Getting Started - Mario CAL (Scarves)

 Today we are taking a look at some of the projects you can make if you are using all of the Mario graphs we share this year. We are calling this the Ultimate Crochet Along because you will crochet every graph we post and it will make 3 to 4 scarves and 6 blankets along with 2 to 4 pillowcases. So it is a major project. Last week (on the 18th), we posted some layouts and we talked about them more the next day. These are good guidelines but they mostly apply to anyone doing just one project. It is to show them the center of any blanket so they can choose which graphs to crochet. For anyone doing the Ultimate Crochet Along those won't really apply exactly because you have to crochet all the graphs anyways.

For this week we are going to focus on the scarves. This post will be good for everyone so please even if you are only making one blanket, be sure to read this. (Especially if you are making the scarves also.)

So let's start with the scarves. These are simple. We are taking the four graphs being released next month and turning them into scarves. (Note there is also a bonus graph coming on Freebie Friday - January 29th - that you will need for these - should you choose to do the Ultimate Crochet Along.)

We call these sets. Now we release graphs in "sets" and they usually have one Mario graph, one Luigi graph, one Princess Peach graph, and one Toad graph. So we are taking this set, called the Standing set (because all the characters are standing - you can also wait for the "walking set"). Now, these you can play around with. We know they are going to be scarves so you do not have to crochet them the same stitch unless you are putting them together. our SUGGESTION is to crochet Mario and Luigi together so they can be on either side of the scarf, crochet Princess Peach or Toad alone, and whichever you have left crochet with the bonus graph. Again, as long as the two graphs that are going on the same scarf are done in the same crochet stitch, you can crochet them however you want (we recommend Tunisian Simple Stitch, Mini C2C, or Half Double Crochet.) NOTE: You can crochet your graphs first and then create the "body" of the scarf or you can crochet the graphs at the same time, starting one from the bottom and working around to start the graph from the top down on the other side.

Size recommendations: For a Mini C2C scarf we recommend 70 boxes long plus the two graphs for a total of 110 boxes. For Tunisian Simple Stitch and Half Double Crochet, simply crochet until the desired length (keeping in mind should you be doing two graphs, and crocheting all in one, that you will want to stop before your desired length and keep the length of the remaining graph in mind.