Knit Along: Barb’s Koigu Ruffle Scarf from Knitty City - Day 3

How to have a lovely drive

1. #1 Overestimate amount of passenger time (we all know it is unsafe to knit and drive, right?  Right?), and let fear of running out of yarn goad you into packing no less than four knitting projects. 
2. #2 Once you reach the distance where suggesting a turn around might result in damage to your person, discover you have left second ball of crucial yarn at home.  Say prayer of thanks you have FedEx account number in your Blackberry.
3. #3 Remember, with pained expression, that in your last blog post you made some snide remark about being able to get said project done without incident.  Make plans for undercover yarn replacement or FedEx.  Keep knitting, offering up prayer that by the Grace of God you actually have enough yarn to finish scarf in the ball you have with you.  Convince yourself of all the scriptural support you know that God does indeed like knitting.  Attempt not to panic.
4. #4 An hour later, discover that you have left the pattern at home.  Wonder if maybe God just thinks knitting is a pretty metaphor.  Leave message for those at home--who, of course, are not knitters--in hopes you can get them to call you back and read pattern to you over the phone.
5. #5 Consider calling Pearl at Knitty City, because she is a nice lady and would help you, but decide this would besmirch your professional reputation.
6. #6 Remember that one of your blog readers has talked about knitting this scarf, so she obviously has pattern, and you have her Facebook address.  She knew you in college so she already knows what an idiot you can be.  Message her asking for pattern details.
7. #7 Receive return call from those at home, reading you pattern as if it were foreign language.  Take it down in bumpy car-ride handwriting, assured you’ll know what you meant.
8. #8 Discover you were wrong, and that you can’t read your own writing.  Start knitting anyway.
9. #9 Take out row you just did because you forgot to change back to larger needles.
10. #10 Receive FB message from friend with pattern details, assess you’ve got enough yarn, and exhale.  Calculate distance to nearest Steak N Shake for celebration.

Knit Along: Barb’s Koigu Ruffle Scarf from Knitty City - Day 2

Hippity hoppity...

Wahoo!  An Easter scarf I may actually have completed by Easter!  Long-time DestiKNITions readers will remember how Easter went whooshing by without my Feather and Fan Shawl from Charleston, when despite all my efforts to the contrary I could not finish the shawl in time to wear on Easter Sunday.  

I can say with near confidence (after all, this is me we’re talking about) that with Easter over three weeks away, I’ll make it to the church on time.  

For all its gazillion cast-on stitches, this is a happy little scarf.  A bubbly, curly little thing in cheery pastels that just makes you smile looking at it.  I can see why people have made more than one, despite the daunting volume of cast-on stitches.  It’s just so darned adorable, even now before it’s nothing closed to finished.

And lest we forget, Knitty City offered up this adorable tote bag as the give-away for this segment.  Remember, this bag has had a brush with greatness!  It’s been confiscated by Comedy Central’s The Daily Show.  It’s very nearly been on television.  Well sort of.  At the very least, it’s had a wonderful adventure!  Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing to win.

Knit Along: Barb’s Koigu Ruffle Scarf from Knitty City

Count on it...

Do you know how long it takes to cast on 648 stitches?????

Evidently I don’t.  I took one look at this--realizing it was a cable cast-on to boot, one I don’t know well--and figured it would pretty much take me forever.  So one night, having one of those sit-and-listen type meetings to go to, I did a quick check of a video tutorial and packed up the necessary yarn.  It was a two hour meeting, and it was going to be slow going with an unfamiliar cast on.  I momentarily considered doing the long-tail--my go-to cast on--but didn’t think my meeting mates would appreciate the long trail of yarn pooling at my feet.  Plus, we’ve all seen what happens when I decide to veer off the pattern...

I didn’t bother counting.  Certain I would never complete the full 648 in one sitting, I just kept casting on.  I’d count when I got home, and cast on however many more were needed to reach the massive total.

Do not try this at home.

Your character will be supremely tested as you undo the 200+ extra cast-on stitches your foolishness has wrought.  Your teenage children will mock you with the examples of inappropriate language you have provided them.  Your yarn will have funny squiggles in it instead of the smooth lushness of this Easter-worthy color-way.

In short, not counting is not wise.  I'm faster than I thought.  I'm also dumber than I realized.

But perhaps you already figured that out.