Tuesday 20 December 2011

Deadline December: The seaweed scarf

This is the scarf of doom. I have been knitting it on and off, mostly off, since March.
SAM_0213
It looks rather innocent and easy here, doesn't it?
That would be deceptive.
This scarf started out as a strip of stocking stitch, straight from a pattern for a tube like scarf that my mother admired, and had asked me to make for her from this rather slippery yarn,(it has attached sequins) (jo Sharp Lumina - viscose and cotton strands loosely plied).
Unfortunately, she did not like the scarf once I had finished it, due to the curling edges inevitable with a stocking stitch scarf. Being a kind mother, she placed the scarf around her neck and pretended that she would wear it, but I could tell it was destined for the bottom drawer.
I ripped it from her neck and sat her in front of a knitting magazine or two.
She found a scarf that she liked, but it was in an advertisement, not a pattern.
Airily, I said "oh, I'm sure I can work that out" and started ravelling the first scarf.
The yarn did not like being ravelled. It formed a kinky tangled mess. After some fiddling, I worked out that if I knit straight from the unravelling scarf, rather than trying to form a ball with the yarn, knitting was easier - if rather bulky to transport.
I made up my own pattern.
Here it is

Cast on 25 stitches using cable cast on.
First row: Knit
Second row: Cast on 4 stitches, cable cast on, turn work, cast off 4 stitches, knit to end.
Repeat second row to lenght of scarf desired. Occasionally cast on 5 stitches, cast off 4, or cast on 3, cast off 4, to make the edges a little wavy. Every so often, return to the 25 stitch row count, and have the last 3 rows at 25 stitches to balance the scarf.
Cast off last row.
2 and 1/2 balls of Lumina, 4.0mm needles

Caution: There are 9 swimming lessons, 2 Miss Marple Movies and 1 Terry Pratchet movie in the making of this scarf - I suppose multi-tasking is the advantage of knitting over sewing.

6 comments:

Sharon said...

Very pretty and that's why I have taken up knitting again, it is very portable.

velosews said...

It's a very edgy design.

K.Line said...

OMG - way to much trouble! :-) It looks like coral.

shams said...

Oh, I love that, Karen! Love love! You don't mind making another, right??? ;)

Carol said...

I've been known to knit, read blogs, eat and watch television all at once. I find it hard to sit in front of television without knitting. I love this scarf and will start one immediately tonight with some leftover green alpaca I haven't had quite enough to make anything with. Thanks for adding something else to my endless list of projects!!

Carolyn said...

Absolutely stunning. I love it! Thank you so much for this pattern. I will love to give it a try!