Sunflower scarf

Well, I didn't wait long to wind my new skeins into balls ready to knit:-) I thought long and hard about patterns that would show up the lovely tones in this yarn and after looking at a lot of scarves, socks and gloves patterns, I decided to go for the so-called scarf design by Allison Isaacs. Yes, this is something I have started before, if it sounds familiar. I never got round to finishing my first one as I kept losing stitches and got fed up having to keep taking it back. So why am I setting myself up for this? Didn't I learn the last time that me and so-called scarf don't get along?

Well, two reasons really. One, is that my disaster could have been just me watching tv when I should have been concentrating more and it is a lovely pattern and should be given a chance. Two, I'm damned if I am going to let this pattern beat me!!! So look! A full inch at least with no mistakes or lost stitches! Okay, I did have one false start where I dropped a stitch two rows down to the cast on so I just ripped it back and started again. But this inch is perfect - tada!

I even used a long tail cast-on to get a neater and stronger edge - liking it a lot. But the best thing, the absolutely best thing is the way this yarn just blends and contrasts as you go along. The PSSO st that makes the sloped pattern contrasts with the blended tones underneath. Every row, every stitch is different and it's fascinating to watch it all emerge. I haven't knitted enough yet to decide whether the overall look is what I want but at the moment, it's all looking good.

The only thing that is a teensie weensie problem is the gauge. I'm not using the given weight - quite a drop to 4ply/fingering weight actually - so I'm estimating the number of stitches needed. I increased the number from 30 to 50 thinking that would be plenty for a scarf but I forgot to account for the type of stitch this is. Your normal stocking st, garter or rib would stretch and have some give but this is much more dense, more like a woven fabric and it pulls the knitting in from the cast on. So I'm averaging about 10sts per inch. That means my scarf is now only 5 inches wide - not so good. So, I'm considering this my gauge sample and now I can start the real thing:-)))

Rip, rip, rip..... Back soon. I've a so-called scarf to master!

Sampling...

Just a very quick post to show you my knitted sample of the plum yarn. It's knitting to about 9sts per inch on 2.25mm needles. Once I got over the shock of such small needles - and how sharp the tips of my bamboo dpn's are - I got into a good rhythm and I'm looking forward to knitting these up now for real. I love watching how the colours meet and alter tone. This really is a deep and rich mix - love it!

If you look closely on the sample's right hand edge, you can see the plum - green - plum - green stripey repeat happening but with very subtle differences each time. This sample is about 26sts wide and the sock should be at least twice that if not more so the striping will be a bit more stretched out than this. Interesting to see what happens. Now, I'd better find a good sock pattern to be knitting!