Friday 7 December 2007

Done

One scarf done. Only the blocking to do, but I think I will do all the finishing when my fingers won't knit. There is a point where I have to rest my hands so I might as well use it for blocking and finishing. One thing I can say. If you get the chance to use Colinette's Jitterbug, do it. Look at that wonderfully muted dance of colours.

On to a second scarf. This is in Patons Brilliant, an acrylic, nylon and polyester yarn. Up front it has a very different feel than the delicious Colinette. It not bad, just different. Cooler, and dryer, more firm feeling as it runs past your hands. The yarn itself is not a typical spun yarn. Its a braided kind of yarn, and will unravel if it you pull on the fine threads at the end. To stop that unraveling I had to tie a very samll tight knot. I'm working this up on 4.5 mm needles, and I find I do have to take some care to go through the full thickness of the yarn, rather than splitting the threads with my needle tips.

While this might strike some as a drawback, I am interested to see how this works up. This is my first work with with this kind of braided yarn, and down the road, I have the Rowan Babmboo Tape, which is constructed in a similaiar fashion. I have a feeling learning to work with Brilliant is going to be great training for my plans for that gorgeous stuff.

Every yarn has its blessings. This yarn? It is holding its shape really nicely, and the stitch definition is great. The lace waves are going to show off very nicely. The little glittery threads running through the yarn is adding just the right amount of flair. This won't be a snuggle into winter sort of scarf, but an accessory scarf, an scarf to wear those days when you want to add just a little drama to your ensemble, but not a lot of flash. This scarf is going to work with very formal dresses or with simple tops for going for coffee and desert with friends. Just right for the eventual giftee.

The scarf is just part 1. Part two is going to be some wrist warmers. I'd love the look to end up a bit like this super idea from Curlerchik (scroll down to Nov 13th). I'll have to see what can supply the light and lacy topper look in a plant or man made fibre, but right now I'm thinking rayon embroidery floss.

I look at the picture and I wonder if this project is calling for some beads, silver or silver lined clear beads scattered on the ends of the scarf, and as Curlerchik does so well on those dainty warmers. Hmmm.

3 comments:

Sandra said...

Do it! Bead! go, go go!!!
(She says, happy to share her obsession...)
You can even put them on usinghte crochet hool method, rather than string them all on.
Do it! I dare ya...
Curlerchik

Sandra said...

No, I don't spin. But I have a stash of roving...

Sock weight yarn is good, but not for seed beads - you need them a little bigger. The ones I used on my handwarmers were about 3mm wide, clear glass, silver lined.
To do the bind off, It's really better to have them strung on the yarn rather than the crochet hook method. You just slide them next to the needle when binding off each stitch. Plus, on those handwarmers, I increased the number of stitches at the end quite a bit to get the ruffled look, then put a bead on every bind off stitch.
I LOVE the idea of the silver leaf shapes hanging off the edges! You wouldn't even have to do those on every stitch - every third or so would be enough. Ooooo, you have to do this and show me...

Gina said...

The scarf looks fab! I like the fingerlessgloves...but go on Ravelry and check out Fetching. Now, if I could only knit......