Ooh La La

 Really, not much need be said other than "Ooh La La!"


Or perhaps Festive!


Elegant seems a bit over the top and not quite right.

 Does not seem trendy.




Maybe très chic is appropriate?

Or how about Stylin'!

Nope.  I'll stick with my original thought.

Ooh La La with a hint of Cha Cha Cha!



Reminder - Cha Cha by Trendsetter Yarns

Blocked and Bigger

 The blocking of the coral colored Seaweed Scarf is now accomplished.  And, the scarf has indeed grown a bit - it is almost seventeen inches down the spine and will wrap around my neck.

The edging is even more lovely now that it is blocked out.  I am fascinated with the way that this scarf lays so wonderfully around my shoulders, back and front.

I still am thinking that the function can be enhanced if there are more rows of stockinette before the edging is worked.

This size - the pattern specified - would work wonderfully well under a coat or jacket.  But, worn that way, the edge will be hidden.   When worn "on top" I still want some way to lock it in position.  Maybe a shawl pin or strategically placed buttons (for both function and adornment).

Some Blocking Required

Two days.  That's all the time that is needed.  OK -make that two days of only fiddling with yarn and sticks, but it is possible to complete Grace Akhrem's Seaweed Scarf in two days.  Well if you don't count the time to wet block this edge into some manner of niceness, it can be done.  (You can find all manner of Grace's patterns on Ravelry, your local LYS or online.)

 Oh, yes, some blocking is required.  This is straight off the needles.  Much curling mess - rather like Seaweed!  No one will ever say that the pattern is inappropriately names.  The pattern cover photo naturally shows the small (as in very small - but more later) scarfette in a lovely green so as to drive home the name seaweed.

Naturally, I found a soft coral sport weight from Louet in the stash and used it to make my first Seaweed Scarf.  The very thought of seaweed around the neck sounds just a bit "icky" and strangely suffocating to me.  But soft coral about the face sounds so very glow enhancing!  Yes, me thinks it better to be swathed in soft coral than to be choked by seaweed.  

The pattern has a single spine down the center.  A slipped stitch garter edge keeps the outer neck wrapping stitches nice and flat so that really, in all honesty, it is only the bottom edge that will require serious blocking to control the flow of the seaweed.  

Two options are offered within the pattern.  Counts for both worsted and sport weight are offered so all the math is already done.  

Except.......

As written, this is a small scarfette.  Too small for me, I think.  Even if the blocking results in some growth, I still think it will be small.  Testing the fit about my own neck has me thinking that some closure is required so that constant and continual adjustment and fiddling can be avoided.   HMMM.  I am still thinking through this and hoping that the blocking solves my major concern about length. 

Do know that this version is made with sport weight and I followed the instructions to the exact row and stitch count.  Please do not mis-read these words.  The pattern is fine.  The result is fun and flirty.  The beginning is unique and adds new skill to the repertoire.  The bind off is not typical.  I'll probably make this again - just because it is a quick knit.  But,  the math to add another twenty-four rows to the stockinette section is already hand written on the pattern and more yardage will be acquired before commencing on version two.

 The edge is quite fun.  I love a "look" that is easy to memorize and does not require constant pattern reading just to make it through.  Here you get a feel for how the blocking will turn out.  

All in all, a nice quick fun knit with just enough thinking at the cast on, edging and bind off to keep the mind happy.  A good movie knit. 

Scouting Mission

It is a tough task, but someone has to do it.  Today, a car full of opinionated knitters (with honor and respect to EZ and no thought of plagiarism)  are off to scout out locations for a yarn crawl & lunch.  The goal is a nice bus excursion in early 2011 that will meld the members of two guilds for one fun filled day near a soCal beach town.

I have a seat in the car as I already have thoughts on where I want that bus to go!

I am just going along for the ride and the occasional sarcastic remark.  Our scouting for the eventual yarn crawl is the ground work for another persons great idea.  But, we are helping her out - not just scouting locations, but also fretting timing, group sizes, traffic patterns and all the nitty gritty that goes into planning an event.

Take a few moments to thank the person that organizes the group(s) in which you participate.  Be it a local Stitch & B* group, a formal guild, a coffee klatch, book club, church gathering, travel club or just the early morning walkers in your neighborhood.   We all have that someone in our lives who we and others rally around.  That person who has an internal vision of something positive and enjoys spreading that feeling of connectedness amongst others.

Say Thank You to someone today.  You will both be blessed.

Frills and Furbelows

Well, Cha Cha to you.  Look at this wonderment of frills and furbelows.  You are beholding  half of a scarf made from Trendsetter Yarns Cha-Cha.  Not so much a yarn as a ribbon edging with a thread connected along  the top, Cha-Cha might be relegated by some to the occasional flash of excitement on an otherwise plain bit of work.  

Nay!  Not necessary.  

I first saw a scarf made entirely from this ruffle making stuff a few weeks ago and bought a skein on the spot and signed up for a class.   Hints are needed to smooth out the usage of the stuff, but it is not as delicate as might first appear.  

Working with this  is a bit fiddly at first, but by picking across a row, it is possible to create all manner of added dimension.  Imagine this stuff  as embellishment on the top of a felted purse!  But why stop at restraint and modest usage when full bedecking is an option.  This is an instance when more is definitely more and maybe not quite enough.

Due to the "one way ruffling" this scarf is worked in two pieces and then joined in the middle.  This will result in mirror image ruffles that go down on both ends. 

Here is the stuff in very poor light.  Do notice that the bottom cast on edge has a natural flare.  I love the impact of this stuff.  It looks like massive amounts of effort and brain power are required.  But, in all honesty, all that is required is one skein and a few hours of work.

Next week, class continues and we will learn the trick involved in joining the two ends so that the seam is hidden amongst the frills.

A video from Barry Klein, he of Trendsetter Yarns, can be had on YouTube here.  Check it out and get your Cha-Cha on!