Sunday 3 August 2008

the design and the deadline

The brief: (imagine the cool sound of a typewriter click-clacking)... to invent something myself; the perfect scarf in fact.

Inspired by the cables on the dylan rowan country design, and more recently by the images online of VogueKnitting's yellow mittens; I wanted a wide chunky scarf with all manner of cables, bobbles and embossed delights, in a sophisticated deep blue super chunky yarn. I stumbled across Rowan Big Wool in Smoky at my LYS, which I've never tried before and had to buy super large 12mm and 15mm circular needles for. In the end though I decided to use 10mm needles as I've read on ravelry that the wool can pill easily since its so loosely woven. The deep blueness is difficult to photo, because its so very dark. So far I've done about 18 inches.


As it happens it was on the same day my HH surprised me by announcing he had booked Euro star tickets for a weekend in Paris in September (!!!!!), which has somehow imparted an aura of infinite romance and glamour onto this project for me. My plan is to complete this by our departure date so I can wear it around such places as the Eiffel Tower and the Sacre Coeur - and maybe get some gratuitous shots to post afterwards.


I won't claim this as an original design, because its just a mix of patterns from my stitch dictionary and blatant copying. Since I don't have any up-to-the-minute knitting chart software, the design is in its 7th re-incarnation on squared paper in felt tip pen, and at the moment I'm just making it up as I go along, the hollow oak turned into a cable with branches shooting off the bobbles, which has now turned into a chunky plait. Its just 32 sts across, so how long can it take?


I wish the photos were a lot clearer, it doesn't look very glamorous at the moment.

I'm making my HH his own 'Paris scarf' as he did plan the trip. I'm following the 'Men's rustic scarf' technique of knitting it vertically in garter stitch, with blue and purple stripes using the same wool.

5 comments:

juicyknits said...

How fun! Do you already have a place to stay in Paris? We stayed in a hostel just a few streets away from Sacre-Coeur this April - I loved it.

amy said...

I am on Ravelry. I am amywashere. I like the cables. reminds me of this scarf I stole from a friend of mine, warmest thing ever!
and A tale of Two Cities has anarchist knitting in it, its great, I highly recommend!

Anonymous said...

The scarf is turning out beautifully.
How impossibly glamorous and romantic that you are being whisked away to Paris! Sigh...

weaverknits said...

I love this; the yellow mittens were the reason I purchased this most recent Vogue. Your scarf is gorgeous; it's very much your own! Be proud!

One More Stitch said...

That scarf is going to be fantastic - such texture! And it looks like such fun to knit.