Sister-in-law's Short Row Scarf
Taking my cue from Laura, I took my WIP outdoors to photograph it. Here's about half of the commissioned cashmere scarf for my sister-in-law. I'm loving these short rows because I tend to work one triangle at a time and then feel a great sense of accomplishment. I can also count the progess very easily.
Given that the scarf is a solid color I think the alternating triangles give it visual interest--and keep me interested as well. I'm using the wrap-and-turn--or more accurately, wrap-as-you-turn--method recommended by Creative Knitting, the magazine where I found the pattern. They say it eliminates the holes which just turning on the short row can give you. Since this is my first attempt at short rows, I'm taking their word for it. Anyway, the idea is to wrap your yarn around the last stitch in the short row (which you slip). After you turn, you slip the next stitch also and then purl the third one so you get groups of three stitches at the end of each row.
When you finish all the short rows in one triangle, you knit back across, picking up the wrapping and the wrapped stitch and knitting them together. See what you think in the closeup below.
I tried another first on the this project: I felted my yarn join when I switched to the next skein. I was looking up the Russian Join recommended by one of our wonderful commenters here and found this other suggestion. It only works on wool, of course, but I was thrilled because this cashmere is so expensive that I didn't want to leave much in the way of ends when I was joining. The felting method eliminates ends all together. Here's the link to the felted join video: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-tips . Just scroll down the page until you see the "Joining Yarn" videos. It's really easy.
So that's the report from the field. I'm a little depressed because my Devils can't seem to win a game these days and have slipped from leading the entire Eastern Conference to second in the Atlantic Division. It's a bummer!
What's everyone else working on?
Given that the scarf is a solid color I think the alternating triangles give it visual interest--and keep me interested as well. I'm using the wrap-and-turn--or more accurately, wrap-as-you-turn--method recommended by Creative Knitting, the magazine where I found the pattern. They say it eliminates the holes which just turning on the short row can give you. Since this is my first attempt at short rows, I'm taking their word for it. Anyway, the idea is to wrap your yarn around the last stitch in the short row (which you slip). After you turn, you slip the next stitch also and then purl the third one so you get groups of three stitches at the end of each row.
When you finish all the short rows in one triangle, you knit back across, picking up the wrapping and the wrapped stitch and knitting them together. See what you think in the closeup below.
I tried another first on the this project: I felted my yarn join when I switched to the next skein. I was looking up the Russian Join recommended by one of our wonderful commenters here and found this other suggestion. It only works on wool, of course, but I was thrilled because this cashmere is so expensive that I didn't want to leave much in the way of ends when I was joining. The felting method eliminates ends all together. Here's the link to the felted join video: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-tips . Just scroll down the page until you see the "Joining Yarn" videos. It's really easy.
So that's the report from the field. I'm a little depressed because my Devils can't seem to win a game these days and have slipped from leading the entire Eastern Conference to second in the Atlantic Division. It's a bummer!
What's everyone else working on?
Labels: cashmere, commission, scarf, short rows
posted by Nancy Herkness at 4:34 PM
6 Comments:
The scarf is beautiful. I'm knitting my secound cabled purse.
Theresa N.
Your scarf is very pretty. Nice job with your short rows.
I bet that scarf feels as good as it looks...yum! I'm working on a Mountain Colors Edgar scarf for graduation gift. The recipient is an exchange student that is embracing life in Montana...you just have to love that!
Oooh, I love that scarf! It looks great!
I'm still trying to finish a pair of socks that I gave my dad as a birthday present a month ago...
If anyone has digital pix of their current projects, please, please email them to me at nancy@nancyherkness.com. I'd love to put them up on this blog for everyone to admire. I really enjoy seeing the wonderful creativity of this group.
Thanks for all your kind comments on the short row scarf. It does indeed FEEL wonderful too. You know me: I'm the Yarn Squeezer.
Nicole, your comment about finishing the socks you gave your dad a month ago made me chuckle in sympathy. I've done that a few times too. Once I gave my daughter a bag of yarn and the promise that I would knit her mittens with it. She didn't seem to mind.
That scarf is gorgeous -- love the pattern, and just the idea of having it around the neck, feeling so soft -- pure heaven. Thanks for the link on the video for the felted yarn join.
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