New Scarf

“New” is a little bit of an exaggeration. I have been working on it on and off since I was in Sisters. I finally got it right and am much happier with the result.

As is my process, I have already ripped the piece out several times. I finally realized that I didn’t like the weave. I was at my first knitting circle (local shop allows people to come in and free-knit once a week) and I talked to some of the ladies about it. I asked about going down a needle size or two. One said to knit a swatch. Since I don’t usually knit with a pattern, I have never knitted a swatch. I decided to do it with one needle size down. I wasn’t sure what to expect and ended up really liking the result.

Now that I have made some progress, I think this was a good choice. I always use the suggested needle size on the yarn wrapper. It worked okay this time; just not for me.

I also reduced the number of cast-on stitches, which I also think was a good choice. The image above shows the two bits of knitting. The top piece is the first piece I worked on using size 5 needles with 50 stitches cast on. The bottom piece is the piece on which I am working now. I cast on 45 stitches and am using size 4 needles.

Aside from the size, because of the differences in cast on stitches, I don’t see a difference in the weave of the fabric. I noticed that the top piece was much looser (more holes) as I was working on it. Seeing them together makes me wonder if the change was worth the effort.

I am not sure what I was expecting, but it is surprising how well the smaller needles work. I love the small needles.

Author: JayeL

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

4 thoughts on “New Scarf”

  1. The smaller appears more framed, the border proportions are better, in my opinion. Good instincts to keep tinkering until it works. Hey, I’m going to try that as a New Year’s Resolution:)

    1. Thanks for your comment. I was thinking of the weave and how loose it looked, not the pattern at all. You have made me look at it and I think you are right. Thanks! Good luck with your New Year’s Resolutions. I have just embraced my process.

    1. I have decided that knitting and ripping is my process and I just have to deal with it. Making/creating a is a process and, in accepting my process, I am engaging in the process. I think knitting is much more straightforward than quiltmaking. With knitting you knit and are done. With quiltmaking, you piece some bits, add them together to make bigger bits ad infinitem until you get a top, then quilting, etc. This is lovely looking yarn, but I am not fond of its non-stretchiness. I’ll have to learn to pay attention to the fiber content going forward.

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