The Woman Who Loved Scarves

Trillian Scarf for my mother

Lately, I have been knitting scarves lots of scarves.  Scarves for me, a scarves for others, long ones and short ones, elegant and crazy scarves.  I dream about scarves, count them like sheep to help me sleep,  and right now I trying to decide which one to knit next.  I guess you could say I like scarves.

Trillian scarf for me

Before I started knitting I collected scarves of all sizes.  I preferred the really long ones that I could swish around my neck in a knock things off tables kind of way.  It is no surprise that when it comes to knitting projects I am known for super sizing everything often with tragic (in a mock epic kind of way) results.  One of my recent knitted scarves, a luscious bamboo blend diagonal pattern, was almost half done when I decided it was not going to be long enough.  I ripped out the scarf and started over again with fewer stitches so I could have a longer end product.

Bamboo blend diagonal scarf

The diagonal scarf in the end was 58 inches, but it just seemed too short for me.  With this in mind I started on an ambitious project using all my various stashed sari silk and ribbons and a funky yarn I had scored at Tuesday Morning.  I did not swatch, it was after all a scarf.  I knitted through my three day weekend while watching Top Gear.  I think the end product is fabulously sumptuous.  Colorful sari ribbons and recycled silk running in vibrant colors the length of my creation.  I refuse to divulge the actual end measurement, but between friends, it is about double the diagonal scarf. 

Sari Scarf

I know when I am gone they will find cabinets, wardrobes, drawers, and closets full of scarves.  I just hope they understand that I was a woman who truly loved scarves.

Did I mention I like scarves?

I have been working on a pattern, yes I am designing a pattern.  I got a little bogged down in the process and had to put it down to clear my mind.  I cast around and with a little stash diving and a wonderful new knitting book I found just the thing.  If you remember I went to the Midwest Fiberfest last summer ( http://tempestinapot.blogspot.com/2010/07/midwest-fiber-folk-art-fair.html ).  I bought some crazy thick and thin merino yarn from some sweet ladies hailing from Minnesota. It was in fact taking a lot of space up in my pie safe o' yarn.  I knew from fairly early on I wanted to make a scarf out of the yarn.

Flash forward to my new book. Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant.  The book is brilliant, packed with patterns for gloves, bags, scarves, shawls, lamp shades, and of course socks.  There is a Noro scarf that I am so going to knit.  Anyway, the "19th-Century Honeycomb Stitch Scarf" caused my little felted heart to go pitter-pat.  It was exactly the pattern I wanted for my thick and thin yarn.

My first cast on was on 9 straight needles and it was just to tight.  I frogged my first attempt and pulled out the big guns, a set of 11s.  I also decreased the cast on by 7 stitches.  In four short nights I had a new, wildly garish scarf.  I am in love with the silly thing.  Trust me you can't miss me flying my new green scarf, I love scarves.

A Tale of Two Scarves

It was the best of knitting, the worst of knitting. Our heroine, me, bought some Cascade Pearls from the clearance bin at the old curiosity shop with the greatest of expectations that I would knit something fabulous with the yarn. After an initial project I thought wow this stuff knits up like the dickens it will make an awesome scarf.

Plan one was to knit a scarf with a purple and green side and a pink and green side. I started with 24 stitches in the purple and green. After much knitting I decided I had a scarf without the pink side and bound off. I liked the scarf, but like Oliver Twist the thing was annoyingly rolly.

Sighing, over these hard times, I moved on to another project quicker than you could say Martin Chuzzlewit. I started knitting scarf two, the pink and green one. I decided to not be a Scrooge with the yarn and cast on 30 stitches. I knew the pink wouldn't make it all the way around so I decided to do ten stripes on each end. I liked this scarf so much better, it lays a little flatter and looks much better to protect our heroine from the chill of a bleak house.