This year I decided to conquer the Knitting Monster. My grandma first taught me to knit when I was eight years old. I was working on a hanger cover, but just didn't get very far. I do still have the knitting needles Grandma gave me, though.
I tried knitting again in 1987. That time I had a left-handed teacher, and I got further. I actually made a red pullover sweater. But then someone took a photo of me wearing that sweater, and I never wore the sweater again. I didn't knit again, either.
This time, I decided to start with a very simple project. I decided to make a straight knit (no purl, no other design) scarf. But instead of using the normal 4-ply yarn that I'd always used before, I decided to try some specialty yarns. Oh! what a difference!
I ended up knitting seven winter scarves. One for each of my kids, one for my husband, one for a Secret Santa buddy from my quilt group, and two for myself.
TWO you ask?
I couldn't help it! I made one for myself out of one kind of yarn. Then I made four out of chenille yarn. They are absolutely yummy! The colors are rich and jewel-like and the texture is lush. So I had to have one of them for myself, too.
The chenille scarves — black with colored dots, steel grey, purple, midnight blue, red — are made from Lion Brand Yarn, "Thick & Quick" Chenille yarn. Each scarf takes about 1-1/2 skeins. This yarn does not ravel, so the fringe could be cut without fraying.
The pink and yellow scarf is made from one skein of Red Heart Baby Clouds yarn. It's color #9322, Creamsickle. This is a pretty yarn with a kinky texture. It does not ravel, either, so the fringe could be cut without fraying.
The blue scarf (the one on the right in the lower photo) is made from Lion Brand Homespun yarn. This was a bit of a challenge to work with. It also has a kinky texture, but the kinks tend to move up and down a base strand in the yarn as you work with it. So I just needed to massage the yarn as I worked with it to keep the kinks even as I stitched. This yarn ravels a lot, so I could not just cut it into fringe. Instead, I used this yarn to make bouillon fringe which I sewed onto the ends of the scarf.
I'm extremely pleased with all my scarves. And my family liked theirs so much, they wanted to wear them before Christmas.
I'm just glad I'm finally conquering the Knitting Monster, and no longer allow this form of needlework get the better of me!
Want me to knit a scarf like this for you? For a total of $40.00 I will buy the yarn, hand knit it, and send it to you. You get to pick the color and length! Interested? E-mail me!