Last Chance Scarf

Pattern: The Cream of Spinach Scarf

Needles: 4mm circulars

Yarn: Sundara Yarn Fingering Silky Merino Splendered Things

In October last year I heard that a friend was in hospital having her appendix removed. I decided to knit a shawl or scarf to cheer her up. She is a lover of all things pink so I had a root in my stash and pulled this skein of Sundara FSM. A lovely silk/merino blend which is predominantly pink with touches of mauve/purple. Picking the yarn proved to be the easy part.

I cast on for Swallowtail. And messed it up. So I pulled it out and tried again, and messed it up. Again. So after four tries I decided to try a different pattern.

I pulled out my copy of 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns and found a stitch pattern that I thought would work. I cast on and knit for a couple of inches, before deciding that I didn't like the way that the colours were falling and so ripped it out.

I then tried Aria from Knitting New Scarves. The yarn was thinner than that called for in the pattern but I gave it a go anyway. And unsurprisingly it didn't really work, so yet again I pulled it out.

It was at this point that the project was renamed 'Last Chance Scarf' and I went looking through Ravelry patterns for some inspiration. If this was unsuccessful then that was it I'd have to think of something else. Luckily I came across the Cream of Spinach Scarf. Several people had made it from FSM so I knew that it would suit the yarn. The original pattern had three pattern repeats but I decided to do five to make it a good width.

The pattern is nice and easy to memorise with just two rows. You work the pattern on the knit side and then purl your way back. I knit the bulk of this project over panto, sat in the corner knitting away, show after show, with people dropping by to see how I was progressing. I finished just after Christmas and was able to use my new blocking wires to open the pattern out and make it nice and neat.

I'm pleased with the finished project. The yarn was lovely to work with, it feels really soft and luxurious with the simple pattern the colours really stand out. Hopefully my friend will like it.

Distractions

I've stalled a little on this cardigan. I knit the sleeves once but messed up the decreases and they ended up an odd shape. So, I ripped them back out and have now seeming lost the ability to pick up an even number of stitches.



I cast on kids kit #2 to try and distract myself from loosing my picking up stitch mojo. This is another Debbie Bliss pattern the Contrast Rib Cardigan from Baby Knits for Beginners.


My final distraction was to cast on a pair of socks for work knitting. Much easier to pick up and put down when I only have short bursts of knitting time.

I have a DVD fest planned for the weekend, which will hopefully see me tied to a chair for long enough to sort out some pink stripey sleeves.