New Project: Crochet Scarf

new yarn, from a brand I never worked with before. yarn wise being back in Europe definitely is quite exciting to me. all those brands I didn't notice before and didn't see while residing in North America. Bergère is definitely one of them and totally new to me. it's a French company, a family business since 1946 and they have an impressive collection with a wide variety of yarns. there's a little story to how I found this yarn.

a couple of weeks ago I attended a local knitting/crochet night in a lovely by-consignment shop called Ons Zus en de Zusjes (our Sister and the little sisters) packed with local handmade goods. that's perfect to begin with, right? 

as I have experienced before, knitting and crochet is something that mostly happens behind closed doors. but when the ladies gather to craft, it is always great. we chat, we drink tea and coffee, we have some cookies, we laugh, help each other… even though we just met 10 minutes ago. like magic. 

I was so happy to have found this local craft happening and the ladies who joined. one of them happened to own the yarn shop Homemade Factory in Hilvarenbeek, Noord-Brabant. so that weekend I jumped in the car and drove to meet her again and have a look at her darling little shop. if you are in the area, you should absolutely visit it. so cute, so personal and well designed with the white fresh walls and display. and a lovely yarn collection too, carefully chosen. and that is where I learned about Bergère and their Berlaine yarn.

and so it happened I couldn't resist and took 5 balls of Berlaine wool with me for a at that time undefined project. as I already have numerous WIP's, UFO's and yarn piles waiting for me, I was not planning to put this yarn away and let it sit there. I started looking for a fun and rather quick project for the holidays. I came across this clamshell pattern by darling Sandra and decided to give it a go. such a clever lady, the pattern is explained so well with the text and accompanying images. very well done my friend.

instead of the advised hook size 3-3,5 mm I am working this yarn on a 4.5 mm hook to create a not too stiff scarf. it is a rather complicated pattern when you start, but after a couple of scallops I started to 'see' the pattern and it's structure, and I am now crocheting happily without the pattern in sight. so much fun to see the colours come together and my scarf grow. with 23 cm it is quite wide, which means it might end up becoming a cowl instead of a scarf. although the scallops will be vertical then, I have to see if I like that. for now you know where to find me, crocheting my scarf with French wool, working a British pattern in my Dutch home. oh Europe, you are something.