More Mobius

I recently wrote about a scarf I was trying to knit.
http://shenandoahgatewayfarm.blogspot.com/2014/06/mobius-scarf.html

 

I managed to get the amount knitted before I had to connect the scarf. 

 

The technique to sew the scarf together where you can't see the seam is called a Kitchener stitch.  It looked a bit complicated and all the directions were based on connecting purl stitches or knit stitches.  This is a ribbed scarf with both purl and knit stitches.  great

Back to Yarn Explosion.  They helped me remove the gray yarn I used to start the scarf, but along the way, two stitches disappeared.  We all spent quite some time trying to find them.  I finally took the piece home and unknitted two rows.  Is unknit a word?  Yes.  It is because I said so.

This isn't as easy as unknitting two rows from the top.  There you just remove the knitting needle and pull the tail of the yarn.  I had to literally unknit and then carefully use a tapestry needle to pull through the yarn.  A very painstaking process.  But it worked and I found the two dropped stitches and re knit the two rows.

Now I am back where I started and I need to go BACK to the yarn shop. But that is an excursion, so I decided to start another yarn project. 

 


This time it is a knitted lace cowl pattern.  I found a beautiful yarn with lots of colors.  It should match SOME outfit or other!

 

The pattern seemed like an easy one, but it kept twisting as I cast it on and then when I knit a row or two it wouldn't work.  Undo the knitting. Start over.  I did this about three times before looking up another method of casting on the stitches. 

 

So I KNIT the stitches on the needle.  I am not sure I like the look of the edge, but it didn't twist, so it is staying!!

 

I have never knit in the round before.  After you cast on the stitches you start knitting from the top of the row to the bottom of the row to connect them.  Then you just keep knitting until you have enough rows.  I have a marker that lets me know when I have finished a row and I just slip it from the left hand needle to the right hand needle and keep going.

 

I may finish this second scarf before I get back to the yarn shop for help in finishing the first scarf.  Then I have another scarf I am going to try.  I have two daughter and one daughter-in-law.  And a mom.  Guess what they will be getting for Christmas?  So this won't be a surprise for them.  If you have a preference, girls, let me know!

 

Mobius scarf

I'm working on a new knitting project.  I'm not sure Lee likes these projects, because I frequently do them at night in bed while watching TV.  They tend to take over the bed.  At least I am not working on an afghan this time.  They REALLY take a lot of room and take forever to finish.  The scarfs should go fairly quickly and not take up tons of room.  I like knitting because I can listen to TV and still accomplish something.  If I'm lucky I only get a FEW cat hairs knitted into the project.

 

This pattern is called Lava Flow and I found this picture on Pinterest. 

 

It is done in a Mobius pattern.  You knit it straight and the twist the finished piece once and attach the top to the bottom.  It looks pretty cool and I think it will be nice when I am done.

 

Because you don't want the area where you connect the scarf to show, you can't cast on in the usual way.  The directions called for a long crochet chain out of left over yarn from another project.  Then you slide the knitting needle through he bumps on the back of the chain and start knitting from there.  When you cast on stitches they are rarely the same tension and size as when you are knitting and this would be noticeable. 

 

Others recommend just knitting a few rows and then unraveling a row or two to get to a good place to attach the ends.  I decided to go with the original directions.  If I make another one, I might try it another way.

 

The other fun thing about this pattern in the GIANT cables that I knit in. I have never done 12 stitches in a cable before.  It does add interest to a simple pattern, other than the whole Mobius thing.

I have no idea how I am going to finish this piece.  I figure that is an issue for a later time.   I can always go back Yarn Explosion ( http://yarnexplosion.com/ where I bought the yarn and the patterns.  They are always helpful and don't make me feel TOO stupid!