One of the girls from work asked if I could make her a big long royal blue scarf. I said yes! She wanted it to be quite thick and long.
So my mission began in Knit World trying to find the colour blue she wanted and to no luck. The store manager, Barbara, was super helpful with picking the colours but also showing me some of the knit samples with different knitting techniques which helped give me an idea of what I may look at doing in terms of this new scarfs pattern. I got the closest nicest looking blue I could find and it is a nice dark blue colour. Even though the colouring isn't quite spot on, she may still like it. Plus if she doesn't it would have been good practice anyway as I am looking at learning how to purl knit with this one.
I am using the thickest knitting needles I have in my collection size 10mm. So glad mum one year ages ago for christmas gave me a whole pack and carry case for a range of different sizes of needles! Thanks mum! Finally putting them to good use. I always knew they would come in handy :)
So the process begins! Of course as like last time I will document the process and stats I have with this, and who knows maybe this time I can avoid holes and extra added stitches. Plus I brought a how to knit book that goes over all the trouble shooting areas (The cool girls guide to knitting, by Nicki Trench) so hopefully I can now fix my mistakes instead of letting them be. Check out my photo albumn 'Knitting projects' on my facebook page to see my progress (Tali attempts arts and crafts')
The wool I picked out from Knit World is a navy blue colour, 8ply wool from the brand Olympus at the price of $9.20 per ball. I have two balls of wool to start off with. Its also 100% acrylic and double knit which will make the nice thick scarf we are looking for.
Ok I have started with a different cast off video as I couldn't seem to get it to work this time around. I just flicked through YouTube and found a video with a good camera view of the cast off (can' remeber which one).
Day 1: saturday
I started off with 40 stictches wide and by the end of the night I somehow managed to get on 59 stictches. I have no idea how that happened! All I can think of was that with alternating between 3-4 plain stitches and 3-4 purl stitches that I must have been doing something wrong with the purl stitches.
I used the book I brought as mentioned above to try and decrease the number of stitches I had.. And managed to make a number of holes appear along the way. Still have no idea how to fix holes yet. Measured at the end of the day at roughly 39cm wide and 70 cm long.
Day 2: sunday
I got a little side tracked today as I wanted to practice and remember how to crochet, but some how I managed to finish my first ball out of the two balls of wool I had brought. I tied the second ball of wool to the first just with a normal knot and then continued knitting the scarf.
At this point I am no good at keeping track of whether I was suppose to be purl knitting or normal knitting, so I kept looking at it and trying to figure out which was more needed. Measured at 60cm wide and 110cm long. Scarf seems to like to grow longer as well as wider! Opps...
Day 3: monday
So I couldn't take this scarf to work as it is now too long and bulky to actually carry to work in my bag. I had some crochet practicing to keep me busy while at work and then the scarf to keep me busy in the mornings and nights when I am home.
Today I managed to finish my second ball of wool and decided that I would need anither ball of wool to finish the scarf at a length that I would be happy with.
Pay day is this coming wensday so will have to get another ball of wool then.
Stats so far: 81 sticthes wide?!!!??? I think I keep adding a stictch when I purl knit... I have no other Idea how I do it..
Widest part is approx 75cm and is now sitting at 130cm long.
Day 4: wensday
I managed to buy a new ball of wool same brand, type and colour to continue and finish the scarf. I have started another knitting project which I can do during work hours and that is a knitted blanket made of different coloured patches for another friend at work. So hopefully I manage a good balance between both projects.
I didnt get much done today as my wrists are a bit sore from knitting all day! Hopefully I can get the scarf done in the morning.
Day 5: thursday
I managed to finish the scarf this morning. I didnt have time to check the last measurements as I had to wrap and gift it at work today. Hopefully she likes it.
I spread the scarf out on my bed spread and realised the dimensions are all wonky. It looks like a triangle shaped scarf with the top cut off of the point.. Opps...
So reaction was good from the recipient. She liked the thickness and size and colour. The holes aren't noticable when worn and neither is the wonkiness as its so thick and long that its hard to tell when bunched together. Its very warm thanks to the thickness of the wool. The only down side she saw was that it was too hot a day to wear it today.
So it looks like we have one happy first client. And I got to learn not only a new technique in knitting but also that I am a lot faster at knitting with the more I practice.
Now onto a knitted patched blanket!
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