two new projects

Two new projects -- two new scarves!

I know, I know -- it must seem like all I knit is scarves -- and yes, I have been knitting a lot of them. But they're fun, a good way to practice new skills, they make great gifts, and I enjoy them!

One is for me: a lace pattern scarf in Noro Cash Iroha. This is the yarn I used for my friend's lace leaf scarf and I so love the yarn that I wanted to make something for myself out of it. I love the mulberry color and I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. It's the wavy pattern scarf #32 from Vogue Knitting, Spring-Summer 2005. If you can get on Ravelry, you can see more of the scarf here.

The second is for my niece. She saw my Noro striped scarf and liked it, so we went through my stash of yarns and founds some colorways she liked. It's an easy, mindless knit, but captivating because of the always-changing colorways. Another fun knit!

Scarf love --- multiple times

I am madly in love with this scarf! It's a project I started with love a few months ago for someone else and then set aside; I was going to frog it, but when my mom saw it she loved the colors, so I'm finishing it for her.


Took me forever to find the right yarns and when I finally did, they were right under my nose all along. I wanted something I could do with two-row stripes, mostly subtle colors with black/gray and some blue and maybe green. Checked lots of yarn stores but wasn't finding the right yarns. Finally noticed two yarns from my stash that had the right colors but I was sure wouldn’t work together. Still, something prompted me to try them. They’re fantastic! There’s enough color (blues and greens) to add some spark but enough subtlety – the dark & tweeds of the di ve and the dark of the Silk Garden – that it should be perfect.




The pattern is a very simple one: it's a moss rib stitch scarf. It's very easy, quick, mindless knitting. It's almost meditative to knit something so simple.



And the best part: a scarf that was started with love will be finished with love.

Love you, mom.

scarf love

Lace Leaf Scarf

pattern: Lace leaf scarf #35, Vogue Knitting magazine, Spring/Summer 2005
yarn: Noro Cash Iroha
color: natural
amount: most of 4 skeins, somewhat less than 396 yds.
needles: US 4/3.5 mm*
finished measurements: 7x76"

I made this scarf for a friend. I wanted something that complemented her personality and life; this earthy, textured yarn and leaf pattern are good reflections of both. I couldn't be happier with it -- the pattern was fun and easy to knit. The yarn is perfect, nubby and thick and thin and very natural looking. The fabric is soft and supple with a wonderful drape. And I love the pattern, down to the leaf design and wavy edges.

I made a few small modifications to the pattern. First, I slipped the first stitch of each row (knitwise on the WS row and purlwise on the RS row) to make a smoother edge. Second, because I used a heavier yarn than was called for, I made the scarf narrower than written -- I used two columns of leaves instead of three. And I did twelve pattern repeats for each half, instead of the suggest ten. Ten probably would have been enough but until I blocked it I wasn't sure, and I wasn't going back at that point.






I had test-blocked it (see post here) so I knew the yarn would respond well. After a good dunk in cool water and gentle squeezing and blocking, it's very soft, and the pattern shows up well.




I used a Kitchener stitch (the tutorial I used is here) to join the two halves of the scarf. It was my first time putting two pieces together and I was nervous about it but I couldn't be happier. It made a smooth, seamless join that's almost invisible. It did require concentration while I was doing it but the stitch was quick and easy to learn and I loved doing it -- I was having so much fun I could have gone on for hours! The stitch is pure genius and pulled the two halves together perfectly.

The join, above, and below. Trying to trace the exact line almost makes me dizzy.

I'm in love. Scarf love.






*I knit loosely so my needle size is usually down one or two sizes from what others might use.

something to be grateful for

I finally finished my Noro striped scarf!

Noro Striped Scarf
pattern: by Jared Flood of brooklyntweed fame, here
yarn: Noro Silk Garden. silk, mohair, wool
colors: 243 (two skeins), 226, 241 (one skein each)
amount: 2 of one colorway, one each of the other two
finished measurements: about 6" by 65"
needles: US 5 (3.75 mm)*

I started on this way back in April, I think. Went great guns for awhile and then slacked off knitting for a few months. I loved watching the colorways change as it went along. I like the scarf, and after blocking, it's fairly soft. But I have to admit I'm kind of tired of it from working on it so long, so although I'm wearing it, I'll be switching it off with other scarves.

One thing I wish I had done differently. I used one colorway, 2 skeins, throughout the entire scarf. For the other two skeins I ended up using 2 different colorways. I wish I hadn't. I generally prefer casual and asymmetrical over formal and symmetrical, but in this case I don't like that one side of the scarf is more purples and the other side is more blues. That's because of the 4th skein I used for the second half. I do like the blues in it -- I just wish I had either waited and found 2 with similar blues to go throughout, rather than only on one half, or had used mainly purples throughout.

Either way, the pattern is great fun and I'm enjoying my scarf. And I'm very grateful it's done!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hug someone you love, and count your blessings!


*I always have to put this disclaimer in: I knit loosely, so most people would be using a size or two larger than I used.