My Scarf of Many Colours

I got some really lovely gifts at Christmas. Nothing nicer for me that an interesting ball of wool or two. My sisters-in-law both gave me wool, and I thought for a long while what I could make with them.

One gift was a brilliant ball of Riot Chunky by King Cole, Shade 623 Rainbow. I love the subtle colours, but what to make with just one ball of wool. I toyed with the idea of a hat, and also even started trying to knit a cowl. (I would love a really cosy cowl, but half way through I realised that it was more of a collar or necklace, and was going to look a bit silly, it was so small. I would end up looking a bit like Howard Wolowitz wearing a dickie. You will need to google this if you don't know what I am on about.)

So in the end a simple scarf seemed the best idea, and I decided to just mix it up a bit with sections of stocking stitch and moss stitch. But when it was done, it just wasn't quite long enough. So I had the idea to knit two end sections in mock cable stitch with this Sirdar Snuggly Doubleknit wool. Great stitch, which looks like cable, but is much easier and you don't need a cable needle. The colour, which I think was Wobble 403, matched really well, but it was not as thick as the Riot Chunky, so I knitted it double - two strands. Do you like the end result, which is a little unusual, but I think will be great for next winter?

But now I still have other sister-in-laws gift, which is completely different - a ball of real alpaca wool. Now what shall I do with that? Hmmmm ......

Potato Chip Scarves

Just realised that I can now show photos of some of my Christmas gift knit. These were knitted from the Potato Chip Scarf pattern, so called as you really can't knit just one. I am gradually making one for all my relations. 

The pattern is fairly simple, so the fun is in finding an interesting wool to knit it in.
 

Granny Reclaims Her Needles

I'm writing about a finished object which is not my own but my mother's. She is 92 years old, and very independent. She has always knitted and sewn. But her eyesight is deteriorating, and she cannot see to read now, so last year she decided she really couldn't see well enough to knit any more. She gave me all her needles, and her stash of wool, and that was what got me back into knitting and designing.

But I guess all my chat about knitting, got her wanting to take it up again. So In November her birthday present from me was this lovely wool (I think it is Noro, but we can't find the label) and a super enlarged copy of the potato chip scarf pattern by Barbara Aguiar.  Click Here to Find It. She is a really experienced knitter, but we thought something without a complicated pattern or decreasing or increasing would mean she could make it mostly by touch.

So here she is in her lovely scarf, and she is reclaiming some of her needles to take home with her. Any ideas of what she could do for her next project would be very welcome. Any pattern has to have not too much reading, or sewing up, but as you can see she is quite hip and likes to be fashionable.

The Potato Chip Scarf

I decided for once to have a bit of a break from the designing, and actually knit something from a pattern. Little One said she would like a scarf, and she would like it to be twirly and lacey. Well lacey is not really something I am very good at. Sometimes when I see some of the beautiful shawls that others knit I am really aweinspired, not just by the quantity of knitting, but what on earth do you do if you make a mistake in the middle.  

So we hunted on Ravelry for something twirly, and found a fantastic pattern for The Potato Chip Scarf by Barbara Aguiar.  Click Here to Find It. At first I thought it was called the Potato Chip because it looks a bit like a long piece of potato peel, but in fact it is because like a chip (crisps for some readers) you can't stop at just one.

Then we went to buy some wool, and I managed to steer her away from something very bright, to this rather subtle coloured wool, which is Regia Snowflake. I think it is intended as a sock wool, as it is a fine 4ply. But I thought if I used fairly large needles, it would give a bit of a lacey texture, but without the need for complicated stitches.

 

I was so glad that I managed to get it finished for her to wear back to school today. By my standards this is a big knit, as it has taken me several evenings.

I slightly altered the pattern as I made it 26 stitches wide, and turned at 11, 9, and 7.

This pattern is so simple, but I think the scarf is really cute.   I may have to knit myself one next, or try to borrow hers from time to time. After all she is always borrowing my things! So I guess it has lived up to its name. It would also make a great Christmas gift.