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Saturday 3 March 2018

Spidery Scarf

Here's a little something I've been working on for a-g-e-s - literally since forever. It's knit from the top centre out, adding stitches as you go, and, in the natural order of things, the rows accumulate more and more stitches. In the end I think I got a bit intimidated by just how many stitches that totalled up to. I'm a tidy knitter, who likes to finish the row she's working on before putting the needles down to go and attend to whatever emergency needs to be dealt with, but when you're wrangling 300+ stitches on a row that can mean a lot of missed telephone calls, postal deliveries and other deadlines. So I'd only start a row if I was totally sure that I'd have time to finish it. And, for someone who knits on the hoof, in between doing all the other things that have to get done every day, that became a major disincentive to doing anything. Anyway, that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

I've knit this using own, hand-dyed 4 ply Merino on 3.25 mm needles. If you've got lots of left-over sock wool, you could think of knitting a stripy version to use up your left-overs. The purple trim on my scarf came courtesy of some left-over wool from my New Model Socks. I was worried about how far the green wool would go, and didn't want to play yarn chicken at the end, so I introduced the second colour-way to give me a little more security. Given how (very) many stitches I ended up with on each row I opted to use circular needles, knitting back and forth on the flat.


Just read on for the pattern:


Abbreviations used:

K = Knit
KBL = Knit through the back loop of the stitch
M = Stitch Marker
M1L = Make 1 new stitch to the left of the last stitch worked by knitting into the wool carry-on between stitches to create a new stitch
M1R = Make 1 new stitch to the right of next stitch on the needle by knitting into the wool carry-on between stitches to create a new stitch
P = Purl
PM = Place Marker
SM = Slip Marker to work the next stitches
YO = Yarn over, i.e, loop the yarn around the needle before you work the next stitch - this will create a new stitch


Set up section (- top centre of the scarf)

Cast on 3 stitches.
Row 1: K1, YO, K1, YO, K1 (5 stitches)
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: K2, YO, PM, K1, PM, YO, K2 (7 stitches)
Row 4. Knit
Row 5: K2, YO, K1, M1R, SM, K1, SM, M1L, YO, K2 (9 stitches)
Row 6: Knit
Row 7: K2,YO, K to marker, M1R, SM, K1, SM, M1L, K to last 2 stitches, YO, K2. (11 stitches)
Row 8: K2, KBL, K to marker, Slip Marker, K1, Slip Marker, K to last 3 stitches, KBL, K2.



Garter stitch section

Rows 7 and 8 worked consecutively form the Garter Stitch Section throughout this pattern.

Repeat rows 7 and 8 until there are 55 stitches on the needles.


Mesh Section

Row 1: K2, YO, (K2 tog, YO) to 1 stitch before the marker, K1, M1R, SM, K1, M1L, K1, (YO, SSK) to last 2 stitches, YO, K2.

Row 2: K2, P to M, SM, K1, SM, purl to last 2 stitches, K2

Row 3: K2, YO, K1, (K2 tog, YO) to Marker, MIR, SM, K1, SM, M1L, (YO, SSK) to last 3 stitches, K1, YO, K2

Row 4: K2, P to M, SM, K1, SM, purl to last 2 stitches, K2

Row 5: K2, YO, (K2 tog, YO) to 1 stitch before the marker, K1, M1R, SM, K1, M1L, K1, (YO, SSK) to last 2 stitches, YO, K2.

Row 6: Same as row 4.

Row 7: K2, YO, K1, (K2 tog, YO) to Marker, MIR, SM, K1, SM, M1L, (YO, SSK) to last 3 stitches, K1, YO, K2

Row 8: K to Marker, SM, K1, SM, K to end

At the end of this first mesh section there will be 71 stitches on the needles.




Work 10 repeats of the Garter Stitch Section so that there are 111 stitches on the needles.

Carry on repeating the Mesh Sections and the Garter Sections until the scarf is as big as you'd like it to be.

I worked a total of 6 Garter Stitch Mesh Sections, blending in a contrasting yarn on the last repeat, and working the last set of Mesh Stitch Rows entirely in my contrast colour.

Work 2 Garter Stitch rows at the end of the final Mesh Section. I chose to do these in my main colour to work a contrast between the Mesh Section and the Picot Cast-off.

Cast off using a Lamb's Tail Picot cast-off. And, as I've said, I used a colour contrast between my last Garter Stitch row and the cast off it make the cast-off edging stand out.



Lamb's Tail Picot Cast-off

*Cast off 3, slip stitch to left needle, and cast on 7 stitches using the cable cast-on method, Cast-off 8 stitches to create a tail* . Repeat from * to * until all the stitches have been cast off, varying the number of cable cast on stitches used to create a succession of lambs' tails of varying lengths. Just remember to cast off 1 more stitch than you've cast on each time, and you'll be able to cast off all the stitches.

Darn in the loose ends, and block.

Enjoy!

Bonny x

2 comments:

  1. This is beautiful. I've crocheted forever, but am now trying my hand at knitting. I've practiced and practiced and finally attempted my first two patterns. A hat was the first and now working on a cable scarf. Thanks so much for the pattern for this. Will definitely subscribe so I can come back. Also, love to sew and you inspired me as I've been wanting to make some clothes again. Use to eons ago. Thanks.

    Peabea from Peabea Scribbles

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  2. Oh, Bonny, I love it. So beautiful.

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