Unsettled

July 3rd, Friday:  The weather is unsettled and so am I.  It keeps alternating between sun, hot and humid, cool and breezy, thundery and showery.  It's not conducive to pulling weeds or walking the dog.  Lawd knows there are plenty of house-related chores, large and small, that could be done, but that's of course the last thing on my list.  I've finished my first red scarf and though my sweater-knitting mojo has not returned, I do feel nicely focused on scarf-knitting at the moment.  This energy, such as it is, needs to be harnessed, and I need to take advantage of it before I lose it.  Also, I have learned that Mr. Jefferies loves to take a nap on my lap while I knit.  He doesn't even flinch when the knitting and needles flop all over him.  He's very content.  And along the lines of "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy," if Jeffies ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.  When he's content, I'm content. 

I'm waiting for yarn that I've ordered to arrive, and nothing in my stash is quite right for one reason or another -- either I don't have enough of a particular yarn or it's not the right weight or it's not the right color or it's not soft enough. 

I have always loved the colors in this yarn:

Did I say "love"? -- ADORE.  But every time I pick it up, I don't believe it's soft enough for a scarf.  However, I have seen miracles happen with less-than-perfectly-soft yarns having been knit up (Noro Silk Garden for example) by me and then soaked in hair conditioner to become my favorite scarves ever.  So I decide to try it.  I say, even if it's not soft enough for the Red Scarf Project gift-giving, I'll keep it, since I have a slightly higher-than-average tolerance for the scratchiness of wool. 

So I cast on and I knit three rows.  No.  This is not soft.  I just can't do it.  Off the needles it comes.  It's not as Brillo-pad-scratchy as, say, Shetland wool, but it's not next-to-the-neck soft, either.  I don't know what I'm going to do with this, but it's not good for a scarf, damnit. 

So now what?  I flounder about for a bit, and then I decide to take the Swish yarn I have left and see what I can do with it. That yarn is known to be soft, and acceptably soft to even those who have no tolerance for the itch of wool.  I have a half a skein of the Fired Brick, and several skeins of Indigo Heather, which looks an awful lot like purple to me.  I guess that is what the color indigo really is, but I was thinking it'd be the color of blue jeans, which they always call indigo, when I ordered it. 

I also have some Marine Heather, which is a turquoise blue.  I decide, though it wasn't really what I had hoped to do, a 1X1 ribbed striped or colorblocked scarf might be nice.  I cast on 34 stitches on 5mm/US 8 needles with the Fired Brick and knit two rows.  I then joined in the Indigo Heather.  I got to the end of two rows, and knit another two of red.  My intention at that point was to bring in the Marine Heather, but I liked the look of the red and the indigo together.  When they are knitted together, the eye appears to be fooled, and that purple cast is gone.  Indeed, it was beginning to look like a nice combo of red and blue that would go with jeans nicely. With just the two colors, I think it has a nice understated look that could be appealing and appropriate for many occasions.  Plus, I didn't want to be bothered with carrying three strands up the edges and making a messy edge. 

For your reference should you like it, 34 stitches of light worsted yarn on 5mm needles in K1P1 rib is making a just-barely-5-inch-wide scarf, before blocking.  I will give a light blocking, for a little extra width without losing that faux stockinette look that I like so much in a 1X1 ribbed scarf. If I were to do it again, I'd cast on 38 stitches, especially if using a DK weight yarn. I carry the strands up together.  I slip the first stitch of each row purlwise.  And then, at the beginning of the color-change row, holding the two strands of yarn together, I return them to the back, and begin knitting with the new color. 

So red and indigo it is.  I've got more Fired Brick on order, so even if the dye lots are not the same, it should all blend in well enough, what with the stripes and all. 

So at the end of the day, everyone's a little less unsettled, and there's another red scarf that now measures 30 inches -- half done already!

 

Comments

[AnnaMarie]

I'm waiting impatiently for the red yarn I ordered to arrive. I have this shawl on the needles and hopefully that will be done in time for scarf season.

Hopefully sunshine today which will make a wonderful change!

[Paula]

Aw. Mr. J. looks so contented under the scarf. Maybe he wouldn't mind a little blankie made out of the scratchy yarn. It could remind him of happy lap naps when you're not there.

[marianne]

Awww, I agree with Paula, how sweet. I still haven't ordered the yarn yet but I plan on hauling out the stash and checking what may be lurking there to help in the meantime. What a lovely day you had! and YES re: heathered indigo, it looks blue now. location location location :^)

[margene]

It was the kind of day when I actually thought about giving up knitting. I threw a pity party and no one came. It was a bad enough I watched a movie sans yarn!! I did find enough yarn for two red scarves in the stash. Both are soft and lovely. Knitting a scarf should calm my troubled soul. Here's to better days ahead. ;-)

[gayle]

Are you Continentaling that pretty 1x1, I hope...

[Carol Smith]

That indigo yarn is very pretty and the scarf will look great with jeans. Did you know indigo was the original dye used for blue jeans? If you ever get a chance to attend a natural dyeing event and see indigo being used, don't pass it up. The stuff is magic - the fiber comes out of the dye pot pale green and turns intense blue when the oxygen hits it. Thanks for all your cheer-leading for this wonderful project.

[Mujercita]

How very nice of Mr. J to offer himself up as a knitting rest! Just hope you don't want to change positions!

That scarf is looking quite patriotic!

[Cookie]

Wonderful looking scarf and lovely little doggie.

I'm sorry about the weather. I hope things get a bit more normal for you. It really has been a weird summer for everyone, hasn't it?

[Elizabeth D]

You rat! I'd already decided to do exactly this in the two colors of Berroco Comfort I'm waiting for (one is a true red, one is beet red). Now I'll look like just another of the thousands in the Norma Wannabe brigade!

[Christine]

Ohhhhh...I'd never thought to try hair conditioner! What a great idea!! Thanks for the tip.

[Beebs]

Great scarf! What do you suppose is going to happen when sweet Mr J realizes he has you wrapped right around his little... er, paw?

[Birdsong]

Awwh, he is sooo cute! I think you could make something to felt with those colors, which really ARE pretty cool together. The red and blue together look like an especially appealing.

[LaurieM]

Ah! How can you claim to have "...slightly higher-than-average tolerance for the scratchiness of wool" when you malign Sheltand wool? Maybe you had a bad experience because in my experience it washes up just wonderful.

Now Lopi on the other hand.....

[elizabeth a airhart]

i made a scarf out of berroco comfort in the beet color
soft and silky -i bought more now it comes in a matching chunky

thank you all for so many patterns and ideas

jeffries you are in the lap of luxuary

[Sarah]

I hope this week is more settled.