Simply Scarves - Super Simple Skinny Scarf

This next scarf is my favourite one to date for wearing just for fun. I'm normally so "granola" in the way I dress that when I fling this scarf around me & head to the bank, I sure get these weird looks from the villagers. I love being unpredictable :P

The only thing difficult about this pattern is trying to see the stitches as you knit. It's not meant to keep you warm, but to be a piece of eye candy, so that's why I opted out of using a carrier yarn (and therefore the reason the knitting goes slowly). Unfortunately, Bernat has discontinued this yarn, called Bling Bling (scarf shown in Brilliant Blue colourway), but you can still pick up some small batches of it on Ebay. All I did was cast on 16 stitches on 8.00 mm needles and knit in stocking stitch (aka stokinette stitch) until the entire skein was very close to being used up, then cast off & wove in ends. what could be easier?

Well, I'll tell you :) Add a carrier yarn along with the Bling Bling (I used Lionbrand Homespun in Williamsburg). I did this one in knit stitch only, which also added to the bulk, but I wanted a really warm scarf for my daughter. Still done with a 16 stitches cast onto 8.00 mm needles, but it is way easier to find those stitches - I think it took me under two hours to finish it, with interuptions from my kids, and I'm no speedy knitter.

Simply Scarves - Striped scarf

It's that time of year when scarves are on everybody's mind, so I thought I'd share some knit & crocheted ones that I've made that are simple to do. Here's the first one:

The striping in this scarf was based on a number pattern known as the Fibonacci series, which goes like so: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89,...etc. Leonardo Fibonacci was an Italian mathematician who came up with this pattern of numbers to relate to what the Renaissance artists of his day referred to as "the golden ratio". The golden ratio was a term used to signify perfection, measurements that in art or architecture that were always pleasing to the eyes. The Fibonacci series is often used to show the spiral of a seashell in nature. But enough of that mathematical history lesson, and on to how the striping was done.

I used cotton chenille that was 1400 YPP and double stranded it (which made it about equivalent to worsted weight). Knitting needles size 8.0 mm. The colours used are Raspberry (R), Butter (B), Chartreuse Green (C). When I selected the order of the stripes, I changed colours after knitting a pattern repeat of 5, 8, 1, 2, 3 rows. In case that doesn't make sense, this is exactly how my pattern went:

Knit the entire scarf in stocking stitch (row 1 is knit, row 2 is purl, repeat rows 1 & 2 to end of scarf). When I changed colours at the end of the rows, I'd leave a 4" tail, and then tie the new colour to it (also leaving a 4" tail) to make mini tassles of 4 strands intermitently along the sides. This would mortify my grandmother if she were still alive - How could I not weave in the ends! - but it's my scarf, and I like it :)

Starting with R, cast on 20.
*5 rows in R.
8 rows in B.
1 row in C.
2 rows in R.
3 rows in B.
5 rows in C.
8 rows in R.
1 row in B.
2 rows in C.
3 rows in R.
5 rows in B.
8 rows in C.
1 row in R.
2 rows in B.
3 rows in C. Repeat from *twice and cast off

Update to the Tea & A Cup of Crochet Website

I've finally done it - I've got my Tea & A Cup of Crochet website up and running in a way that I feel good about. My biggest hurdle has been getting over my own perfectionism & just "gettin' er done". If you like crochet, just pop on over to the site, where I have a free crochet pattern of this Lemon Blossom Motif to download:
I hope you enjoy it - this would make a nice & quick little decoration by itself for any of those last minute crafting needs you have :)