(no subject)

[primroseburrows]

I've fallen madly in love with this scarf and have decided I need desperately to make it. The problem is, I don't really know where and how to start. As generous as the designer is with her posting of the charts for the letters, she doesn't give a pattern for the scarf as a whole. So, knitters on my flist, I need your help.

Does anyone know how to incorporate these charts into a scarf? I don't think it would be terribly difficult, but I'm not sure how to start, how much yarn I'd need, etc. Help?

I want to knit this bad enough that I'm thinking about finding a LYS that offers a bring-your-own-project class. Isn't it gorgeous?

Comments

[alexisyael.livejournal.com]

That is a pattern for the scarf as a whole, you just have to know how to read intarsia patterns :D

First, you need to print the pattern (blown up enough that you can read it -- I'm assuming when you download it, it will be big enough to read, since that's the whole point of an intarsia pattern) so you can count how many stitches there are. Then you follow it :D (Intarsia requires knitting with multiple colors of yarn, in this case three.)

This link might help: http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall07/PATTintarsiafun.html It's a simpler intarsia pattern that can give you the basics you need to learn how to do this.

I think going to a LYS is a good idea :D

(I personally don't know how to knit intarsia but also have no interest in it!)

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Do you think intarsia would be better than stranded knitting? The designer says she uses stranded knitting throughout most of it and only uses intarsia in a couple of areas.

I don't have much interest in colour knitting (I'm a cable addict myself) other than that it's really pretty, but this scarf is so beautiful I can't not at least try. Besides, a new skill is a new skill, and intarsia doesn't look that hard, just time-consuming with all the bobbins and such. Stranded knitting is pretty basic, it seems, except I'd imagine it takes up more yarn than does intarsia.

I think I'd like to make this in black with grey lettering, and then the red. I know red, white, and blue are symbolic and all, but I think black would make a classier scarf. And yeah, I'm definitely gonna check out the LYS. If I can find one close enough.

[alexisyael.livejournal.com]

I have no idea of how difficult stranded vs intarsia would be! But I think you could do it!

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I think I could do it, but I probably will need a coach. If songdog didn't live so far away, I'd ask her. She can whip up a sweater without a pattern on impulse and thinks nothing of doing those intricate Norwegian colour workings. She's my knitting hero. :)

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

O_O! Well, I'm just dead over this, and I love you for posting it. ♥ Will start on this ASAP.

I can't give you better instructions than alexisyael's. Two bits of advice:

First, and you may know this, but just in case... this scarf is knit in stockinette stitch, which curls up if you don't give it a border. So I would suggest that, for the blacked-in rows that border the letters at the top and bottom of the chart, you knit all rows (garter stitch) or knit-purl one row and purl-knit the next (moss stitch). And do the same for the three stitches at the beginning and end of each row (the blacked-in stitches at the left and right sides of the chart). This will keep your scarf from being roll-y and obnoxious when you're done.

Second, when following knitting charts, you read them from the bottom up. So once you've got the pattern printed and stuck together to form one long chart, start at the bottom RIGHT-hand corner and knit to the left side of the chart. On the next row up, start at the left and purl* the stitches in that row, to the right side of the chart. Next up, knit right to left; purl left to right, etc. (*I'm talking about the rows with letters, not the blacked-in border rows that are acting as your border; see above.) Does that make sense?

I'm in favor of your chosen color scheme. I think it's a gorgeous idea. Well done you. I want to see it when you're done please!!!

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

Oh, and about the intarsia/stranded knitting question -- I think, at least for me, stranded makes more sense in this case. None of the distances between color changes is more than 5 stitches, it looks like, and stranded knitting can easily take that. I hate keeping up with all the little mini-skeins you need for intarsia unless I'm doing a whole big block of color. Just me, though.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I'd much rather do stranded than intarsia, because I've done stranded and it's not nearly as futzy as intarsia looks like it would be. I agree with you about the mini-skeins. I HATE futzy. Now I just need to figure out how much/what weight of yarn and needle size and I'll be able to pick out colours. I'm thinking worsted/aran. Hmm...

And whee! You're going to make this? Ooh.

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

The yarn weight sort of depends on how long you want it to be. If you're like me and you like a scarf that you can actually wrap around your neck and still have long ends, I'd go with worsted-weight yarn. I'm thinking about using Patons Classic Merino, which is inexpensive but reliable wool available at Michael's or JoAnn's craft stores. I think two skeins of grey and two of black would PROBABLY be sufficient, and while you might only need one of red, I'd get two just to be sure. But if you'd like your scarf to be a little finer -- more like something you'd buy in a shop rather than something handmade -- you could do it in DK-weight yarn. You can get some really nice, relatively inexpensive DK-weight at www.knitpicks.com. Not sure how much to advise for that, though.

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

Oops, and needles: If you go with worsted-weight, I'd recommend US 8 or 9, and I'd use circular ones that are at least 26" long, because you're knitting the scarf lengthwise. Straight needles won't be long enough to hold all those stitches. If you go with DK-weight, I'd shoot for US 6 circulars. It all depends on how tight you knit, but the label of your yarn should recommend an appropriate size of needle for the thickness of the yarn.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

This scarf is as long as the quote, so it has a finite size. I thought about DK, too, because it would be lighter, especially if I end up making a back. I have to do a bunch of calculations to figure out how long it is. My Google-fu is failing at finding anyone actually making this scarf, so I'll have to figure it out with a calculator. Grr.

I'll want a yarn that's washable, probably, so a superwash Merino or something like that (which I'm not sure is available in DK, but I'll check).

I'd rather have extra than not enough, so I'll probably go with two skeins of each if I can't figure it out specifically.

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

Well, of course the PATTERN has a finite size based on the length of the quote. But the thickness of your yarn also makes a big difference (as does the needle size). This pattern knit in DK will probably be at least five or six inches shorter than this pattern knit in worsted. Standard length for a scarf is 70". The picture looks like worsted to me. You can find superwash merinos in DK, but it's difficult; you might opt for an acrylic blend if you're looking for something affordable. Hard to find a lot of natural fibers that are machine-washable.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Then I probably will do the worsted. Because it should be longer, I think.

[alexisyael.livejournal.com]

haha, your advice was TONS better than mine! AND I forgot to use my pretty knitting icon, so here it is :D

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Next on list: Make knitting icon. I use my Waldorf icon (*points*), which works, but a knit-specific one would be fun to make. When, y'know, I don't have to stand up every couple of minutes.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

A border is a great idea, especially since I'd have to make a back for it also, and I'd need room for stitching.

I've read charts before, so I know the basics, but working from them doesn't come easy for me because I've got some weird spatial thing that either has something to do with my ADD or with my math LD (which is actually an arithmetic LD--actually DIAGNOSED, so whee! I suck at math for a reason!). It's related to finding things on a list--I can do it, I just have to work harder and pay a LOT of attention. I'm thinking a magnetic row guide would be a really good idea..

I'm notorious for NOT finishing things, but if I start this, I'm damn well going to try like crazy to finish it because it would be entirely unpatriotic to abandon the project. *waves flag*

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

How come you want to make a back for it, if I might ask? Stranded knitting is annoying in that it's not reversible, but so cool on the front side that it's worth it. Fair warning: stitching (with thread and fabric) on knitting is a HUGE PAIN IN THE ASS. I did it with a wrap I made my mom for Christmas a couple of years ago and it made me throw things.

I'm notorious for not finishing stuff, too, even knitting projects. So if you want, we can keep each other accountable! :)

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I figure a back would cover up the work on the reverse side. Hmm. I do not want to throw things.

Mutual accountability sounds like a great idea. Accountability is the trend, after all. :)

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

So I's been thinkin' about this scarf some more, and here is a thing you can do if you want all the strings of the stranded knitting to be not so visible. Assuming you're knitting it the lengthwise (you can knit it shortwise, but that really will require intarsia instead of stranded), just knit it twice as wide. What I mean is, at quick count, I think the pattern's 53 lines wide. So knit 27 rows in your main color, black, knit the chart, then knit 26 more rows in black. Seam up the cast-on/cast-off edges inside out, turn it right side out, and seam up the short ends. Voila, strands are inside and invisible! Added bonus: you don't have to do the border I talked about above, because the seams will prevent the scarf from rolling up.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

So that means the seam would be in the middle of the back? Hmmm...might work.

Also, I bought yarn! I haven't uploaded the picture yet, but it'll be going in my next post. It's a cotton-merino blend. Pretty and soft!

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

If you seam it properly (with a kitchener stitch), the seam should be largely invisible. Even if it wasn't, no one should see it anyway. Your alternative would be to seam it at an edge.

I got my yarn, too. I thought about organic cotton, but can't afford it right now. I did go with merino, in dark brown, off-white, and a brownish-pink heather called "woodrose." Very pretty.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I've never done a kitchener stitch in my life, but I probably could figure it out.

I counted the stitches a couple of times, and I get 49, which would mean 24 on one side and 25 on the other? I think that's it.

I just realized that the yarn I picked is DK yarn, which I specifically said I didn't want to the people at the LYS, but I'm going to try it anyway. It'll mean a shorter scarf, but mneh. It'll be finer in texture, which is a plus, too. I'm using Rowan Wool Cotton in Moonstone, which is a light grey, and Wool Cotton Inky, which is the black, and Zara Extra-fine merino in red. The pink sounds like a very cool idea, though. :)

[(Anonymous)]

Love Rowan! Should I point out to you that you're using British yarn to make such an American scarf? ;)

I re-counted; yup, it's 49 sts wide. Haven't finished my chart to know how long it is yet. Blown up and printed out, the chart is a little hard to read, so I'm drawing in the grid lines every five stitches. Also, let me warn you, there's one piece of the grid (the middle one, I think) that's missing four vertical rows. I had to eyeball and fill them in, which is easy enough with the black and white, but a bit harder with the gray. Got my fingers crossed my estimations will look okay.

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

Um, that's me ^^, obviously.... Dratted computer.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

The Brits seem to really like our new POTUS, so I'm sure they won't mind. :)

I haven't had time to start knitting yet, I'm hoping I can do some tomorrow, after my appointment with Dr. Naproxen.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

Isn't it gorgeous?

Ummmmm.......

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

The cool thing is, you can put any quote you want on it. If you're good enough at that kind of thing. Which I'm generally not.