Inner Truth Scarf

These days, I just want to sit and knit, so I'm making an Inner Truth scarf by Laura Andersson. The pattern no longer seems to be publicly available on the Internet, so I won't print it here. The original pattern was made with a 100% cashmere aran yarn, which is hard to find, so I'm using the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran yarn, a soft blend of wool, microfiber, and cashmere (that's machine washable) on size 10 needles. The grey color makes the scarf androgynous and suitable for any member of the family, like my husband and I who both want to wear it. I really like the horseshoe cable pattern with the smaller cables inside.

Here's a like to a better photo on Flickr.

The pattern calls for a left twist stitch on the opposite side of the scarf (you can see it right next to the seed stitch boarder), which is meant to provide some design interest on the wrong side.

For the longest time, I could never figure out how to make a left twist, and of course, I didn't want to ask anyone. Finally....I thought of YouTube!! And sure enough, I found a video to teach me how to do this stitch. YouTube is a patient teacher and doesn't complain if you need to repeat more than once.

The video shows that the first stitch is dropped, but when I tried it, I kept pulling out that stitch. I find it helpful to hold the first stitch between my thumb and forefinger as I knit into the back of the next stitch.

I'm enjoying the scarf, which has enough twists and turns to keep me interested, but I have the urge to knit a sweater next.

My So Called Scarf

Although I stopped knitting for much of 2007, this scarf is the result of my vacation knitting. I began this last year around this time and finished it a year later. Be sure to click on the photo for a larger picture of the really beautiful stitch. It is knit with ImagiKnit Manos del Uruguay yarn that is variated in both color and thickness using a pattern for My So Called Scarf. I originally got the idea from the International Scarf Exchange which has a list of links on the right-hand side for some truely beautiful scarf patterns. I knit this straight from the pattern, but after I finished the scarf, I realized that YouTube has a helpful video for mastering this stitch. Would have been nice to have this when I started!

People have commented that the bindoff allows the scarf to flare out at the ends. With this in mind, I cast on tightly. For the bindoff, I got some of the smallest knitting needles I could find, about a size 4, and knit one row of the pattern stitch and then did a bindoff stitch. It worked perfectly and I have a nice tight bindoff.

Right now, I'm working on a very simple knit-while-you-watch-TV pattern using really thick yarn that had been sitting in my stash. As soon as I saw the pattern, I knew this was the perfect yarn to use. Soon, I'll have a thick and warm warp around the neck scarf, perfect for winter mornings. More knitting projects to come!

Knitting for Christmas

I always wanted to post pictures of my knitting projects because I really enjoy seeing other people's pictures on their blogs.

This is the Christmas I knitted gifts for everyone. I made my mom a simple garter stitch triangular shawl in a sparkly kid mohair that she can wear to Red Hat Ladies events. My coworkers, who are far more experienced knitters than I, were just raving about it. I knit my tutor a small keyhole scarf out of some super soft hand-dyed angora wool that produced variegated colors. I often knit at her house during the two hours a week she patiently helps my kid with his reading. Her house is a knitter's paradise, well decorated, always clean, and very peacefull with light coming in from the skylight. My co-workers received a version of this same scarf design knitted with fuzzy angora wool.

On these cold winter days I still enjoy my very first knitting project: a garter stitch scarf made out of a super-chunky multi-colored wool. The scarf is now longer than I am tall, so I can wrap it around and around and around my neck for warmth. It was knit on size 35 needles, so it was really quick and easy. I knit one for my husband and one son, and I'm tempted to knit up another for myself.

But all of my knitting projects will have to wait. I've put away my knitting needles and unfinished projects for the year so I can focus on studying for the CAE.