My First Crochet Project: Single Crochet Scarf

I want to share all of my completed crochet projects with you.

But Firstly, my very first crochet project.  

I decided to start with a project that would allow me to learn the fundamentals of crochet and become comfortable with the tools and actions crochet most often requires:

1.  Hook
2.  Yarn
3. Tension
4. Hooking 
5. Looping.

Which is why I decided to make an extremely long scarf out of a brown acrylic yarn using the J hook.

This was the absolute best first project. 

I chose a 100% Acrylic yarn for 2 reasons: it was a lot of yarn for a minimal investment and it was not too slippery of a yarn to work with.  I chose light brown because it is an easy color to work with and see while becoming familiar with hooking and identifying stitches.

By the end of this scarf I had figured out how I prefer to hold my hook.  I figured out the best way for me to hold the yarn in my left hand and where to place my fingers on the neck of the hook with my right hand.  I became comfortable with the tension I needed to create even stitches.  Last but not least, I learned how to cast on and became a master of the single crochet.

Another lesson I learned with this scarf is how important it is to count your rows.  One side of this scarf is pretty straight, while the other one has decreasing/increasing length due to missed or doubled stitches.  I also learned what happens when you use variegated tension throughout the project.  My scarf has a pretty significant curl towards the inside.

This took me a few days to complete start to finish.  It was a great lap project while I sat on the floor with Fiona.  And it was a really cheap starter project.  I think with the hook and yarn I was out the door for around $5.  Which is great because as much as I am proud of my first crochet project, I am not sure this is a scarf I will wear out and about.  The beauty of this scarf is in its flaws as I look at how far I have progressed since completing this in August.

I realize I am a novice to crochet myself, but if you stumble across this post as a newb to crochet I am going to advise to you a first project like this one.  It was such a great excersice and set a great foundation for me to progress forward.  

Happy Hooking & Cheers!