Knitting Knewbie

Two days, two scarves.

I won’t mention how long it took me to finish the Irish Hiking scarf (I started it in August), nor the fact that, even though I measured it and double checked with my mom how long I was supposed to make it (in her opinion, which I trust implicitly, it isn’t really a scarf unless it’s about 7′ long), I bound-off this really lovely, squishy scarf this evening, thus making two Christmas scarves done in two days.

Alas, when I measured it again (after binding off and cutting the yarn), it is only 6′ long. I’m hoping that, like Willoughby, it will stretch when I block it. But since I’m hoping for that, it will almost surely measure only 5′ after blocking. I still think it’s a great scarf, and a really cool pattern.

This scarf is especially cool because it’s reversible, thanks to the folks at Knitting Daily. In one of their e-mails at the end of July, they explained how to make the cables look good from both sides (psst… do them in k1p1 ribbing, rather than straight knit, and double the number of stitches for the cable). This, combined with the Irish Hiking Scarf pattern, made for a really cool, really warm wrap.

Irish Hiking Scarf, in Wool of the Andes (Cranberry) from Knit Picks, on size 8 needles

Now, keep in mind, if you do the reversible version, you’ll need more yarn than the pattern calls for. I honestly don’t remember how many skeins I used. I think it was about 7. I also used the “spit  splice” method of keeping my sanity after I’d finished, leaving me only two ends to weave in (one at the beginning and one at the end).

I only have 4 projects left to do before mailing all the gifts off to Wisconsin, and one of them is half done already.

60 days..

4 projects..

O crap! I’d better get knitting!  Bye!