Yet, somehow, I knitted this:
I've posted for the first time on Ravelry too - and lost so many hours browsing all of the wonders that are there - it's inspiring.
I've named my little scarflett the Waters' Women scarflett as it was the amazing & inspiring women who I know who knit that empowered me to pick up a new pair of needles & ball of wool & just knit.
My wonderful 90 yr old grandma met me for lunch at the Unwind Craft Cafe - A Bendigo Woollen Mills stockist and supplier of excellent coffee, tea and yummy things in a relaxed cafe with much eye candy.
Over tea, my grandma demystified reading my stitches and recalculated the pattern to one I could remember, pulled the inside from my pen & taught me to cable, brilliant.
My dear GF Kathleen was always around as I'd hand her my slowly growing scarflett & ask her to confirm that I'd cabled too early or too late - she was always supportive & taught me how to unknit my stitches & swap my purls & knits to what they were meant to be.
My mum & MIL may have looked askance at my ambitions, and commented that I looked like I'd just learnt to knit as I threatened to drop the needles each time I swapped from knit to purl (16 times each row...) - my reply; "umm... I have just learnt to knit" ;)
The details:
The pattern is a 24 stitch repeat - 4 rib, 4 moss, 8 stocking/cable, 4 moss, 4 rib.
It's based on "While Watching British Mysteries on Netflix" by Jenny Wilder and takes it's overall look (and buttonhole finishing) from the buttoned Ascot scarf "The Fisherman's Wife" by Kalurah.
I used US size 10 1/2, 6.5mm bamboo needles and Bendigo Woollen Mills Stellar, 50% Bamboo & 50% Wool 12 ply in Emerald. It took less than half of the 200g ball.
The buttons are vintage vegetable ivory (Tagua nut) from Buttonmania, and I love that they bring out the little scarflett's personality....
And it took me the better part of 6 weeks ... I could knit while watching TV or lectures though and I never thought I'd be able to concentrate on both, so I am rather impressed at my newly discovered muscle memory!
I'm hoping to knit a cloche hat next, wish me luck!
We're twins! :) Or not... I have the same inability re knitting, or had. I love your little scarf, it's the perfect length for me to possibly actually finish before the season it needs is all over, but I'd never manage all that cabling! I can do moss - by mistake. :) Good luck with the cloche, it makes such a difference to have people who know what they're doing around to help. Now, where's that scarf I started 2 years ago...
ReplyDeleteLove the image of being taught to knit with a two halves of a pen! Great job. Knitting still leaves me very, very frustrated at my inability to do it without huge holes or tightly gnarled wool. Wear it with pride, you have earned it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anne ;) Best of luck with your scarf ;) as much as I got competent with the 24 stitches needed for this pattern, I think the weather will have turned again to winter if I tried to make it wider or a true scarf length!
ReplyDeleteAnd having to change from purl to knit each stitch was the trick to calming my tension - I still knitted or purled the 8 stockinette/cable stitches very tightly! ;)
Thank you Louise - I am and I will ;) I felt very blessed to have my grandma sit with me, and with all of my mentors, there was no "you must do it this way", it was, 'well, this is what your last stitch was, so what do you think you'll do now?', and 'we need something narrow ... this pen will do the job' ;)
ReplyDeleteI admired the scarflette in your previous post. Nice coloured wool. Love the back story about your Grandma helping you ;o)
ReplyDeleteOh, well done you! That's so lovely that your Grandma was involved - you'll remember that every time you look at it :) And one can never have too many cables in a wardrobe... ;)
ReplyDeleteGo you! I know bugger all about knitting but I reckon that's looking pretty snazzy for a first time effort! I mean, CABLES! I remember the same immense satisfaction when I crocheted my first granny square & sewed my first skirt. Can't beat it. So lucky to have so many awesome people around you who share their knowledge :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Dani - I doubt I'll ever reach your level of comfort with them, but I did enjoy the process! I do like Moss - and cables ;) And yes, it's pretty special that my grandma was able to sit down with me, I treasure the memory - and that she's quite proud of me ;)
ReplyDeleteFirsts are so amazing aren't they! I love my wonky cables ;) I do feel very lucky to have such an amazing support network, I count you in my sewing team! and one day, one day... facings will be my friend (by hook or by crook...) ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you ;) I almost bought the grey-blue, but the emerald managed to come home with me - If I get a handle on this knitting caper, next winter may see a matching hat ;)
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