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Thursday, September 02, 2010

 

Scarfapalooza 2010 (photo heavy)

Hey all! It's September already, can you believe it? OFFF is fast approaching, and I'm nowhere near ready. However, FWIW, I thought I should take time out to update the blog.

I haz the scarf knitting bug something awful! Well, it's got to be better than bedbugs, right? Yeesh! I'm hoping it's just the media blowing smoke as usual, making the situation worse than it actually is. Not that it isn't a problem. Mr. Stitchjones travels so frequently, I'm afraid one of those vile loathsome critters will stow away in his suitcase. Now that I've put this disturbing suggestion out there for you, try to forget all about it and look at my knitting.

Here is a super quick scarf, which used a single skein of specialty worsted wool from Storm Moon Knits. It's called "Mandragora" which I think is a Dr. Who reference (the totally awesome daughter would get really annoyed with me at my ambiguity; her professed religion is now "Who-vian"). Anyway, I liked the colors the dyer put with the retina-searing green, and not shown in the photo is a subtle gleam to the yarn courtesy of a polyester thread.


I had 3 skeins of Royal Llama Silk in the same purple color, unfortunately one of the skeins was a different dye lot. So I did the best I could, and winged a double moss stitch pattern scarf - it would look really nice with a pin, ok, so I'm a big fat FAIL as a photo designer - or it could even be a unisex scarf I think.

This is my take on the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts - the book isn't at my fingertips, so I think that's the title. You've probably all seen it; it's the one with the little green bag on the cover.


I used 1 skein of Koigu semi-solid dark brown, and 1/2 skein of sock yarn from Knitting Like Crazy in a colorway called "Adventures in Babysitting" which was a really fun movie. Clever colorway name; because in the movie they went out for ice cream, and things got strange.
Even though the scarf is supposed to be 78" long or so, I knew that wasn't gonna happen. It's actually a respectable 52" or thereabouts; even after blocking, it wants to fold in on itself but I mushed it down flat, folded it and stored it in a ziploc bag. Hoping for the best.
This scarf took 2 balls of Kureyon and just a few hours to bang out. Old Shale, Fan & Feather or whatever you want to call it - it's the best!


I actually squoze in a little sock knitting, too. Here's an extreme closeup of the leaf lace pattern on the instep -



-and the big picture.




The second sock is nearly done. This is the Leaves of Grass Anklets (Ravelry link) by Marilyn Roberts, aka the Knitting Curmudgeon. Mar is a knit blog pioneer - she liberally peppers her blogging with profanity, which isn't everyone's cup of oolong, but I think she's cool - or "rare and handy", as she would say. Anyhoo, it's a nice pattern, and a lot easier than it looks. If anybody cares, the yarn is Araucania Ranco Solid. Still in a vain attempt to use up the stash.
Well cookies, I'm right out of FO's to show ya, although there are 3 other scarves in progress. If I can finish them by OFFF, I'll be happy because I got a deal on this way cool display rack that spins, from Portland Store Fixtures. I was so jazzed about selling both handknit scarves I had in my Black Sheep Gathering booth, that I definitely wanted to have more handknit accessories - the proceeds would at least pay for my yarn jones! With cold weather on the way, perhaps I'll manage to sell one or two.
Happy September, and for those of you who have kids going back to school (that includes me, but not until the 20th), enjoy it!





# posted by Sharon @ 12:45 PM
Comments:
Beautiful scarves! Loving the socks, too!

They use the term Mandragora in the world of Harry Potter too I believe, but since the blue box has been around a lot longer than old JK, I would think it defers to The Doctor.
# posted by Blogger Kiki : 3:21 PM
 
Thank you Kiki! I think you're right about Mandragora being a Harry Potter reference. I'm one of those who hasn't read any HP. =)
# posted by Blogger Sharon : 5:28 PM
 
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