The Winter Melancholy Scarf can be crocheted in any medium weight yarn. I used yarn I received in my monthly Yarn Crush Box (which I subscribed to last spring) to make this pattern. The yarn I used is from Fiesty Fibers and the color is When Doves Cry. It is a lovely yarn, soft and comforting to work with and something I just needed to crochet with last night.
For those who are new to my blog, every fall I tend to sink into a bit of a funk. It is a normal event for me and I tend to disappear and hibernate for a while until my SAD light and willpower win out over my mental state. In case you have been missing me on social media lately – I’ve been allowing myself to hibernate.
I am a highly functional depressed person – at least that is what I tell myself. I’ve been receiving care for my disease for more than 20 years and I know that every fall when the weather changes and the sun hides it’s lovely face and warmth, I sink into a different low which cannot be controlled by my daily antidepressant dosage. My Doctor and I have agreed that I shall coast through these SAD seasons until spring, without making changes to my medications. Logically this makes total sense to me, but I dread these weeks when I no longer have a solid control over my mental state or emotions.
So what do I do during this time? I use a variety of tools, like my terribly bright SAD light, I diffuse and wear lockets with essential oils (citrus smells seem to be the best for my senses), I tinker in crystal healing and I allow myself to indulge in extra sleep…and I mean a lot of extra sleep…this is my fall hibernation time 😉 After a few weeks I start to level off and my concentration and mood start to improve. I then coast until springtime, trying to stay on task by following a strict schedule to manage each and every activity that I need to accomplish. Sometimes the floor shifts beneath me and I feel like I am screaming on the inside, but once I hit the coasting period, things are relatively stable until spring and then the sun is here again 🙂 and I feel more myself.
Thinking of each of you who share the same boat as me during this time of year. Stay the course, we will make it to the other side to feel the warmth of the sun on our faces again. Be kind to yourselves.
Blessings,
Rhondda
XO
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The Winter Melancholy Scarf Pattern
Supplies
-
- Yarn: Fiesty Fibers. 4 oz (115 g) and 200 yds (183 m). 100% Superwash merino wool. Medium Weight Yarn [4].
- Colors: 1 skein When Doves Cry.
- Hook: 5 mm (H). I used this hook.
- Finished Project Yardage: One Size Fits Most: 115 g / 200 yds
- Scissors, Yarn Needle, Stitch Marker
Difficulty Level
Easy
Finished Size
One Size Fits Most, approximately 62 inches X 5.5 inches
Gauge
Approximately 4 sets of (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in 6 inches and R2-R5 is 2 inches (before blocking).
You can substitute any yarn and hook for this stitch pattern – just remember when you substitute if your gauge is different, the finished size, and amount of yarn used for your project will also be different.
Abbreviations
US Terminology used
beg – beginning
bl- back loop
ch – chain
ch1sp – chain 1 space
ch2sp – chain 2 space
ch4sp – chain 4 space
dc – double crochet
R – row
RS – right side
rem – remaining
rep – repeat
sc – single crochet
sk – skip
sl st – slip stitch
st/sts – stitch/stitches
WS – wrong side (back of project)
* to **– Repeat the instructions between the asterisks the number of times indicated. This repeat will contain of multiple instructions.
[] – at the end of the row – the total number of stitches
() – important notes AND sets of stitches to be worked within one stitch, or space
Helpful Tutorials
Helpful Video Tutorials
Notes:
- Work R1 stitches in the back bar of the chain.
- Stitch multiple is 6 + 3 chs
Winter Melancholy Scarf Pattern Instructions
The scarf is worked lengthwise, back and forth in rows.
Using your 5 mm (H) hook (or size required for gauge):
R1: Ch 231, sk the first ch, 1 sc in the next 2 chs. *Ch 4, sk next 4 chs, sc in each of the next 2 chs**. Rep from * to ** across, turn. [78 sc, 38 ch4sp]
R2: (RS): Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), sk 1 sc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the next ch4sp. *Sk 2 sc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the next ch4sp**. Rep from * to ** across to the last 2 sc. Sk 1 sc, 1 dc in the last sc, turn. [154 dc, 38 ch2sp]
R3: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc, plus ch 2), sk 2 dc, 2 sc in the next ch2sp. *Ch 4, sk 4 dc, 2 sc in the next ch2sp**. Rep from * to ** across to the last 3 dc. Ch 2, sk 2 dc, 1 dc in the last dc, turn. [76 sc, 2 dc, 2 ch2sp, 38 ch4sp]
R4: Ch 4 (counts as 1 dc, plus ch 1), 2 dc in ch2sp. *Sk 2 sc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the next ch4sp**. Rep from * to ** across to the last 2 sc. Sk 2 sc, 2 dc in the last ch2sp, ch 1, 1 dc in the last dc, turn. [154 dc, 37 ch2sp, 2 ch1sp]
R5: Ch 1, 1 sc in the first dc and 1 sc in the next ch1sp. *Ch 4, sk 4 dc, 2 sc in the next ch2sp**. Rep from * to ** across to the last 5 dc. Ch 4, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in the next ch1sp and 1 sc in the last dc, turn. [78 sc, 38 ch4sp]
R6-R9: Rep R2-R5
R10: Rep R2
R11: Rep R3. Finish off and weave in ends.
Finishing Instructions
Edging
The edging is worked along short-edges of the scarf only.
R1: With RS facing, join yarn and work 20 sl st evenly across the edge. Ch 1, turn. [20 sl st]
R2: 1 sl st in the bl of each sl st across, ch 1, turn. [20 sl st]
R3: 1 sl st in the bl of each sl st across, finish off and weave in ends. [20 sl st]
Rep Edging for the other short-edge of the scarf.
Weave in any remaining yarn ends.
Gentle blocking if desired.
Chris says
Thank you for your lovely patterns! And bless you for sharing your own story! I LOVE the idea of “hibernating” until Spring, and I think we should all consider it!
Rhondda says
Thank you Jen 🙂
Jen Purcell says
I. Love. This. Lacy, elegant, well written pattern.
Rhondda says
Very welcome Becky ♥
Becky says
Love the scarf. I also appreciate you sharing your story. Thank you for everything.
Rhondda says
Yes you can work this back and forth in rows using a multiple of 6 +3 🙂
Gale Cooney says
Can this be worked from side to side with the 6+3 multiple.
Rhondda says
Hi Nicole, You are right! My goodness, I am super sorry! It should only be 37 ch2sp because there are 2 ch1sps in row 4 which replace the 1 ch2sp. I’m updating it. Thank you so much for letting me know so I could fix the count. I really appreciate it and I am very sorry you had to redo that row twice. Wishing you the very best, Rhondda
Nicole says
I found this pattern yesterday and loved it, so I started making it right away. I have gotten to the end of row 4 and I am stuck. According to the pattern there should be [154 DC, 38 ch2sp, 2ch1sp]; I have counted my row several times and everything is adding I except for that I only have 37 ch2sp. I have ripped it out and redone it twice and still come up with the same problem, am I doing something wrong?
sharon eddleston says
love this scarf design and pattern
Rhondda says
Hi Susan, I used Fiesty Fibers. 4 oz (115 g) and 200 yds (183 m). I used one ball of this which is 4 oz weight and 200 yds in length in total. Using the yarn and hook I used in the pattern when I chained the 231 chains this produced a scarf with the finished length of 62 inches. If you are crocheting more tightly than I did the length would be shorter. If you want a scarf the same length as the one I crocheted you will need to increase the number of starting chains you are crocheting but this means you will also need more yarn than I used. I recommend making your hook a size larger may help you reach the gauge specified in the pattern and allow you to use the same amount of yarn. Let me know if you have any other questions so I can try to help 🙂 All the best, Rhondda
Rhondda says
Hi Kristen, The scarf is approximately 62 inches X 5.5 inches in size when crocheted with the yarn and hook I used in the pattern. I did mention this in the pattern. It is a shorter length scarf but the reason it was shorter was because I only had 1 ball of the yarn on hand to make it. You can definitely double the starting chain to make it double the length or increase it to another length if you have extra yarn. All the best, Rhondda
Kristen says
I didn’t realize just how short of a scarf this pattern makes until I was 7 or so rows in and tried it on. If you want to wrap this around your neck once and you aren’t a tiny Asian woman, you’ll want to make this longer. I’m going to try this again with somewhere closer to 350-400 stitches in the starting chain and I think it will be a much better length.
Susan Tricarico says
Hello – I just purchased your beautiful pattern and started this project. I’m also fairly new, as I’ve started crocheting recently after not having done it for 30 years.
Question 1: Row1-The 231 ch is 20 in from the 62 in finished length, is that the correct number of chains?
Question 2: under supplies, 4oz feisty fibers and 200 yards, but it looks like 1 skein in the colors. Did you use 2 different yarns? If not, what is the total yardage needed.
Thank you Rhondda!
Rhondda says
Hi Olivia, you turn at the end of R1 and begin R2 working back across the row. The scarf is worked back and forth in rows so you will be turning at the end of each row 🙂 I put the Ch 3 at the beginning of R2 (rather than at the end) because we are counting it as 1 dc and it makes more sense to me to put that in R2 as I need to include it in my stitch count for R2. Hope that makes sense! So if the first ch3 is counting as a dc that means you already ‘worked’ in the first sc beneath it (since we are counting that first ch 3 as 1 dc). So yes we skip it because we already have the ‘ch 3’ there. Then we skip the next sc too. So in total there will be 2 sc that you do not put stitches into (other than that first ch 3 of course). I hope this helps make more sense 🙂 whenever we count a ch 3 as a stitch the ‘stitch’ beneath it will be skipped because we count that ch 3 as a stitch. I hope that makes sense and I didn’t make this more confusing! Let me know if you have any questions. I’m happy to help!! Rhondda
R1: Ch 231, sk the first ch, 1 sc in the next 2 chs. *Ch 4, sk next 4 chs, sc in each of the next 2 chs**. Rep from * to ** across, turn. [78 sc, 38 ch4sp]
R2: (RS): Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), sk 1 sc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the next ch4sp. *Sk 2 sc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the next ch4sp**. Rep from * to ** across to the last 2 sc. Sk 1 sc, 1 dc in the last sc, turn. [154 dc, 38 ch2sp]
Olivia says
Hello! This might be. I’ll question but I want to check. When you start row 2 it says RS chain three but it never indicates to turn your work, should you turn after you chain 3? Also if the answer is yes it says skip the first single crochet and then start the 2 dc, chain 2, 2 DC in the next chain 4 spice. Do you mean skip the first 2 single crochet? I ended with 2 single crochet on row one so I would think you would skip 2. I’m sorry if these are obvious answers I’ve already had to frog the first row a couple times and finally got it to work but before I continue I want to make sure I’m understanding the pattern.
Daryl Lynn says
Thank you for sharing: hibernation is what I told my drs. I wanted to do from october or time change until April
Sarah Sanches says
I’m right there with you. I rarely relate to anyone or anything, but I found myself agreeing with you in a “can I get an amen way”. I often say that through sunshine or a special light asap à couple of things might be possible today, maybe. Thank you for sharing your life, knowledge, craft and being so brave.
Rhondda says
Hi Suzu, Thank you 🙂 I will check with them about the Vitamin D. Have a lovely week, Rhondda
Suzu says
Thank you for sharing the pattern. Have your doctor check your vitamin d level. Depression is common in low levels of vitamin d which we do not get enough of in the fall and winter months. God bless
Rhondda says
Hi Betsy, that was my error. It should have been 6-9 and then R10 and R11. I have corrected it. I apologize!! Rhondda
Rhondda says
Thank you Kim !
Kim says
Rhondda,
May your SAD light bring you rays of beautiful light and warmth. May the extra rest restore you. May your schedule keep you on track and feeling in control. May the oils soothe your senses and restore some energy. May sharing your testimony help others and mostly, may God bless you and continue to use you as a light in ours lives! Thank you for sharing, being so bold and brave. Sending a healing hug from MS!
Betsy says
Question. Pattern states to repeat for rows 6-10. Then the next step is row 13. What so I do for row 11-12?