, they are essentially the same scarf only one is worked widthwise and the other lengthwise. They both use the same simple mesh pattern, the same yarn, and the same hook size so the main difference is just how they are worked. I thought these might just be perfect for a little experiment to see which is faster.
They are different lengths and are finished differently but I was able to eliminate that difference from my time by adding it separately, just seeing how much time it took to crochet them to approximately the same length and width. The Easy Skinny Summer Scarf is worked lengthwise and has fringe added to the ends. The Retta Crochet Infinity Cowl is worked widthwise and is sewn together to create an infinity scarf. See what the results of my little experiment were below.
What Materials Do You Need to Crochet a Summer Scarf?
- Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn – I used Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton for both of mine – that’s 158 Yards of Dragonfly 5 Yards of Teal for the Easy Skinny Summer Scarf, and 128 Yards of Beets for the Retta Infinity Cowl
- I9/5.5mm Crochet Hook
- Scissors
- Needle
- Measuring Tape
- Stitch Marker(s) (optional)
- Easy Skinny Summer Scarf free pattern from Christaco Design
- Retta Crochet Infinity Cowl free pattern from Christaco Design
What is the Best Yarn for a Summer Scarf?
I chose to use Lion Brand 24/7 to make these scarves as that is what the designer used. I do love the sheen and the bold color that this yarn has but I don’t think that it’s the softest. If I were to make these again I would probably go for a softer cotton such as WeCrochet Dishie or Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Cotton. If I was feeling really adventurous I would probably go with Premier Cotton Sprout; this is a lighter weight yarn so I would probably have to adjust the pattern to get a good size but it is so amazingly soft and easy to work with.
How Long Does it Take to Crochet a Summer Scarf?
Each scarf took me approximately 2 hours from start to finish not including blocking time.
The Easy Skinny Summer Scarf took 1 hour and 31 minutes to crochet as written in the pattern, plus 17 minutes to cut and add the fringe making it a total of 1 hour and 48 minutes.
The Retta Crochet Infinity Cowl took 1 hour and 48 minutes to crochet to a similar size, plus 9 additional minutes to add a few more rows to get to the finished size I wanted (I worked only 119 rows total instead of the 160 for the pattern, it probably would have taken me about 40 additional minutes to complete as written) and to seam the ends together bringing that total to 1 hour and 57 minutes.
Even though the lengthwise scarf did work up a little more quickly in my experiment, for people who don’t like crocheting a lot of chains and working back into them the time difference may not be worth it. The scarves also have a slightly different look to them even though they are similar so that may also be a factor in deciding which version one prefers.
Measurements:
- My Easy Skinny Summer Scarf measured 4″ x 65″ before blocking and 4.5″ x 75″ after blocking. I also added a 5″ fringe, bringing the length to about 80″ when finished.
- My Retta Crochet Infinity Cowl measured 3.5″ x 70″ with 119 rows before blocking and 4″x 80″ after blocking.
Gauge:
- For my Easy Skinny Summer Scarf my blocked gauge was 8 sts / 5rows = 2″.
- For my Retta Crochet Infinity Cowl my blocked gauge was 9 sts /4 rows = 2″
Pattern Notes:
I loved making both of these scarves, although they are similar there is enough difference between the two that it feels like you made two entirely different scarves. I didn’t bother with meeting Crystal’s gauge for these patterns, but if you’re looking to make yours the same measurements I suggest that you do, for me the slight differences in the finished size were acceptable for these scarves.
Although I used different colors than Crystal I liked the different little pop of color in the fringe of the Easy Skinny Summer Scarf so I was able to find some coordinating scrap yarn to use for mine. I felt like the Retta Crochet Infinity Cowl was a little too long for my taste as the pattern was written so I did make mine a little shorter, I think mine is the perfect size for two wraps, but it is so easy to adjust for your personal taste.
I did use the stacked single crochet for the edges instead of chains, if you do use chains though I recommend using a stitch marker to make it easy to find the chain you need to crochet into. If you’re making the Easy Skinny Summer Scarf I recommend using stitch markers to mark every 25-50 stitches for easier counting when making the chain foundation.
Both of these lacy look scarves are easy patterns that are doable by any beginning crocheter. The only stitches you need to know are double crochet and chains. The best part is that each of these scarves take up less than one skein of yarn so you don’t need a lot of yarn to make a great looking fashion accessory.
Whether you prefer working lengthwise or widthwise grab yourself a skein of yarn and make one of these beautiful scarves for yourself!
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