Dragon Skin and Scales Scarf

It's been ridiculously cold here and this year I found myself lacking the appropriate scarves for the occasion. I have a lovely long and thick tunisian crocheted red scarf that has served me well over the years since I made it. However, it's a bit too thick and long to comfortably wear with my new winter coat. So that means only one thing: I have to make more scarves for myself and I have.

I've made two new scarves for myself and both pay tribute to two of my geeky nerdy loves: Dragons and Harry Potter.

This pattern is all about the former: Dragons.

I love dragons. They are hands down my favorite mythical animal and what better for a cold and blustery winter day than to have a dragon scale scarf?

This wasn't my original intent when I went to Hobby Lobby and picked up 2 skeins of I Love This Yarn! in Teal Stonewash.  I simply liked the yarn. It's beautiful, super soft, and I wanted a scarf made from it. Searching for patterns led me to start a few and, not satisfied with them, pull the work and start over until I resolved to make up my own.

My camera is MIA and not fantastic but I have provided some guide photos for the numbering of the DCs the best I could with my phone's camera and tablet's camera when I could get it working. The guide photos are done using a light blue Red Heart yarn because it's easier to see the stitches in that color but the finished product is in Teal Stonewash.

The main body of the scarf is meant to be viewed from the side/when it's worn around your neck and the ends are topped with two small pieces of alligator stitch that are crocheted on after making the main scarf. You can choose to use them, leave them off, or do a simple fringe on the end of your scarf.

Materials:

504 yards of worsted weight yarn
5.5mm/I crochet Hook.
5 mm/H crochet Hook

Terms:
YO: Yarn over
St(s): Stitch(es)
Sl St: Slip Stitch
SC: Single Crochet
HDC: Half Double Crochet
DC: Double Crochet
TC: Treble Crochet
BPSC: Back Post Single Crochet
FPHDC: Frotnt Post Double Crochet
FPDC2TOG: Front Post Double Crochet 2 Together.

Pattern:

SCARF

Note: Do NOT work the st at the base of ch 3 or ch 4. It does not count as a stitch unless otherwise noted. The chain itself is the stitch

With 5.5mm hook Ch 265

Row 1: Starting in 5th ch from hook DC *Skip next ch DC in next st* Repeat from * to * across. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in same space. *TR in skipped ch below making sure that the ch 1 is behind the TR you are making, sc in DC* Repeat from * to * across. The last TR of the row is worked into what was the 4th ch from the hook at the start of the previous row. The last SC is worked into what was the 2nd ch from the hook at the start of the previous row. Turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, Sc in same space. Sc in next st. *Ch1. Skip next st, sc in next 2 st.* Repeat from * to * across. Turn.
Row 4: Ch 3, skip next st and 3 DC in ch 1 space. *Skip next 2 sts, 3 DC in ch 1 space* Repeat from * to * across and DC in last st of row. Turn.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in same space. *Sc in next st, ch 2, skip next 2 sts* Repeat from * to * across, sc in last st of row. Turn.
Row 6: Ch 1, Sc in same space. *FPDC2TOG on the 1st and 3rd DCs of 3 DC cluster (DCs 1&3 in guide pictures) in the row below the previous one, 2 sc in ch2 space behind FPDC2TOG, move to the next cluster* Repeat from * to * across. Sc in last st of row. Turn.
Row 7: Ch 1, sc in same st. *Ch 1, skip next st. BPSC around FPDC2TOG from previous row. SC in next st* Repeat from * to * across. SC in last st of row. Turn.
Row 8: Ch 3, Skip next st and 3 DC in ch 1 space. *Skip next 2 sts, 3 DC in ch 1 space* Repeat from * to * across. DC in last st of row. Turn.
Row 9: Ch 1, sc in same space. Ch 1, skip next st *Sc in next st, ch 2, skip next 2 sts* Repeat from * to * across until end. Instead of ch 2, ch 1, skip the next st and sc in last st of row. Turn.
Row 10: Ch 1, Sc in same space. SC ch 1 space, *FPDC2TOG on the 1st and 3rd DCs of the 3 DC cluster (just like row 6) in the row below the previous one, 2 sc in ch 2 space, move to the next 3 DC cluster*. Repeat from * to * across until end. Instead of 2 sc in ch 2 space, 1 sc in the ch 1 space and sc in last st of row. Turn.
Row 11: Ch 1, sc in same space. *BPSC around
FPDC2TOG from previous row, ch 1, skip next st, sc in next st* repeat from * to * across. Sc in last st of row. Turn.
Row 12: Ch 3, *3 DC in ch 1 space. Skip next 2 sts*. Repeat from * to * across. DC in last st of row. Turn.
Row 13: Ch 1, sc in same space. *Ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st.* Repeat from * to * across. Sc in last st of row. Turn.
Row 14: Ch 1, Sc in same space. SC 2 times in ch 2 space, *FPDC2TOG on the 1st and 3rd DCs of the 3 DC cluster (just like row 6) in the row below the previous one, sc 2 times in the next ch 2 space*. Repeat from * to * across. Sc in last st of row. Turn.
Row 15: Ch 1, sc in same space. *BPSC around FPDC2TOG from previous row, sc in next st, ch 1, skip next st* repeat from * to * across. Sc in last st of row. Turn.
Row 16: Ch 4. Skip next st *DC in next st, ch 1, skip next st.* Repeat from * to * across. Turn.
Row 17: Ch 1, sc in same space. *TR in skipped st below making sure that the ch 1 of the previous row is in FRONT of the TR you are making, sc in DC* Repeat from * to * across. Turn.

Row 18: Ch 2. *HDC on the TR below, FPHDC around the post of the SC in the row below.* Repeat from * to * across until last st. If you are following along with the pattern's written length you should end on an sc with a DC below it. FPHDC on the sc, move hook behind the stitch you just made and 2sc in the sc to form the corner and turn scarf 90 degrees to sc 17 times down the short side of the scarf as evenly as possible. SC 3 times in the corner and turn 90 degrees again. HDC in the 1st ch on the bottom, repeat * to * across except where you FPHDC around the post of the sc below, FPHDC around the bottom of the DC below. FPHDC and 2 SC in last st/corner and turn 90 degrees again to evenly sc 17 times up the other short end of the scarf. When you get to the corner, 2 SC and FPHDC on then join with a sl st to first hdc of the row. Bind off.

DC Posts rotated to dc down 2nd post to form scale

SCALE FRINGE (Optional)

MAKE TWO

With 5.mm hook CH 21.

Row 1: DC in third chain from hook. *ch 1, skip 2 sts, 2 DC in next st * to * to end of row. Turn.



Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as first FPDC), FPDC 4 times around post of first DC of the pair. Ch 1. Rotate the work 90 degrees so that now you can work on the second dc of the pair. FPDC 5 times around same post. Ch 1. Turn your work back so it's facing you. You should see the first "Scale" laying flat, pointed side down, facing you.*Skip next DC pair, FPDC 5 times around post of First DC of the DC pair. Ch 1. Rotate the work 90 degrees so that now you can work on the second dc of the pair. FPDC 5 times around the same post.* Repeat from * to * until end of row.Turn.

Complete Fringe Scale

Row 3: Sl St into the middle of the last scale you made. Ch 3. Dc in same space. *Ch 2. 2DC by inserting your hook through the middle of the 2DC below and the ch 1 space of the scales below each DC. Ch 2. 2 DC in the space of the scale below*. Repeat from * to * until end. Turn.
Row 4: Ch 1. Skip first DC pair. *FPDC 5 times around post of 1st DC of the pair. Ch 1. Rotated the work 90 degrees as in Row 1, FPDC 5 times around second post of the pair. Ch 1. Skip next DC Pair*. Repeat from * to * until end. Sl st in last DC pair. Turn.
Row 5: Ch 3. Dc in same space. *Ch 2. 2DC by inserting your hook through the middle of the 2DC below and the ch 1 space of the scales below each DC. Ch 2. 2 DC in the space of the scale below*. Repeat from * to * until end. Turn.

 2DC through 2DC below and Ch 1 space below

Rows 6-17: Repeat Rows 2-5
Row 18: Sl St into the middle of the last scale you made. Ch 1. 2 Sc in same space. *3 Sc by inserting your hook through the middle of the 2DC below and the ch 1 space of the scales below each DC. 3 Sc in the space of the scale below*. Repeat from * to * until last scale, 2 Sc in ch 1 space of last scale. Bind off.

To assemble, take the scale fringe and main scarf and put the two right sides of both pieces together with the last row of the scale fringe up against one of the short ends of the scarf and single crochet them together. Repeat for the other side.

2DC in space of scale below.