Sunday 21 August 2011

YOP update 21st August


A finished project! I shared a quick glimpse of it unblocked on Friday, but have since found time to get it on the ironing board and give it a steam.
Cream on blue, not exactly a great colour choice for a photograph!
Black background you say? Much better!

Pattern: Victorian Scarf by Kerin Dimeler-Laurence (direct link here)
Yarn: Sirdar Simply Recycled DK (51% recycled cotton, 49% acrylic)
Needles: 6mm
Finished dimensions: unblocked 44" x 4", blocked X" x X"

This is, all things considered, a very simple lace pattern, but for me at least it was a step up from the Easy Lace Stole (still in progress), as it involved some sexy new stitches, such as ssk and k3tog. As a stepping stone to more complicated projects, it was a great choice.

If I were to make it again, I would probably do some things differently. Like starting with a provisional cast on and knitting from the middle out, so the chevrons point in the same direction on each end and the stockinette border at the ends would match better.



I am pleased with my yarn choice. The Sirdar Simply Recycled is incredibly smooth and the scarf feels lovely against my skin. I used about three quarters of the 50g ball, so I could have got a few more repeats out of it. I'd definitely use it again, I think it might be very nice for a vest or similar. It comes in some very pretty muted shades of blue, pink and green.

The pattern as downloaded contained only the chart, which although perfectly understandable, I found difficult to keep track of. So I wrote out the instructions in Word and worked from that. I know at some point I am going to have to get better at working from charts, as I am bound to eventually choose a complicated lace pattern which is chart only. But for now, this halfway house approach seems to be working just fine.

As soon as that scarf came off the needles, I cast on immediately with the next knit project on the list (seriously, that Easy Lace Stole is going to be my last knit FO from the list at this rate!). The Thinking of You scarf is another DK weight lace scarf project, but far more complex than the Victorian Scarf. It involves such terrifying concepts as knitting and purling in the same row and working a pattern on both RS and WS. The pattern changes too, the first two thirds in a relatively simple four row repeat eyelet rib pattern, before changing to the interlocking heart motif.

So far, I've managed about 16 rows.
Quite clearly, this photo was taken after about 4 rows. It's longer than this.

I'm not sure how much progress I'm going to get done this week, as I'm off to a LRP event on Wednesday and not back till Tuesday!

20 comments:

  1. For keeping track of which row on a chart, you can get highlighter tape. It is removable so you can move it as you work. Friends also put me on to using a PDF on my iPad. You can then highlight and markup the pattern right there. That is what I am using for my shawl.

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  2. Oh it's stunning!  Love it now it's blocked.  Your Thinking of You scarf is such a stunning colour.  I'm so into reds at the moment.

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  3. Your scarf is lovely. Blocking makes such a huge difference to it, lol.

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  4. your lace scarf looks so lovely finished and love the pattern for your next scarf, it'll look gorgeous knitted up in that red you've chosen :)

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  5. Great outcome w/the first scarf.  The second one will be very sweet.!

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  6. beautiful! What helps me keep track of charts is to use a magnifying board for cross stitch that a friend gave me. You place the pattern on the board and then a magnifying slide ruler highlights the row you are on, plus it magnifys it as well. If you can find one at your local craft store they are a lifesaver.

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  7. i'm a big fan of the highlighter tape. i was slow at using charts but a few projects with them and i was a true believer. once the "aha!" switch clicks to On in your brain, they can be much easier to use than looking at all the text instructions.

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  8. It's going to be awesome, your Thinking of You. I agree with you about the provisional cast on to make the scarf more symmetrical. But if you can do that, surely knitting and purling in the same row will be easy as pie!

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  9. Very elegant .. love it.

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  10. Love the scarf :) I do exactly the same thing with charts - I know it takes longer and I should learn to follow the charts, but I like words! 

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  11. I love the scarf. Beautiful. And I like the length as well. I also do the same thing with patterns/charts. Any part that I find difficult I will re-write until it makes sense to me and I can mark off my progress. Whatever works for you, I say.

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  12. I never said I could do it! I just know it exists and you can use it for this purpose! :)

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  13. I know what you mean, I think I've seen those in Hobbycraft. Will have to take a look next time I'm there!

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  14. That's such a pretty scarf, and I love the colour of the second one too.

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  15. The Victorian Scarf  is stunning and I am in love with the color of your Thinking of You Scarf--a pattern by the way, which I had to run over to Rav and put on my favorites list!
    *smiles*

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  16. I just love your scarf, I love it so much its gone straight to the top of my favourites list. Its good to hear the sirdar came out good in it, I'll remember that when choosing yarn myself for it.
    Can't  wait to see more of the thinking of you scarf and if you do it row by row you'll fly at it, don't worry bout whats coming up next... I find this helps me, love the colour of it too by the way. :D

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  17. I don't think I could manage to do something that was off a chart only. Good work making it work for you!

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  18. Congratulations of your blocked FO! It looks lovely on you! I have the same thing with charts, but I think it'll get better with practice.. And good luck with your newest project, it sounds like a tough one! Happy Crafting! Lily

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  19. LOVE the finished scarf! very pretty!

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