Four Peaks

Description

Four Peaks Scarf is a newly remastered, rectangular variation of the L-shaped Five Peaks Shawl that first appeared in the Spring 2010 issue of Interweave Crochet magazine.

Special Features

Use any yarn weight, fiber, amount, and Tunisian hook size with this pattern. Pictured are dense wintery wool scarves and breezy summery options.

“Four Peaks” refers to what it’s like to start in one corner (a “peak”) and then crochet Tunisian rows diagonally to create the remaining three “peaks” of a symmetrical Tunisian rectangle (i.e., a scarf; or…stole, shrug, headband, afghan, and more!). This geometric construction method frees you to do several other promising things with Tunisian crochet.

The eyelet edging is built in to each biasing row for uninterrupted striping. This exciting special effect wouldn’t be the same if the edging had to be added later instead.

Four Peaks also introduces the ”Tunisian foundation slip stitch.” I’ve discovered that special increase methods along the left edge are needed for the Tunisian eyelets to drape symmetrically.

Pattern includes a stitch diagram and easy customizing instructions for any length, width, and amount of yarn you have on hand. My favorite way to crochet the Four Peaks Scarf (and the Five Peaks Shawl) is with a chart, because all rows face the front. It also reveals the simple logic that underlies fancy-looking biasing rows and eyelet stitches.

Skill Level

Intermediate. Almost all of the scarf is Tunisian Simple Stitch (a beginner-level stitch), and the return pass for each row is the standard one that beginners learn. (The Burly scarf would be a good basic review.) How each forward pass begins and ends is what makes this Intermediate level. You should have experience using easier Tunisian crochet patterns before attempting it. Tunisian Shakti Scarfythings is a good way to experience simple lacy biasing. My free Symmetrical Tunisian Diamond 101 pattern is great preparation for the Four Peaks experience.

After using this pattern, you will know (if you didn’t already):

• How to start a Tunisian crochet project in one corner and build a scarf on the diagonal by increasing along both edges.
• How to shape the left edge with a Tunisian Foundation Slip Stitch so that it matches the stretch and drape of the right edge.
• How to edge Tunisian crochet with lacy eyelets as you go.
• How to choose a good combination of hook size and yarn for this kind of design.

Finished Measurements

One skein of the summery rainbow bamboo-rayon yarn yielded a 50” x 9.5” {127 x 24 cm} scarf.
One skein of the wintery wool yarn yielded a 34” x 10” {86 x 25.5 cm} scarf.
Pattern includes information for customizing the scarf’s width and length.

Materials

Tunisian Crochet Hook, straight or circular: As a general guideline, use a crochet hook size that is 1.5 mm to 2 mm larger than the one recommended on the yarn’s label. Gauge is not very important for this pattern. For the rainbow light weight yarn, I almost decided on a K/6.5 mm hook. By the 16th row, the solid part of the scarf was feeling stiffer than I wanted it to so I started over with the next larger hook size I had (L/8 mm). Nowadays I would use the less common 7 mm hook size instead.

Yarns Used

• For Summery rainbow scarf, Mondial Bamboo (100% Bamboo rayon; 252yds/230m per 3.5oz/100g skein): 1 skein in color #680 Parrot. (This yarn seems like a #3 Light Weight one to me, a.k.a. DK, light worsted wt.)
• For Wintery wool scarf, Patons Classic Wool Worsted (100% Wool; 210yds/192m per 3.5oz/100g skein): 1 skein in color Palais for a wide neckwarmer, 2 for a full length scarf.

Substituting Yarns: I’ve swatched several types of yarn and hook sizes for this pattern. Each new yarn I try gives unpredictable results because biasing Tunisian eyelet fabric is more dynamic than any other Tunisian crochet I’ve made.

You might like to try this pattern with a thinner yarn from the #2 Fine Weight category (a.k.a. sock yarn, fingering, light sport, baby) and a size J/US10/6mm or K/US10.5/6.5 mm Tunisian crochet hook. For a light breezy scarf, I liked a K hook with my Louet Euroflax swatch.

A lace weight mohair yarn would be beautiful!