Flying Poodles

I’ve been doing some knitting…

Amy asked if I’d been doing any knitting lately. I am working on two garter stitch and big needles blankets (also known as “I’m cold, let’s use up some yarn”), but I’ve also been knitting a few smaller things.

Peach Scarf (silk merino sock yarn)

Green Scarf (washable wool)

Rose and Blues Scarf (silk-merino sock yarn)

The scarves are all three from the same pattern, one I found on the ‘net, called “Two Evenings with Warrick”–apparently the creator of the pattern was a CSI fan. (I thought of her when Warrick was killed off in the first episode this season. Easy come, easy go… but a little scarf immortality.) I can’t find the directions any more, but I modified them anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.

Anyway, I made them on size 6 (American) straight needles, cast on 26 stitches; two are made from sock yarn, and one is made from slightly heavier yarn. It was what I had. One skein.

The pattern is worked over four rows.

Knit three rows, then:
Knit one, Knit two together twice, Yarn Over and Knit One (Repeat four times), Knit two together four times, Yarn Over and Knit One (Repeat four times), Knit two together twice, Knit one.

Keep repeating this four-row pattern until you either run out of yarn or the scarf is the length you want. Then cast off, loosely, on a knit row.

It is possible to work this pattern while watching TV, once you get the rhythm going. I assume that’s why the original pattern mentioned CSI.

I also made a pink and cream cashmere hat. This hat is a Christmas present for my daughter, but since I got her approval of the yarn before even starting, I’m not exactly giving away secrets here. I’d probably even give it to her early if the weather got cold enough to merit it.

Pink and cream cashmere hat

The hat is a 1×1 rib, 76 stitches knitted in the round on size 8 circular needles, from two skeins of obscenely expensive hand-dyed cashmere from Lobster Pot yarns. The cream is the bulky weight yarn; the pink is the worsted weight. (You can buy this yarn here: Purlsoho, NYC. ) I knitted the cream until I ran out, then the pink until I almost ran out, then decreased by knitting two together all the way around, knitting a round, then knitting two together again, until I had about 9 stitches, then I ran the yarn through and pulled VERY tight. I made myself this hat last year, in purple and cream, and found it to be warm enough on even the very coldest days. My daughter bikes year round, and threatened to steal my hat. The cashmere just gets softer and fluffier when you wash it. It’s a real joy to knit with.