Thursday 14 January 2010

Crispy Crunchy Scarf

I finished the White Jet Jyri and I just love it.


I couldn't stop taking photographs of it. It's good to have something that shows up in photos in this dull weather.


The texture is marvellous.

It's so crunchy, when it's folded it looks like a stack of crispbread.

This the Jyri scarf, from Norah Gaughan Volume One. It's knitted in Paton's Jet, which is 70% wool and 30% alpaca. I used four balls, and 5.5mm needles. You're meant to stop at the end of a pattern repeat, but I did the first row of another repeat (and purled back) as I thought it was too flat. The start of the new repeat just peaked it up a little. It's 60 inches long and 7 inches wide, but it will probably grow in wear.
It's really a lace pattern which isn't blocked, and I suppose it can never be washed as it would just turn into a piece of chunky lace. It will have to be dry cleaned. I'm giving it to a friend so I won't have to worry about that. It would be wonderful felted, if there's a felting technique that doesn't involve getting the thing wet. Perhaps steam would do it.


I finished the Touch cosy and it'll go in the post too. Unknown thick'n'thin wool, 18 stitches cast on with 5mm needles and double-knitted until the right length.


This is the top of the first sleeve of Kaari.

I felt very clever when I did this and although that can often be a warning sign, I think it worked out all right. I've finished the second sleeve now so I just have to sew it together and put the collar on. I only have one ball left so I think I'll have to track down another. I could rip my Toasty mitts but I'd rather not. I'm at the stage of being very eager to finish this while simultaneously dreading it in case it doesn't fit or looks terrible.

I cast on for the pretty girly hat, Mary Jane, too. This is some of the trove of Kidsilk Haze that Jean very kindly gave me in a fit of disgust (with the yarn, not with me) and the colour is fabulous. I don't usually like burgundy as a fabric colour - I think it belongs in a glass - but this has such intensity and yet such delicacy, I can't take my eyes off it. Silk'll do that.

I did a cable cast on because I thought otherwise the first row might be too hellish to be borne, and it paid off. I don't expect progress to be speedy.

A kind friend lent me Clara Parkes' new book, The Knitter's Book of Wool, and I really must write about it in my next post. It's very good. And I haven't forgotten about My Favourite Films.

5 comments:

Mary Lou said...

Too hellish to be borne. That made me laugh, as it is too true for KSH. Must remember to try a cable cast on next time.

Knitting Linguist said...

I loved the idea there, for a brief moment, of being given Kidsilk Haze by someone who is disgusted with one; I'm sure I'd be getting lots of balls by now from students if things really did work that way! Alas...

The knitting looks wonderful, and I agree, that scarf is just perfectly textural -- when will you be knitting one for yourself?

Moorecat said...

I think if you just wash it without blocking it, ie lay it flat to dry, it won't turn into "just chunky lace".

You could shibori felt it, but it might be too tedious to tie something small and hard (a marble?) into each "goosebump" as resists.

Here's a good example:

http://feltbug.blogspot.com/2007/04/shibori-felt.html

Raveller said...

I saw something similar felted at Origin a couple of years ago and it was fabulous. I've wanted to try making one ever since. It is absolutely beautiful, Helen. Looking forward to hearing your review of the Knitter's Book of Wool.

Mette said...

Your Jyri photoes made me smile:) They are lovely. Mette