Latest Knitting Project: Hand-Dyed Chevron Scarf

chevron scarf knitted with hand dyed yarn

Back last summer, I took a yarn dyeing class at my LYS.  You may remember, I contemplated a number of scarf patterns to make with my hand dyed yarn.

My hand dyed yarn

After a few false starts with other patterns, I settled on Cheri Borden's Pearl-barred Scallop Scarf.  All the other patterns I tried caused my VERY variegated yarn to pool and puddle.  So I went back to my old standard: a chevron pattern.  Variegated yarn always seems to look good in a chevron pattern.  And Cherie's knitted scarf pattern had a different purl detail that I think gives my scarf a pretty woven look to it.

Of course, as is my habit, I ended up making some small modifications to the pattern.  My yarn was slightly lighter than what the pattern called for, so I increased the number of stitches and changed the row count a bit.  Since Cheri's pattern is free, I'll share my changes.  Here's what I did:

Co 48 sts using a #5 needle, than began pattern:

Chevron Row 1 (RS):  K3, *yo, k3, cdd, k3, yo, k2,* repeat from * to * twice, then yo, k3, cdd, k3, yo, k3.  (cdd = see original Pearl-barred Scallop Scarf pattern on Ravelry for directions)
Chevron Row 2:  K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for a total of 7 times, then do purl detail below:

Purl Detail Row 1 (RS): K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.
Purl Detail Row 2:  Knit all stitches.

Repeat Chevron Pattern and Purl Detail in order above until you reach desired length.  I knit this pattern until I was almost out of yarn, then bound off as directed.

My finished scarf is quite pretty.  I love the lightness of it.  I'm not sure any of the pictures really show the color changes in the pattern, but I'm very happy with it.  I'd love to try hand dyeing again some time!

{Hand} Dye-ing for Something to Knit

I recently had the opportunity to take a yarn hand-dyeing workshop at a LYS, Yarn and Y'all.

The workshop was a lot of fun and I wish I had taken photos of the yarn dyeing process, but I was too busy enjoying myself to remember to take pictures.

We started out with about 440 yards of undyed merino wool in sock weight.  I told myself that I was going to use browns and blues for my yarn, and stay away from my favorites, purples and greens.  I wanted to create something different than what I usually buy.

photos taken from different sides on different days

But as you can see, I ended up still gravitating toward my usual pinks, purples, and greens.

And the yarn looks total different when balled

Despite falling back into my comfort zone, I'm still very happy with my resulting yarn.  Now, to pick something to knit with it!  I decided I wanted to make scarf or narrow shawl from my hand-dyed yarn.  I was thinking of something light and loose with lots of eyelets or a loose weave.  Here are my favorite choices:

Frisson:  I love the simple geometry of this shawlette.  This pattern is really what I had in mind when I thought about using my hand-colored yarn.

Hallayo:  This scarf pattern has been in my queue for a while.  I love this design, but really wanted to make more of a shawl than a scarf.

Sea Line Shawl:  This is your basic feather-and-fan design, but I think it would be pretty with the colors in my yarn.

Margosha Shawlette:  I'm leaning toward this pattern.  It has the eyelets and open weave that I was looking for.  I like the crescent shape of the design.  And I like how the short-row edging creates a little ruffle.

Which one do you think I should make?

Knitting for Men (Who Don't Like Knits)

As Valentine's Day approaches, some of us may be considering knitting something for the men in our lives.  But be wary - some men just don't like knits (my husband and father among them).

I'm not sure what their aversion is - my husband says he often gets too hot in knitted items, and I think he doesn't want the responsibility of handling and caring for a handmade item.  These are somewhat understandable reasons for not wanting handknit goods.  But most knitters *enjoy* knitting things for the people we love.  And so we persist.

So, if you are considering knitting something for your man, here are a few suggestions for some small accessories that are guy-approved.  And you still have time to make them before Valentine's Day!

First up - Scarves:

Karin's Gansey Scarf  (free pattern) by Tina Hees - I made this scarf for my dad, and...he's never worn it :(  However, I do love this design and think it's very guy-appropriate.  I think a lot of men would like (and wear) this scarf.  It has just enough design to be interesting, but can be worn in both dressy and casual settings.  You could knit it in a bright color for a sporty look, or in a neutral for a more casual style.

P.S. - I added the fringe.  I have posted a fringe tutorial on my Hubpages.

Another great men's scarf pattern is the Campus Scarf by Fiona Ellis from the book Scarf Style.  The pattern for this scarf calls for about 8 different colors of yarn to create stripes in the pattern.  I made this for my hubby using a kettle-dyed denim colored yarn and let the design create the interest.  A fun project to knit, I really like this scarf and so does my hubby.  He actually does wear it (I wish I made it about 12 inches longer though).  Highly recommended!

Hats:

Hats can be a bit trickier - there are SO MANY designs.  If you are going to make your guy a hat, I would suggest a basic design knit in a dark color.  Some ideas:

Keep it simple, like a ribbed Man Hat (free pattern, not pictured) by Haven Leavitt

For something with a little design, try Berruti by Wendy Neal.  I made this hat for my husband out of the same yarn as his Campus Scarf.  He wears it *occasionally.*

Some other interesting hat patterns:

Antler Hat  (free pattern, not pictured) by Alexa Ludeman

Quest for Man (free pattern, not pictured) by Laura Nelkin

Now, on to Socks:

Honestly, I've never knit socks.  But my advice is similar to that for hats - choose a simple design and make them in a solid neutral color.  Here are some patterns I find interesting and designed with men in mind:

Simple Skyp Socks (free pattern, not pictured)) by Adrienne Ku - basic, but with a little pattern to it.

Escalator Socks (free pattern, not pictured) by Sara Armoroso - such an interesting design!

Java Socks (free pattern from Knitty.com) by Cailyn Meyer (not pictured)  Gosh, I do love these!  *If* I were to knit my husband some socks, I think these might be the ones!

And for something a little fancier, Boyfriend Socks (free pattern, not pictured) by Alice Bell.  I love the use of cables, but my husband would never wear them.  Boo :(

Well, I hope I've given you some ideas and fair warning :)  Happy Knitting!