Trellis Scarf

My Trellis Scarf is finished! The bulk of the scarf took 3 weeks to finish, then I spent another week knitting and frogging the finishing border. I read on Ravelry how people were unhappy with the finishing border ending straight across when the beginning border has points. Turns out, just working the beginning border backwards does NOT give you the reverse! I figured it out though, or at least well enough to give a pointy finish without having to block the bejeezus out of it (which can be done with the pattern as written if you bind off loosely enough). Did I mention my blocking pins have all gone AWOL? Haven't a clue where they are. Probably on a warm beach somewhere.

So, here it is!

Pattern: Trellis Scarf
Designer: Evelyn A. Clark
Source: Interveave Knits Spring 2006
Yarn: KnitPicks Shadow, Jewels
Needles: US5
Began: 1/19/2008
Finished: 2/20/2008

Here's what I did to get the ending to match the beginning: When you reach the end of the 23rd repeat, as in the pattern, work the first 8 rows of the Lace chart in the pattern, then the first 4 rows of the Ending Border. For the 5th row, and every following odd row, create a "point" in the stockinette section of the pattern repeat by making the center stitch (this is the stitch immediately to the right of the pattern repeat box) into three stitches by knitting into the front, then the back, then the front again of the center stitch without dropping the stitch from the left needle (k(FBF)). After you have created the three stitches from one, drop it off the left needle. To accomodate the two new stitches in the center of the repeat, you need to decrease at the left and right sides of the "triangle" using k2tog on the right side and ssk on the left.

So, for Row 5: sl 1 pwise wyf k2tog yo k2tog k yo k2tog k k(FBF) *k ssk yo k ssk yo sk2p yo k2tog k yo k2tog k k(FBF)* k ssk yo k ssk yo ssk k

The stitches in red above are the alterations from the original chart. If you have the pattern, hopefully you will be able to see easily how this propagates up the chart.

Here's my attempt at a chart, made in Excel. I hope it is clear enough to print! You can email me or pm me through Blogger if you want me to email you the Excel spreadsheet.



From top to bottom: my "new" Ending Border, the border as written in the pattern, and the Beginning Border (placed upside down for comparison).



So now what?
Stashbusting - socks and lace
WIPbusting - the quilt I started cutting out pieces for
budgetbusting - order more stuff for spinning. I decided to get a tensioned lazy Kate and some bobbins for plying, because the balls-of-energized-singles-in-a-coffee-mug just isn't working out. I tried to make a Kate out of a shoebox, as shown here, but it just isn't working at all for me. Now, the Kate and bobbins aren't all that expensive, but they only get me half way to free shipping, so I should order a new spindle and some fiber to get to that free shipping minimum, right?

I'll have to think about it some more.

A bit of catching up to do.

First, my Booga Bag. Finished a couple of weeks ago actually, but I’m slow getting the camera out.

A quick and easy knit – Julie’s instructions are clear and easy to follow. I only had 2.5 skeins of Kureyon, and finished this with yarn to spare (a little). I worked up the body on US10 needles and the i-cord on US8, because this was a stash project and I don’t buy new needles for stash projects. Especially when the needles are larger than US10. I just try to avoid those projects. Felted one long cycle (hot wash/cold rinse) in the washer (I did the 15 minute washing option, no extra rinses), then fitted it over two plastic-bag covered cookbooks to dry. To give the bottom some structure, I made a little basket out of super-stiff interfacing (Pellon) and used a fusible interfacing to glue some pretty coordinating fabric to the inside. It’s been a while since I last used double-sided fusible interfacing – I glued my basket template to the ironing board!

Rave reviews at work – everyone thought it was cute, even before I told them I made it. Quite a nice compliment – I’m never sure if people say they like something you made just because they feel obligated, or if they actually like it.

Rave reviews at home – Audrey demanded her own “but my size”. And pink (changed her mind from red). Well, I didn’t have pink wool and didn’t want to prolong this project (but thanks for your offer Leigh!), but I did have a full skein of Plymouth Encore left over from her Scarborough sweater. Feltable? No. But knit on US2 needles, it’s just about bullet proof on its own. Basic recipe: 7 sts/inch. Cast on 40 inches, work 14 rows garter stitch. Pick up 7 stitches on each end, and 40 stitches on the long sides. Work 5.5 inches in stockinette. Add a row of K2tog, yo eyelets (to facilitate threading the i-cord), then 4 rows of garter stitch to prevent edge curl. 36 inches of 3-stitch i-cord for the handles and you have a mini-booga bag for your littlest princess. Dimensions are ~6 x 6 x 1”. Used 45 g of the Encore.

My Trellis Scarf is moving along at a steady pace of about 1 pattern repeat per 60 – 90 minutes. I’m halfway done! On a good night, I can get two repeats finished. If I really apply myself, I may be able to finish this by Valentine’s Day. I could wear it to dinner? Over what, I’m not sure. But, it’s a worthy goal.

Next, Looky! – lots of little fabric shapes in ziplock baggies. It’s such a humbling experience to start working in some craft I don’t do but once in a blue moon. It took about 5 hours to cut all these pieces. The front of the quilt (with three borders) is only a mere 44” wide. You can’t imagine how much longer it will take to sew all the pieces together. I think this pattern was listed in the “weekend projects” section of the magazine.

And my last FO for the week: my Christmas present (one of them) from DH:

There are four giant flowers on top of a 16" stem. I started forcing this amaryllis bulb as soon as we got home after Christmas, so about 5 weeks from bulb to flower. This is one.big.flower.

Toodles!