Break Out The Champagne (or the Kentucky Bourbon?)

Okay, maybe just a lemonade or something.  But finally, I finished a knitted object.  It's a humble little thing, but it's something!

I present Gwen's Scarf, knitted for the Red Scarf Project.

I've never taken so many photos of a scarf before, but since I haven't finished anything in so long, will you allow me the indulgence?  Yeah, I thought you would. 

Specs: 
Pattern:  Anne's (reprinted below)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash wool; color: Really Red; less than two skeins

Needles:  US 7, 4.5mm

This is the first time I've used Cascade 220 Superwash.  I like it better than most superwash wools I've used, and I'd happily use it again.  I stopped knitting just before it reached 60 inches long, and as is typical with superwash wools, the scarf grew quite a lot after being washed.  I like the generous length and the softness and the drape.

This project has special meaning to me:  I bought the yarn from Gwen the last time I saw her alive, and I started knitting the scarf on my highly enjoyable and special trip to Washington to visit the OFA folks.  Sort of a conglomeration of specialness.

While I was waiting in the lobby of the hotel before my flight back to Vermont, I was knitting on this.  A guy from Kentucky (how do I know this?  It said so on his name tag on his jacket -- he was there for a conference or something) started chatting me up.  He had all the right pickup lines.  First he "tripped" over and got tangled in my yarn to get around my chair to his sofa, which of course wasn't necessary since the other way around the coffee table was clear.  Then he asked me how long I've been knitting, and if it's hard, because he commutes, you see, and he had sometimes thought it might be interesting to knit on the commute.  Color me amused and charmed.  Dayum.  Who knew?  A whole store of knitting pickup lines, shot from the hip. Well, he kept me entertained for a while.  Then I told him I am from Vermont.  I imagined this would give him some pause.  You know us Nawthun women. (scary)  But he didn't skip a beat:  "Oh!  Do you live anywhere near Simon Pearce?!"

Smooth and sweet as Thoroughbred Pie.

Anywayyyyy,

I'm still not 100% convinced that "unisex" applies to this scarf pattern, especially after blocking. Is it just me, or does it have too much of a lacy feel for the unisex label?  What do you think?  I'm going to try to make my next one more "male."

Here's Anne's pattern again:

Cast on 38 stitches (if using light worsted or DK yarn like Cascade 220 Superwash)

Slip 1st stitch purlwise with yarn in front; return yarn to back of work. This makes a nice selvedge edge.   (selvedge edge -- is that redundant?)

*K1, K2 together, YO, P1*  Repeat from * to * to last stitch.  Knit last stitch. 

Each row is the same.  Keep knitting until scarf is of desired length.  Bind off loosely in pattern, knitting the yarn overs as regular knits.

-----------

While I'm not sure about unisex, I do know this pattern really suits me. Simple, yet drapey, interesting, and elegant.   I look forward to making one of these for myself -- perhaps in the beeyooteeful handspun Margene sent me.  I'm gonna swatch it up, maybe with a strand of Kidsilk Haze carried along with it.  Stay tuned for further developments. 

 

Comments

[Katie B.]

I'd wear it if I was a guy. But most of the guys I associate with aren't especially macho, so my judgment may be a trifle warped.

[Kristen]

In my family we called that Kentucky Bourbon Pie. (Nana's from KY.) Been a long time since I've had any--you do bring back the positive associations!

[Mel]

Um, Norma sweetie, did it occur to you that he might have been a member of *my* church? Maybe he wasn't really flirting. :-)

[Sue]

Yep, no need to say "selvedge edge." Selvedge is derived from the words "self" and "edge." (Have you noticed that the more you look at the word selvedge, the weirder it looks?) :-)

[Sue]

And of course I got so distracted by etymological tangents that I forgot the reason I was commenting in the first place..... Great scarf!!!

[Rabbitch]

I like it! And yes, Mel has a point there.

[sandy]

Hey, I had no idea :
~that you knit
~about Simon Pearce. I was excited to see the beautiful products until I glanced at the price. Not excited anymore. That's not even funnY!
~You KNIT???
~that I would think so much of the word SELVEDGE today
~that you have such lovely looking Mahgene yarn~
xo

[Manise]

All the scarves I knit up for OFA had a strand of Kidsilk Haze carried along with it. Gives it a nice feel and heft. I'm going to have to beg Margene for some handspun ;-)

[Carole]

I don't think it's too feminine but I asked Dale just to be sure and he said he'd wear it. Of course, he also said he'd wear anything you knit anyway. :-)

[margene]

I can't remember the yardage of that hand spun. A strand of something else might give it more consistency. Gwen's scarf is gorgeous and you can see the drape. Nice work.

[Norma]

Haha, Mel and Rabbitch: My gaydar is not THAT rusty....

[Marcia Cooke]

Well, it's a wonderful scarf and not at all too lacy for a guy. The red totally saves it! And Simon Pearce! We have some of his glassware and visited the factory/mill many years ago, but T doesn't like "thick" glasses for wine (give me a break) so we don't use them.

[Melanie]

Apparently the restaurant up at Simon Pearce is very good--one of my friends from my local knitting group went with her husband a couple of weeks ago.

Scarf doesn't look too girly to me, as long as the guy is willing to wear red.

[Roxie]

It looks like a nice, comfortable, practical scarf, but then, most of the guys I know know where they stand sexually and don't worry about someone thinking their clothing is too "girly." Either it isn't, or it intentionally is.

[Dave Daniels]

Ok, maybe I'm not gay enough, but it's a little too open and red for me. Maybe I am FINALLY too butch???

[kathleen]

No offense to Anne but that stitch pattern--to knit--makes me nuts! Perhaps it was trying it in ladder yarn for the first time that threw me over the edge. Your scarf looks great. I do think it is more feminine.

[Terrie]

Beautiful scarf!

[Beth S.]

Oh my goodness... Margene's handspun AND Kidsilk Crack?...

*faints*

[Kathy]

It's a lovely, lovely scarf with great karma. If asked, I think that my hubby would reply that Simon Pearce is the judge on "American Idol". :-)

[gale (she shoots sheep shots)]

A bit girly for a guy but wonderful anyway! Nice red scarfin' Norma.

[Cookie]

Is that scarf PINK? /squints @ screen

I think it's a bit girlie, sweetie, but still lovely.

Oh, and he was flirting cause you're HAWT! Hello!

[Mary D.]

After reading this post, I immediately went to the yarn stash, pulled out 4 skeins of Karabella Aurora 8 and went to town. I love this pattern! Easy to knit, easy to remember and gorgeous to boot. As for Simon Pearce, the restaurant is terrific. Just celebrated my 35th wedding anniversary there.

[sandy]

Why are people hitting on you so much lately?
I mean, besides being so damned HAWT?

[no-blog-rachel]

Simon Pearce restaurant IS fabulous! As is their glass and pottery. I should know - I used to work there. :)

[Carol]

It looks really nice! I kept thinking the same unisexy thing about mine. But figuring how to write it up is keeping my thoughts way clear of it now ;)

[Judy]

I also knew Gwen. She worked for me for about 2 years before she opened her first shop up in Alburgh. She was a fantastic quilter. All of us in the store are so sad about this. It is a true tradedy.
Judy

[Caro]

I think it's a beautiful scarf and don't you just love the 1 row patterns where you can knit them in a thunderstorm without thinking. Although I think it's gorgeous the lads I know are just a little too Neanderthal to go red lace.

[Wanda]

It does seem a bit open now that it's been blocked, but the other thing you could do to make it more unisex in my opinion, is to go down a needle size, so the lace won't bloom so much, if that makes sense. A slightly denser fabric, b/c the pattern would then be unisex to me. I think that's what I would try.

[Rachael]

Wouldn't those be the best pickup lines to rehearse? So smooth, and unexpected! And men could be using them everywhere! I love it. And the scarf.