Knitting Technique: Chain Selvedges

The Noro Scarf is finished and somewhere along the way I learned a new way of knitting a chain selvedge. When I first started knitting this scarf I was not pleased with the way the selvedge was coming out. Neither side was uniform. It looked a bit wonky.

So, I set out to ask everyone I saw knitting the scarf if they were having similar problems and received several different suggestions. Then, I went to the Brooklyntwed Ravelry group and read several other opinions about the wonky selvedge edges. Wondering why so many people had varying techniques to achieve the same result of a uniform selvedge edge, I pulled out my trusty knitting reference books. I read everything I could find on chain selvedges.

In these books I learned that there are several ways of obtaining the same result. The one that worked like a charm for me was the following method:

• Right-side rows: slip knitwise first and last stitches
  
• Wrong-side rows: purl first and last stitches.

I block my scarves by putting them in a zippered sock bag and washing them in cold water on the delicate cycle of my washing machine. If I have Eucalin around, I use it but if I don't have any I use Woolite. Then I put my puzzle foam pieces together for the length I need (I love these things) and pin them to the shape and length I want.

Both scarves are for my newlyweds and are on their way to Tennessee. By the way, the second scarf is the Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf made with Malabrigo yarn. It is for my daughter. The Noro scarf is for my new son-in-law. And while I'm giving you all the pertinent facts I might as well tell you that my very favorite needles for knitting scarves are the 9" Takumi needles by Clover. I have sizes ranging from US 5-9 and they rest in a jar that one of my daughters decorated when she was a little girl, priceless to me now.

An Elf Makes An Elfin Scarf

Like many of you, I have been a busy little elf knitting Christmas presents. It doesn't look like I'm going to make the deadline on a few of them having not factored into the knitting-timeline-equation that most presents have to be mailed this year. How many Christmas Eves have you stayed up late trying to finish that one special gift? Guess I won't this year. Guess someone will get a post-Christmas package or two. Bummer. But, I did finish my mom's Elfin Scarf late last night and will share it with you (Merry Christmas, Mom!).

My mom? She loves anything that I make for her just because I took the time to make it with her in mind. You know how moms are! How many things have you hung on your tree this year that your kids made for you that are rather silly looking? You treasure those items forever just because your kid made it for you with you in mind, right? There is quite a bit of love that goes into something made with ones hands and there are memories you have of the recipient knit into each stitch. Wouldn't you agree?

This Elfin Scarf combined with the Elfin Hat are a perfect hat/scarf combo but mom doesn't do hats, unless she is skiing. I would consider this pattern more of a muffler than a scarf although I'm not sure that word is used anymore. The scarf is only 42" long and is perfect for those who don't necessarily want to mess with a scarf but do want to have a warm neck.

I used Malabrigo which made it ohhhhhh.....so soft! I want one for myself and will most definitely be knitting and Elfin Scarf for myself in 2009. Another great thing about this pattern is that it is reversable and both sides look pretty much the same (if you don't look too close). I think the stitch pattern resembles crochet. For those interested, the pattern can be found in the Fall 2007 Interweave Knit magazine.

This elf must get back to some more Christmas knitting, baking and decorating. Did you notice in one of the pictures that my tree is up but has nothing on it?

How Does My Garden Grow?

Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

Do you remember that nursery rhyme? I have a garden, too. My garden is a Noro Silk Garden and it is growing. When I knit my husband the Noro Striped Scarf last year for Christmas, I KNEW I would be knitting it again. For who? For me! I spent the summer combing the internet to locate the exact colors that Jared used in his infamous Noro Striped Scarf. I found the most obscure skein from a Raveler and made her an offer she couldn't refuse and she accepted it.

Although Jared says he holds no claim to designing this scarf, he most certainly has influenced its massive production. As I write this post it is the second most popular scarf on Ravelry. There are 2,390 projects in 2,519 queues!

Why is this scarf so popular? Why does it mesmerize so many knitters? I think partly due to a rapture of colors. The subtle color transitions in the Noro Silk Garden are spectacular. When you alternate two different dye lots in this simple ribbed scarf you find that you are addicted to watching the mystery colors unroll. The yarn itself is wonderful. Silk Garden is an Aran 10-ply silk, mohair, wool blend and is ever so soft.

My Noro Scarf is restricted knitting designated to be knit only as I read through blogs. Up until I started this project my blog reading had suffered serious decline. But now you will find me lurking around YOUR blog and checking Bloglines more frequently to see if anyone has posted.

So, how long will my Noro Striped Scarf be? Well that, my friend, depends on how frequently YOU post on your blog.

Exquisite Woods

A new pair of knitting needles from Costa Rica called Maderas Exquisitas.

(Exquisite Woods)

Add two skeins of exquisite yarn, Noro Iro in shade #47.

The end result will be an exquisite garter stitch scarf for an exquisite young man who is about to become part of our family on August 2nd. He really needs to be initiated into the family properly, you know?

My inspiration? You're My Iro , another beautiful scarf knit by Jared (Brooklyntweed).

My So Called Tuscan Scarf

When I got home from my Mediterranean vacation I promptly sought out some yarn to commemorate my favorite country, Italy. I was unable to find any yarn shops on my travels -- and believe me, my eyes were really peeled looking for yarn shops! Back home I found some lovely Lorna's Laces yarn dyed in the colorway 'Tuscany'. The colors are perfect and really do remind me of Tuscany. I bought some worsted weight for a scarf and some fingering weight for some matching socks.

I have known for a while that I wanted to knit a popular Ravelry scarf called My So Called Scarf, so I had no problem assigning the worsted weight yarn to that project. The pattern is almost a no-brainer. I say 'almost' because I have had to rip back a couple rows more than once due to daydreaming. It is an easy enough pattern and looks interesting.

Lorna's Laces Worsted is amazingly soft! I love it! In fact, it may replace Malabrigo as my all-time favorite worsted weight yarn. I will definitely be purchasing more.

I'm still searching for the perfect sock pattern to match this scarf. I'm thinking that a slipped stitch pattern would complement it best. I think that Cat Borhdi has one that might work in her Knitting Pathways book. Do any of you have any ideas for me??

Paris Night One Row Scarf

How long is long enough? How long should a scarf be? I am curious to discover how long you make YOUR scarves. The Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf is between 59-61" long which, when I arrived at that length, seemed a bit on the short side.

This pattern was a mindless knit and perfect for listening to lectures on my Nano. I chose it because both sides of the scarf look the same, there does not appear to be a 'wrong' side or a 'right' side. The yarn, Malabrigo, is simply heavenly to knit with. It lives up to claim to fame of being as 'soft as butter' and it now rises to the top of my worsted weight yarn list as being an all-time favorite.

So, please tell me, what is your favorite scarf length?

Mindless Knitting

I am a firm believer in having mindless knitting on hand for those times when I just don't feel like concentrating on a pattern. The brain can drift of into a state of relaxation and enjoy the rhythmic clicking of the sticks and all is bliss.

The Yarn Harlot's One Row Handspun Scarf is a perfect example of mindless knitting. There is only one row to memorize, over and over again. The pattern is reversible and looks great on either side. And, what makes it even more sublime is knitting it with Malabrigo! It will be difficult for me to want a scarf knit with anything else from here on out. This yarn is simply heavenly.

Ahhhhhh........relaxation......