Red stripey scarf

This is the stripey crocheted scarf I did as a tester for a friend's present. I was to make either gloves or lengthwise stripey scarves. I decided due to the dwindling time I had left that three scarves would take me longer than three pairs of gloves. In hindsight I may have been wrong:-)

I also felt the cast on row was too tight - I always seem to do that on long chains of crochet - and didn't think my friend would consider it high quality enough for her to use as a present for her family. I'm probably nitpicking and she probably would have, in reality, not have even noticed but I suppose I'm a perfectionist. Next time I'll use a larger needle size for the cast on row, if I remember!

It's a very simple stripe with a solid cream and red marble I used for the recent slouchy beret. So the red yarn appears to change but with no effort on my part! It uses a raised stitch that I got from the 'Soft waves' ripple blanket by only crocheting into the back of the stitch on the front side (every second row) so it's smooth one side and raised the other. It gives it a nice finish so I thought I'd use it again here. I still look at it and think of 'White Christmas' though:-) Threading all the tassles singing 'Snow, snow, snow' and eating nibbles that were meant to be for christmas.

Even better is the fact that although this wasn't eventually chosen, it meant I could keep it to give to my partner who had said how much he liked it. Bonus! Especially as I'd run out of red marble yarn and couldn't have crocheted another the same.

Update on knitting progress:

Evangeline mitts already on the needles - about 4"/10cm done so far.

First ever toe-up sock on the go - about 5.5"/14cm done so far.

Photos tomorrow for you if the light is okay. I'm quite enjoying knitting in a finer guage after all the chunky berets and gloves. It may be slower but it feels more refined somehow and suits my mood right now. Some slow leisurely projects to enjoy and not race through. Aaahh, just what I need!

Stripey scarf

Well, here is the stripey scarf, at last! I must say that I really like it and it turned out much better than expected. I chose this design as I'd seen a lovely version of the pattern using Noro silk garden but as I can't afford that at the moment, I substituted two contrasting acrylic marble yarns from James C. Brett instead. As noro yarns are so vibrant in colour and look very yummy indeed, I was preparing myself for a lesser stripey scarf with less zing or punch. Ok, the colours are more subtle but maybe that is a good thing as not everyone wants a bright blue and contrasting red scarf - really?!

So, as an idea for presents, this would work for a guy, I'm thinking. Only problem is that although it's a simple pattern to work up, it just seems to go on and on! I've read Yarn Harlots posts on how she's addicted to the change of colours and is on her third consecutive scarf but I'm not convinced that after three days of continual knitting I want to launch straight into another one! Yes, it is fascinating to see the colours subtly change and alter the colour palette of the whole scarf but it is also mightily boring knitting long stretches of 1x1 rib - on and on and on......

So, although I love hand knitting, I am also a realist and if I want to get any quantity of these done as presents then I may have to break out my double bed knitting machine, blow the dust off it and try to remember how it works! It gives me perverse pleasure to be able to make something in a day. I don't see it as cheating dear handknit, just complimenting it. You have to use the right tool for the job. When I want to relax, I can handknit away and watch tv but serious pressie making may now require more serious measures - or desperate ones!!

The scarf is quite narrow without a tassled fringe. This is hopefully more of a classy scarf! You could wear it with a long coat wrapped over in front more like a cravat rather than the bulky wrapped-around-the-neck look. Well, that's the theory. It does look good like that. It is quite long to get the most out of the colour repeats and alternates between cools and warms as you can see in the final picture.

Shame I couldn't get a pic of someone wearing it as I took it as an example for my christmas orders the day after finishing and she bought it there and then! Didn't have time to block or anything. I'm sure she won't notice but, really! There are standards to maintain:)

We can also say bye, bye to warm and fuzzy mittens, bright pink verity, petrol blue verity, blue thorpe (had to take plaits off as its for a boy!) and mosaic beret. But new orders for three lots of gloves, and one more pair of turquoise fuzzy mitts. So, I'd better get going. Shame you can't knit them on a machine:)))