Poirot Scarf.2

Well, the look was what i was going for, only the recipient thought it might be too "frou-frou" for him.

So frog-pond-time. This by the way is the drawback with the "cut every row" method, short bits. In my case, having 216 st plus 2 8 in ends meant they weren't horribly short, but still. The ends are set aside in case of emergency. Luckily i hadn't gotten much past 4 rows!

Redesign is now to knit with 2 strands, as shown in the picture. Having only 1 ball of each color, that means knitting from inside of ball and outside simultaneously. It also shows off this yarn, as it doesn't catch or pull or fuzz or cause trouble as lower quality yarn might under the same circumstances.

So revision:
Cast on 216 st with 2 strands of A (shadows) kid merino - picture shows the 2 strands.

Also remember to leave that ~8-10 in tail at the beginning and end of the row to make fringe.

(that's right, CUT).
Place marker to show start and front.

Row 2: With A, purl 1 row, leaving an 8-10 in tail at the beginning and end of the row.
Row 3: With A, knit 1 row, leaving an 8-10 in tail at the beginning and end of the row.
Row 4: Work in K2, P2 double-moss st across the row, again leaving an 8-10 in tail at the beginning and end of the row.

Row 5: Turn, and now work in P2, K2 double moss st across the row, again leaving an 8-10 in tail at the beginning and end of each row.

Change to color B: black and with 2 strands, start the "C2F block" pattern.

The "C2F block" pattern is worked as 5 rows Black (B), then 5 rows Shadows (A) for at least 2 repeats.
Pattern: always leave ~8-10 in fringe tail at beginning and end of row.

C2F block pattern.
Row 1: K4, P4 across.
Row 2: You don't have to turn - instead return to the marker on right side of front. Again join your yarn, and work K4, P4 across
Rows 3 and 4: Same as rows 1 and 2.

Row 5: K4, P4, now work C2F cable blocks across thusly:
*(put first 2 K st on holder in front, K2, K2 from holder, P4)* across. Do not cable the first or last K4 on needle.

Row 6: Change colorways. Work across as P4,K4.
Rows 7, 8, 9: P4, K4. This means to P the purls and K the knits - with directions written assuming you never work from the back side, but always begin from the front side).

Row 10: C2B round. (Remember not to cable in the first or last 4 st.)
P4, *(place next 2 Kst on holder at front of work, K2, K the 2 from holder, P4), and work this C2B block across.

Now, work these 10 rows, changing colors at rows 1 and 6, for at least 2 repeats of each color.

Work rows 1-5 once more (in Black) and check your width against mental image. We may stop here and return to mirror the rows from other edge.

blessings, :L
p.s. yes, the cables don't show clearly in the black, but they add a textural dimension and i know they're there. You'll see them in the other colorway.
pps. don't forget that on our other blog Socks and More we will be having a Win Panda Silk contest- post comments starting midnite 9-30-07/

The Poirot Scarf.1

It all started with a holiday. December is just around the corner and i want to make something nice for Al.
One of our common-alities when it comes to entertain-ment is classic British mysteries in film - Agatha Christie's Poirot being a favorite. That led me to 30's images, art-deco and lovely evening scarves with long fringes. I could of course do one in white (the obvious), but that's my 2nd choice.

My first choice was a scarf in the black/white/grey palate that is so "Zen" [an over-used/inappropriately used term reflecting a stark simplicity or bare bones approach to the Science of Mind.]
Susan, Crystal Palace yarns, sent me one skein each of her Kid Merino in #4678 Black and #9807 Shadows. This yarn is luscious indeed: kid mohair and merino wool with nylon - softer than a whisper and yet with that slight halo mohair brings. Soft, special, and still masculine.

So that was the concept, and the colors, and the yarn.

Next up: design.

This is a confession. With scarves, i would rather knit 25 rows of 200+ stitches than 200 rows of 25 stitches. So i have a penchant for long-wise scarves. I love the freedom they give you for adding fringe so easily, and the ease of color changes too.

So that part was obvious. I chose 216 st, and am using a #10.5 crystal palace circ. I want smokey-softness with some stitch definition, but also letting fringe and yarn and colors do the talking. Also, with as many st as 216, i am assured that the scarf won't be TOO short, and can just have fun.

Initial details
Row1: Using the Shadows as A, cast on 216 st leaving an ~8-9 in end. Cut end, leaving ~8-9 in for fringe (will even up when done).

Row 2: Still using A, purl across. Bring in A again, leave an end about ~8-9 in, and purl.
This work with all of the ends - cutting at the end of each row and joining at the beginning - is really easy, surprisingly so. If you're nervous about all the ends, knit the yarn you just cut along with the yarn you're bringing in for the first st of the row.
It will stay! I promise!
At the end of the row, cut, again leaving an ~8-9 in end.
This is another of my personal "tricks". I think it's easier to fringe as i go along, and even up at the end, then to attach fringe later. (Obviously, you could ignore all my cuts, and fringe (or not) at the end.)

Row 3: still with color A, work in K2, P2 rib. Since 216 is divisible by 4, (k2+p2=4) this should work out perfectly. cut the end.
This is where i am now. Just took the first pics.













Next up? Dinner. I want to do a couple more rows of double-moss for the side edges before starting the design. However, am still cogitating about another row with A or going into B now. So the best thing to do is simmer, and see what inspires most later.....

blessings, :L,
laura