AuburnChick's Adventures

Another finished project!!  I’m so excited!  I really needed something to cheer me up after a rough couple of days, eh?

Do you remember this yarn…

Misti Alpaca Hand Painted Chunky - Colorway is "Marvelous"

It was soft enough to coax me away from the socks I have on my needles.

I have to tell you that I think I see signs that I am evolving as a knitter.  Here’s the process, as I see it.

When you first start knitting, you’re concerned more with the “how-to’s” of the stitches.  You pick easy patterns and use whatever yarn is handy.

Gradually, you start learning about different yarns as you begin to visit yarn stores and talking to other yarnies.  You start getting more selective with your patterns and begin challenging yourself with more difficult projects.

This is when you start investing in the good stuff…interchangeable needles, smooshy yarn, dazzly stitch markers.

Before you know it, you’re paying particular attention to the color variations within your yarn and how the pattern will complement them.

And then you start getting picky.  I mean, knitting is hard work, and the yarn is expensive.  You don’t want to waste your efforts for a project that does not turn out the way you envisioned it.

This is the stage that I’m at now.

I knew, when I bought the yarn, that I wanted to make a scarf.  The gal in the store suggested a 2×2 rib.  I decided to check Ravelry first, though, just in case I found a pattern I liked better.

First, I decided to make the Misti Chunk Ribs and Ruffles Scarf.  If you’re on Ravelry, you can find the pattern on this page.  You can also click on this link to download the pattern directly from the Misti Alpaca web site.

Well, after a couple of inches, I realized that I was not liking how it was coming out.  I had envisioned a thick scarf, similar in feel to my Palindrome Scarf, which I wear to all of the soccer games I attend.

So, I frogged and went back to the drawing board.

I decided to try the 2×2 rib, as suggested by the gal in the shop where I purchased the yarn from.

After a couple of inches of this pattern, it was apparent that this was not going to work either.

Ugh.

I was not happy.

So, I went back to Ravelry and searched again.  I went back and forth, trying to decide if I would attempt the Ribbed and Ruffle Scarf again or try something else.  I wondered if I was over-thinking things.

I posted an SOS in the Stitch-It forum.  Sometimes it helps to get the opinion of others.  By far, the pattern that got the most votes was My So Called Scarf.  You can find the Ravelry pattern link here, and the regular internet link here.

Did you know that patterns on Ravelry have a comments tab.  I have found it very helpful to check out the comments before starting a project.  Included in this pattern’s comments was this link to a video that demonstrated the strangely-worded stitch instructions.   Armed with the additional information, I cast on.

I began this project on the 20th of January and “officially” finished it this morning, the 28th.  In reality, the pattern was so simple that it shouldn’t have taken so long to complete; however, as you’ve been reading, my life has been hectic, leaving little time to work on it.  I used both skeins I had purchased.  The scarf measures 54″ x 4 1/2″.  Not too long, I know, but it’s perfect for my height, which is, to be politically-correct, “petite.”

Here are the results…

My So Called Scarf

The next picture shows a good comparison of the wrong side (the left) and the right side (on the right)…

The next picture is a close-up of the stitch pattern.  As you can see, it really does showcase the yarn.

One special note:  if you make this scarf, make sure you check out the bind-off suggestion on the comments tab on Ravelry.  This scarf has a reputation for having a flared bind-off edge.  Of course, I had to learn the hard way and bound off the usual way…purling since I was on the wrong side.  The result was hideous.  So, I frogged that last row and followed the suggestion…to p2tog, p2tog, and then bring the first stitch over the second one (the one closest to the tip of the needle).  From there, you just p2tog and bring that first stitch over each time, as in a regular bind off.

Voila.  I had a straight edge.

Perhaps, one day, I’ll evolve to the next phase of knitting…writing my own patterns.  Time will tell.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Knitting, marvelous, misti alpaca hand painted chunky, my so called scarf, ravelry, scarf, wool | 4 Comments »