Two Knitting Firsts!
I've just had two firsts in my knitting life. The first first is that I got a commission to knit a scarf--in cashmere! How lovely is that? I get to work with this gorgeous yarn and it won't cost me a penny since my brother-in-law has commissioned it for his wife. I'm psyched!
Of course, I immediately went hunting for a pattern. He wants the scarf to be solid red and I want the scarf to be interesting. So I needed a pattern with noticeable texture. Coincidentally, my second issue of "Creative Knitting" arrived and I was flipping through it and found the perfect pattern, the "All About Short Rows Scarf".
(One side of my experiment with the "Short Rows Scarf".)
I started playing with the pattern in a red yarn I just happened to have lying around and achieved my second knitting first: short rows. I love 'em! The process reminds me a little bit of entrelac except I'm knitting triangles rather than rectangles. You know my devotion to entrelac. I suffer from a short attention span and I think that's why these two stitches appeal to me: the progress is so apparent because you can finish a section quickly. Then I decide I want to do one more section, then another, and before I know it, the whole project is done.
(The reverse side.)
I'm fiddling with the pattern because the scarf in the magazine is narrower than I want my commissioned scarf to be. So I'm figuring out how many more stitches I need to add to make it the width I want and still preserve the triangular pattern.
What experiences with short rows have you pros on RTY had? Any words of wisdom to the newbie on the possible pitfalls of s. r.? Any other great short row patterns you've come across?
Of course, I immediately went hunting for a pattern. He wants the scarf to be solid red and I want the scarf to be interesting. So I needed a pattern with noticeable texture. Coincidentally, my second issue of "Creative Knitting" arrived and I was flipping through it and found the perfect pattern, the "All About Short Rows Scarf".
(One side of my experiment with the "Short Rows Scarf".)
I started playing with the pattern in a red yarn I just happened to have lying around and achieved my second knitting first: short rows. I love 'em! The process reminds me a little bit of entrelac except I'm knitting triangles rather than rectangles. You know my devotion to entrelac. I suffer from a short attention span and I think that's why these two stitches appeal to me: the progress is so apparent because you can finish a section quickly. Then I decide I want to do one more section, then another, and before I know it, the whole project is done.
(The reverse side.)
I'm fiddling with the pattern because the scarf in the magazine is narrower than I want my commissioned scarf to be. So I'm figuring out how many more stitches I need to add to make it the width I want and still preserve the triangular pattern.
What experiences with short rows have you pros on RTY had? Any words of wisdom to the newbie on the possible pitfalls of s. r.? Any other great short row patterns you've come across?
posted by Nancy Herkness at 5:40 PM
9 Comments:
The ruffle scarf from Scarf Style is made with short rows too. Working a scarf is a good way to get the technique down solid. I routinely use short rows to shape shoulders on sweaters - they allow me to get the sloped shape but still use a three needle bind off to seam the shoulders together.
No words of wisdom, Nancy, but I love that red. And I want to see a pic of the finished cashmere scarf! Bet it'll be gorgeous.
Ooh, Nephele, I'll go check out the ruffle scarf in SS right away. Love that book! I've read about using short rows for shoulder shaping but never really understood how that worked. Once I've practiced on the scarf commission, I'll venture into short row shoulders. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks, Fran! I'm so happy to be working with a gorgeous bright color rather than black. I'm looking forward to finding just the right red in cashmere. Having an excuse to go to the LYS is always a good thing, especially when I'm spending someone else's money. :-)
The Spiral Scarf in Loop-d-Loop is all short rows, too. And it's a nice garter stitch pattern. In fact, that's what I learned to knit-back-backwards on--because I got tired of flipping the scarf after just a couple of stitches!
Cathy, I'm hugely intrigued. What's knitting back-backwards?
I just know short row toes and heels, but those are probably dirty words to you. ;)
Knitting back backwards is:
Do Not Move the Needles when you finish the row. Do Not Turn the Work! (do not pass go, do not collect $200).
Instead, knit from the right needle (full) to the left needle (now empty). It's not easy on the coordination. But it's possible.
LOL, Georg, on the toes and heels! So true!
Backward knitting sounds like one of those things that would be a great exercise for improving your ambidexterity, something I'm not good at. Maybe I'll give it a few practice tries while I'm fiddling with my scarf pattern anyway.
Red cashmere! That is going to be gorgeous!
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