FO: Chunky Striped Scarf

This is my first FO for the 2008 Ravelympics! It's an entry in the "WIP Wrestling" event.

This is the Noro Striped Scarf knit using Noro Silk Garden Chunky in Colorways 1 and 5 and US Size 7 needles. I cast on less stitches than the pattern calls for because the yarn is so chunky.

It took about 2 skeins of each colorway. (I have about a half a skein left of each color.) I got the yarn when I visited Wildfiber in California.


Blocking really made a difference. It's not curly anymore. It probably would have been less of an issue if I had not slipped the first stitch of every row, or if I had been more careful with my tension when I did slip stitches.


This scarf will be Christmas gift, although I'm not sure who the lucky recipient is yet.

Lighting the Torch

Let the games begin.


Last night I signed up for a ridiculous amount of events for the Ravelympics, including putting all my WIPs in "WIP Wrestling."

If you don't know what the Ravelympics are, you need to join Ravelry and find out. Basically everyone is signing up for events (projects) in different categories, and knitting the items before the Olympics are over.

I'm actually watching the opening ceremonies for the real Olympics as I type this. Now that I have DVR, I was able to pause it earlier when I was trying to track down yarn, then fast forward through the commercials.

I'm starting with Center Square. It took me a long time to settle on what needle to use. I didn't realize until tonight that it's double stranded. I tried several needle sizes on magic loop, and I tried casting it on US size 6 needles from my Boye Needlemaster.


The smallest length cable I have is 20 inches. The pattern recommended 16 inches. It felt really awkward because the stitches were stretched out on the needle. At the same time, the needle was so short that it was hard to handle.

Normally I do hats on dpns, but for my first stranding, I want to do something a little easier. So I finally found that a 40" Addi Turbo in US size 4 worked.

Size 4. The patterns recommends size 11. I may be loose, but how tight does you gauge have to be to get more than 4 stitches per inch with double stranded worsted weight yarn on US Size 11 needles?

I also worked on one of my WIP Wrestling projects tonight.


Remember this scarf?



It really needs blocking. I tried the slipping the first stitch of every row like the pattern suggested, and I think it screwed things up. I was probably over thinking the tension. If I'd relaxed I would have been fine.


So I soaked it in Eucalan...



...and pinned it down. I didn't have to worry about this crap again, although I had to fold it in the middle to get it to fit in the closet.

Tomorrow I start the hard fun stuff with the colorwork on Center Square.

Picture Time - Gauge and more

I just uploaded a bunch of pictures to Flickr, and I decided it was time to share some of them.

Charity Squares at Gauge
While going through storage, Mom found a bunch of squares she had knit and crocheted for afghans that have since been abandoned.I brought them to Gauge on Saturday for their charity projects.

These are crocheted. I had to do some color correction on the white squares, so I'm not sure how accurate the color is here.

These are from a Barbara Walker pattern.

I decided to start with the white knit squares. I tried crocheting them together, and finally decided I could do a neater seam by sewing them together.

Here's how far I got on Saturday. I'm still debating what to do once they're all attached. I'm hoping to make a lap blanket.

Finally, here's a bonus picture of Karli's Hanami, made with Sea Silk. It was too good not to take a picture.



I like turtles.
My sister moved into her first apartment recently, and while I was there I came across the turtle she crocheted for her boyfriend a while back. Look familiar? I know this kid liked it.


WIP: Chunky Striped Scarf
This picture is actually out of date. All I have left to do at this point is weave in the ends and block the scarf. Once I block this, I'm digging into my Malabrigo Silky Merino.

World Wide Knit In Public Day

For the record, I did make it to the capitol on Saturday for World Wide Knit In Public Day. However, I got there late and things were winding down when I got there.

I did do some work on Kiri. The above picture is where I was when I left. The picture below is what I had when I arrived.

Basically, I frogged to my lifeline, knit two rows and realized there was still a mistake.

I did get to see Lynn in her roped shell. She substituted linen for silk, making it a good pick for summer.

I also had a refreshing snowcone made with margarita mix.

Once I determined I still had a mistake in Kiri, I decided it was time to head to the Gauge for the after party.

At Gauge I got one of the cool new shirts and had some of the matching cupcakes. (Laura is modeling both.)

Lynn helped me with Kiri, where we determined that that mistake occurred somewhere before the lifeline.

Since she has more lace experience than I do, I asked Lynn what she would do (WWLD) and she said she would use more stitch markers.

Considering I didn't have a time machine, we decided it was time to frog. Lynn helped me take another one of those 15 second videos.

In case you can't tell, the yarn breaks at the very beginning of the video. You can't see my face, but it's almost as if you can see the depair in my hands.

I decided Kiri needed to go into time out. That's when I started the Emergency Back Up Scarf.

When I got home, I decided I needed something easy, quick and knit with yummy yarn.

I used my Noro Silk Garden Chunky that I got at Wildfiber and cast on a chunky Noro Striped Scarf.

I haven't given up on Kiri, but I'm giving it some time to sit and think before I take it out of time out.