Leaves and grass, swirled about by the wind, can be mesmerizing. I love the colors and patterns that are created by a playful wind. This pattern was inspired by a wonderful blustery day.
Double-faced knitting, done on a slightly larger needle in a fingering yarn, gives you a thick, warm fabric with a nice drape, perfect for a scarf. There is a little bit of show-through, a shadow, from the other side, which adds to its depth.
This pattern, though charted for a scarf, is pretty adaptable, and can be done in a number of weights. People have said words like "vestments" and "table runners" when seeing it.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] US #5/3.75mm circular needles
23 sts/22 rounds = 4 inches in double knit stockinette stitch after blocking
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
Working Double Knitting:
Each square on the chart represents one knit and one purl stitch.
On odd-numbered rows you will knit with MC and purl with CC for each green square, and knit with CC and purl with MC for each cream square.
On even-numbered rows, it's the opposite: for a green square, knit with CC and purl with BC, for a cream square, knit with MC and purl with CC.
This is a bit of a challenge, but once you get used to it it becomes automatic. You do not have to worry about securing the edges. The alternating colors on the sides keeps them snug.
The other important thing is to always carry the two yarns together between stitches. When you knit both yarns are carried in back, when you purl both yarns are carried in the front. This puts all those messy carries in between the two sides, and gives you two lovely mirrored sides to your knitting.
3-Strand Long Tail Cast On:
Use one end of the CC, and two ends of the MC. Tie the 3 ends together in a slip knot and place on your right hand needle. Holding one of the MCs in front (on your thumb) and one CC and one MC together in back (on your fingers), work the long tail cast-on. Create the CC sts by pulling the CC strand from your fingers, and create MC sts by pulling the MC strand from your fingers.
Do not count your slip knot as one of the stitches, you will pull it out when you are done casting on.
Keep your cast on edge loose by ensuring you leave space between the stitches: the gauge on double knitting is very loose, and you do not want your cast on edge to pull in.
Charts The chart for this pattern is very large and fits on a letter-sized
page.
Click here and print the resulting
page.
DIRECTIONS
SCARF
Using both MC and CC, cast on 74 stitches in a 3-strand long-tail cast on as follows: CO 1 CC st, [CO 2 MC sts, CO 2 CC sts,] 18 times, CO 1 MC st. Place markers at the vertical lines on the chart (the pattern is symmetrical, and their positions help you keep track).
Using the chart, complete the beginning section (rows 1-61) once.
Complete the middle section (rows 62-131) a total of 5 times.
Complete the final section (rows 132-159) once.
Cast off with one strand of MC, using a larger needle, so the edge resembles the cast on edge.
FINISHING Make fringe: Cut 148 pieces of yarn 9 inches long, 76 of MC and and 72 of CC. Hold two pieces of the same color together at a time, and fold them in half; put the crochet hook through the first stitch of the cast on edge and pull the folded loop through from back to front; with the hook, grab the ends of the strands and pull them through that loop. Start and end both sides with MC.
Work across the cast off edge the same way.
Block. Weave in all ends
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Katie lives on the north shore of Lake Superior tucked up near the Canadian Border. It is frequently cold there and wool is a good friend. She knits a lot, comes up with great designs, and actually writes a few of them down.
