Epiphany

I now know why people weave.

I wove this yesterday:

This is a 9" wide scarf, 8 feet long. And it took me--a brand new weaver--one day.

That includes the warping, the weaving, and the braiding of the fringe.

I used an ugly yarn I was never going to knit, but I think I like how it looks woven. Close up, you can see all the different colors, but from a bit of a distance, it just looks like tweed.

I haven't "wet finished" it yet, mostly because I'm not sure exactly how. From what I understand, wet finishing is the weaving equivalent of wet blocking, except it's more vigorous. The goal is to "full" the fabric to get the fibers to lock together and blend into a unified fabric--so essentially a mild felting. It seems the usual way to do this is to throw it in the washing machine, but I think I'll try it by hand first. After all, it may not be beautiful, but it is my first project, and I'd rather not ruin it right off the bat.

I would totally warp for a new project right now, but my entire stash is currently bagged up and sealed in boxes, so it will have to wait until my house gets put back together. Or until I lose patience and rip into the boxes. Any guesses which will come first?

World's Easiest Lace Scarf--A Free Pattern!

I had the urge to knit a lace scarf out of some Sea Silk I had in the stash. Alas, we all know my unfortunate history with lace knitting. I wanted to actually enjoy the experience, and after a couple of hours on Ravelry, it became obvious to me that I was going to have to come up with something a whole lot easier than any of the lace scarf patterns available online.

It took just a few minutes to come up with this pattern. There are only two easy rows to memorize, and it is highly adaptable to any yarn and any needles. I used Sea Silk, which is a fingering weight, simply because that was the yarn I wanted to use. I used size 3 needles because I have a pair of Signature straights in that size, and I felt like using them. I would have preferred perhaps a size 5 needle with this yarn, but it's no big deal. I just have a bit denser lace than I would have liked.

I had a hard time coming up with decent pictures, as it is dark out and my kitchen lighting doesn't seem to be the best for this sort of thing. But I hope you get the general idea.

Without further ado, here's the pattern:

Cast on a multiple of three stitches, plus two for the edges. I used 47 stitches, which is giving me a scarf about 8" wide with my chosen yarn and needles. Your results will, of course, vary. If this matters to you, knit a swatch.

Row 1: K1, *P1, K2tog, yo*, end K1

Row 2: *K1, P2*, end K2

Knit until you're sick of it, or the scarf is long enough, whichever comes first. Cast off. Block it if you want to.

That's it. Really couldn't be easier, right?

The pattern as written creates a scarf that is entirely lace, with a single-stitch garter border. If you want more of an edge, cast on a few more stitches and work those in garter stitch. If you want a shawl, cast on more stitches; just make sure you use a multiple of three for the lace section. I think this would make a great shawl or throw in worsted, or even bulky weight, yarn.


The pattern looks great from both sides, which I think is important in a scarf.

So...anyone feel like knitting along? I only have about eight inches done, so you have plenty of time to join me!