Crisp White Victorian Crocheted Muffler in a Simple Chevron Stitch Makes up Quick
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[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Because I have a love of the western era, Victorian clothing falls into that category since it's in the same time frame. By default, I love the Victorian clothing, too, like this lacy white chevron neck muffler. However, I'm not sure what the back history is of the Victorian warmer as I have not been able to find much information. (Yes, I'm still looking…..) But it makes sense that they would have worn something like these, simply to keep warm. Staying warm was not as simple as turning up the thermostat like it is today. Many were not fancy, as we understand fancy. Today, we have incredibly wonderful and unusual knitting and crochet stitches that adorn sweaters, hats and blankets that aren't found in the 1850's. As I understand from my sister, (an expert in Victorian era clothing and undergarments), even shawls were made with simple stockinette or garter stitches.
I wanted something a bit more detailed and lacy. I started my muffler in a simple way, using a traditional afghan ripple stitch. I used a beautiful, soft white four ply yarn from Hobby Lobby. It's caledl I Love This Yarn! And it's appropriately named, let me tell you. Using a size H (5 mm) size hook, and using a simple chevron afghan pattern, I crocheted a muffler of a 15 1/2 inch length. Just an FYI….Caron is a fantastic yarn to use and feels wonderful when working up a design or a sweater. You may have to play with it a bit if you think it's not thick enough. Below, there is a pattern for the chevron stitch and you can easily add extra as the stitch amount mulitples and ending stitch amounts are listed.
Depending on how long you want a muffler to be made, standard lengths are 15 1/2', 16 1/2" or 17 12". I made mine around 15.5" and 6 inches wide. I knew, with the scallop edging I added on the top and the waved edging I added on the bottom, I would have a neck muffler of sufficient size and length to be happy with. I used about half of a skein of 7 oz white I Love This Yarn. However, as I mentioned, Caron is anotherwonderful alternative to work with and is an excellent yarn. Though I can't label Caron as an 'I Love This Yarn". let's just say I do anyway 🙂
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ONE
I debated, and tried, several different edgings. I ripped each one out. The only one that seemed to do justice to the muffler was this scalloped wave edge. I found an image of it that I liked, but really struggled with the instructions. I am a major visual learner! I found a Russians website with a video and she was so detailed that I found her exceptionally easy to follow. I'm sure there were many other tutorials out there that worked equally well, but once I found one that I understood, I stopped looking.
I crocheted a base of 3 rows with sc at the bottom edge of the chevron because the bottom edge of the scarf-muffler was too raw looking. This base gave it a more stable foundation to work with The waved edging was crocheted in multiples of four. I actually found is super easy to crochet and it looked smart when I finished!
To make the edging, attach your yarn to the first sc in your completed sc row edge. Then sc in the next 4. .In the photo above, a few scallops have already been crocheted, so the first 4 sc you see would be like the first four you would start with on your beginning edge.
TWO
Then chain four and turn. You can see in the photo above that I reversed the work. At this point, I am now working in the BACK of the scallops and attaching the chain 4 to the end of other previous scallop's chain 4.
THREE
Once that chain four is anchored in the back of the previous chain four, you can now reverse the work once again and chain four in the previously connected crocheted chain 4 space. This will give you your first trc and chain 1. TR, chain 1, six more times. You will now have 7 TRC with 1 chain inbetween. This makes your scallop. Then….sc in the next 4 of the bottom sc edging row. That's it.
I was surprised at how easy this was once I got the hang of it. At first, i tried looking at photos to see if I could figure it out without having to find a pattern. Point of pride, I guess. Just wanted to see if I could do it 🙂 I really was close but just missed the reversal step and it made a world of difference once I saw it done in a photo. The only difference I made was that I chose to give my scallops a wider base and put a chain 1 inbetween the TRC.
FOUR
Next, I started on the top of the muffler. Believe me, I fiddled with this edging even more. I had an idea of what I wanted, something frilly to make it look really Victorian. I didn't work. At all! No matter what I tried, it looked awful so I ripped it out. Then ripped it out again, and again. After the fifth try, I went for simplicity. Who would have thought? That was the idea that worked best.
I tried a simple scalloped edge and it was still too much so I opted for something that I have done before that finishes off a piece of work with a minimum of fuss, looks scalloped but reduced the amount of work by doing it all in one row. Instead of working a chain across the top, reversing and then working scallops in those chains, I attached my yarn to the top of the muffler at the end of the row where the chevron ended. You can see where I started in the photo above.
Then, I made one TRC, 1 DC, a HDC and a slip stitch in the first space, then in the next chevron point I started over. This simulated the look of a 'shell' , laid down on the top of the edging just like a normal shell, but went MUCH faster! If you get in a pinch, need to work something that finishes off fast and still looks great, this is the stitch to use.
FIVE
After I completed my simple faux shell edging on the top of the muffler, I noticed it didn't stand up like I thought it would. A very easy chain stitch on the top of the muffler, along the bottom edge of the previous shell row, fixed that.
SIX
In the photo above, you can see at the left (red arrow) how well the edging stays flat by implementing a top chain stitch. The right (blue arrow) it still is a bit floppy, at least until the top stitch chain is in place. Once the top chain is finished, the result is beautiful.
SEVEN
I added two simple pearl buttons for front closure and that was it. Finsished. Ta da! One point, though and it was something I noticed on the few photos I could find concerning these mufflers, (or scarves as we call them today). They don't appear to wrap around the neck like the scarves we wear today, do. Intead, they are shorter, wrap loosely around the neck and are fastened in place with buttons.
Though I would say this could be used as a re-enactors scarf, I want to make it clear this is actually not period corret, either in the pattern that was used to make it, or in the type of yarn I used. Were I to make a period piece, either I would spin wool roving the the thickness I want, or I would use a soft wool to make it. The chevron pattern wouldn't be used, but instead I would employ simple double and single crochet.
But if you like cool stuff, and you don't mind not being exactly period correct, Iyou could make this any way you wish AND wear it to a re-enactors guild 🙂
BASIC CHEVRON STITCH
Crochet hook H (5.00 mm)
I used 1/2 of a 7 oz skein of white 4 ply "I Love This Yarn." I didn't actually include a guage for this scarf as lenght and width are really flexible an up to the discretion of the crocheter and wearer.
BEGINNING CHAIN: Chain a multiple of 17 then chain an additional 15.(for this scarf, 32 stitches is sufficient)
ROW 1: 1 Sc in 2nd chain from hook, 1 Sc in each of next 5 chains, 3 Sc in next chain ,1 Sc in each of next 7 chains, * skip 2 chains, 1 Sc in next 7 chains, 3 Sc in next chain, 1 Sc in of next 7 chains, repeat from * across until you reach the end of the row. Turn
ROW 2: Working in back loops only (see picture) and throughout the rest of the pattern (and for as long as you intend to work the scarf). Chain 1, skip the first stitch, sc2tog, 1 Sc in next 5 stitches, 3 Sc in next stitch, * 1 Sc in next 7 stitches, skip next 2 Sc. 1 Sc in each of the next 7 stitches. 3 Sc in next stitch, repeat from * across until you reach last 7 stitches. 1 Sc in the next 5 stitches. Sc2tog in the last 2 stitches, turn.
ROW 3: Ch1, sc2tog, 1 Sc in next 5 stitches, 3 Sc in next stitch, * 1 Sc in next 7 stitches, skip next 2 Sc. 1 Sc in each of the next 7 stitches. 3 Sc in next stitch, repeat from * across until you reach last 7 stitches. 1 Sc in the next 5 stitches. Sc2tog in the last 2 stitches, turn.
Finishing: Repeat row three (3) for the pattern until your muffler reaches 15.5 inches in length (or 16.5, 17.5)
TOP EDGE, SCALLOPED PUFF SHELL STITCH
You can work straight from the top edge without adding a sc row first.
Attach yarn to the beginning edge of the muffler. Chain 4, and in the same space make a DC and a HDC, then sl stitch in the next chevron end (see Photo Three.)
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