One row handspun scarf

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( If you’re not a spinner and you don’t want to be and you don’t want to wade through this, the recipe for the scarf is at the end.)

I’m sure that this is a subtle element of my personality and that nobody has really noticed, so I’ll point out to you that I may be just a smidge on the obsessive side. This wee quirk occasionally pays off, and my fixation over the last 24 hours with the Grafton Fiber batt has totally encouraged this trait. I loved the progression of colours, and I was determined to have a project at the end of it that reflected that.

This can be sort of tricky with spinning. How you pull something off the batt, whether you spin woollen or worsted, pre-draft or not…they all effect the result you get, with occasionally unpredictable results. (I actually have to credit Deb Menz with helping me to figure this out. Her book Color in Spinning really helped me learn how I could spin to get what I want, instead of spinning the way I like to and learning how to enjoy the element of surprise. I recommend it.) It totally worked. I took strips off the batt, working from one side to the other, spun singles 1/3 the grist of the final yarn (or what I thought would be the grist of the final yarn), navajo plied it as one continuous yarn, and knit.

Batt:

Rovingunfoldgr11-1

Yarn:

Ballof-Graftonyrn11-1

Scarf:

Gfribscarf12

(I feel so clever I can hardly stand it.) It totally worked, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the end product. Wanna make one?

Scarfribgf12

Yarn: About 12 wraps per inch, or roughly a worsted weight.

Needles: 5mm

Gauge: I got 20 stitches to 10cm in pattern.

Size: Mine is about 13cm (5 inches) wide, and about 135cm (53 inches) long. That’s pretty little, but it’s enough to go round my neck, knot in the front and tuck into my coat. If I had more yarn I would have gone on for another 15-20cms (6-8 inches).

Start: Cast on 26 stitches (to make it wider or narrower add or remove stitches in groups of 4 )

Row 1: *knit 2, knit into the back of the next stitch, purl 1. Repeat from * till there are 2 stitches left. Knit 2.

Repeat that one row every row until you can stand it no longer, your scarf is long enough or you run out of yarn, whatever comes first.

Gribgfscco12

Cast off.

This pattern is quick, easy, has only one row to learn, is reversible, looks good in any gauge, is easy to make wider or narrower (making it awesome for handspun) and looks (I believe) fabulous.

Final step?

Ribscarfspgf12-1

Put it on, note how nicely it goes with your fall coat and go walk around Bloor West Village (or some neighbourhood near you if you don’t live here) pretending to buy vegetables while waiting for someone to ask you where you bought your scarf.

Gloat. (Nicely)

207 thoughts on “One row handspun scarf”

  1. Brilliant scarf. I love batts that you just want to keep looking like the original batt, and that you just want to roll all around in, but that would make a less than useful ball of felt. And those are a bit less fashionable than scarves, I think.

  3. You finished the scarf ALREADY?
    Excuse me one moment, I just have to finish gawping awestruck at that, before I can collect myself enough to start gawping awestruck at how lovely the fibre and the finished scarf are.

  4. Beautiful scarf! Although I’m not a spinner, my meager attempts have led me to appreciate anyone who can make handspun work as well as you! Thanks for the pattern – I can see some quick Christmas gifts in my future…

  5. Oh, looks kinda like Noro, only better and more special! I love it….someday when I finally have my wheel….
    (Meantime, that looks like a great stitch pattern for a Moebius….hmmm….)

  6. I love the pics of the yarn wound up and finished scarf wound up to match! Lovely!!
    Thank you for the pattern!! Too Easy!!

  7. Too gorgeous. I’m going to break out my wheel when I get home and plunder the fiber stash. I love the pattern! After all my practice spinning, it’s maybe time to actually make something.

  8. Yum. You’re making me want to learn to spin. Don’t suppose I could convince you to take a little trip across the pond to teach me, could I? 🙂 The scarf is great, but you need to smile for the camera!

  9. You have no inspired me to go get my poor spindle out of the closet and finish that bag of blue and black roving. It turned out so lovely!

  10. Good scarf. Good pattern. Good job. 🙂 I especially approve of the physical exercise at the end of the pattern. I haven’t been doing that nearly enough but if it were included in my patterns I probably would. Well maybe. I’m not very good at following patterns…

  12. I cannot find Grafton Fiber batts for sale anywhere online. I want to spin one. Badly – like if I had to choose between eating and spinning one of those batts, I would spin the batt. Particularly a colorway I was that was the perfect sunset. Yellowy into Orangey into Reddish into Fuchsia into Purple.
    The closest fiber festival to me is the one in Boerne next month that I’m pretty sure will not have Grafton Fibers there. Please help! 🙁

  16. I can’t even tell you how much I want to buy a batt from Grafton fibers and do exactly what you did. I LOVE IT!
    And, I just bought myself a starter wheel too…so I really COULD do it. ::drooling::

  17. Having had my wheel only a week, and my first lesson under my belt yesterday, I found your spinning posts to be inspiring! I came away from my lesson quite frustrated, but I am confident that someday I will spin something that looks like yarn. I can only hope to make yarn as beautiful as what you spun this week. So very lovely…. and you know you’ve got us all coveting those batts now…you’re safe…there won’t be any left for you….(or was that your plan?)

  18. It is gorgeous, the colours are fantastic, everyone should have a new autumn scarf to show off.

  19. Very cute scarf. It looks good on you too.
    So I would have to do that *K2, K1 in front loop, P1* repeat * to * to last 2, K2. Must try and see how it works.

  20. Gorgeous colours for you. I’m glad I’m not the only one who will wear handknits conspicuously and wait for someone to notice. I hate it when no one does.

  22. While I was looking at your scarf a car drove by my window and I glanced outside then back to the screen then I did a double take. You may be pleased to know that your batt, your yarn, your scarf, and a hillside covered in autumn trees in the Okanagan all match perfectly. You should feel very clever indeed.

  23. Beautiful colors and a nice pattern that really shows the yarn off. I’ll have to keep that in mind next time I’m knitting a scarf for someone. Mmmm color.

  25. I’d love to make that scarf… too bad I don’t have the yarn or the spinning skills to make it. Gee, I wonder who does… hmmm…
    It’s really beautiful, I just need to find some equally lovely yarn to make it gorgeous.

  27. You may not believe this, but I have had the hardest time finding a reversible pattern for worsted weight yarn. I’m making scarves for the Red Scarf project, but I bought yarn before I found a pattern, and it seemed that all the reversible patterns out there were for DK or sport weight. This looks great and will be perfect! Thanks!

  28. Great scarf. You may not know that Ashford spinning wheels come from a bit further up the coast from me here in the South Island of New Zealand. Yay! I have one too, but not a travelling one.

  30. Gorgeous. Perfect fall colors. Damn, I do not need the time suck that spinning would be, and yet it’s so freaking tempting.

  31. HEY! this is perfect to solve my dilemna of my biasing scarf. I have no idea why a simple pattern that hundred of people have made doesn’t work for me.. but *I* know this one will!!!
    Thanks.

  35. Beautiful scarf… I’m feeling inspired to go spin that lovely batt that I bought and have been too afraid to touch. Or maybe I’ll just practice a bit more with the plain fibers…

  36. Squee! I Love It! Such inspirational spinning, and you did a marvellous job. Grats on finishing up the book too Steph!

  37. Okay – so now I know my first stop at Rhinebeck will be the Grafton Fibers booth. Maybe I should camp out Friday night…

  38. Excellent scarf!
    Amazing colors…
    Thank you for sharing this beautiful experience, I’m not at all into spinning but I can understand what the fuss is all about 😉

  40. Beautiful scarf. someday I will learn to spin, in the meantime, I will knit that scarf. thank you for sharing –pattiO

  43. Is it a bad thing that I have yet to buy a proper couch, but am now considering that the couch would take up room that would better be used on a spinning wheel? No? Didn’t think so.

  44. There are only two things I think about when I’m at work – work & knitting. Not only are you to blame for my knitting addiction, now I really, really want to try spinning. I had quite a chuckle reading about your teen romance – too funny!

  45. P.S. You do realise that you technically turned your hand into a big crochet hook, don’t you?
    Just thought I’d mention it…

  46. Wow. It almost makes me want to take up spinning (though it’s not my thing and I’m really bad at it) just so I can make things like that. It’s gorgeous!

  48. I only recently found out that such an awesome wool festival was in my backyard (I’ve only knitted for a year) – and now I find out you’ll be there? How truly wonderful. It looks to be an amazing weekend. I might clean out the savings account, though…

  49. Must. Resist. Urge.
    I can’t take up spinning! I can barely support my yarn habit as it is! (I’m a sucker for alpaca. I see it in the store and it begs to come home with me and I’m not gonna say no to a baby alpaca; that’d just be mean.)
    For now, I’ll live vicariously through you and get my spin fix online.
    But I’m totally knitting that scarf. I have a skein of Malabrigo on the way that I think would be perfect for that.

  50. Oh, it’s gorgeous. Thank you so much for the recipe and the book rec. I’m still pretty much a spin and see what you get kind of gal.

  51. The batt, the yarn, the scarf – all gorgeous Stephanie. And this is a totally serendipitous post –
    1) Have been looking for a “reversible but not garter stitch” scarf pattern for a while and I just LOVE yours and will cast one on as soon as I get home.
    2) Spinning – I have resisted and resisted but I keep finding myself at spinning sites and checking ebay for wheels and I’m going to Rhinebeck and have a sneaking suspicion I will come home with fleece and wheel.
    You did this! Your spinning tuesdays have turned me into a believer…

  52. Wow-such a beautiful scarf from such a simple but clever pattern. Thanks Steph! This just became one of my scarf patterns for this year’s gifts. And oh heck. I finally found the Rhinebeck site, and it IS that weekend. Okay, I can do without sleep. Parenfaire on Saturday, then the long drive solo to and from Rhinebeck on Sunday. (None of my friends want to indulge my yarn obsession and drive with me!)
    Does Grafton have — yarn?

  54. Best. Handspun. Project. Ever.
    Yeah, that gansey you’re working on, that’s nice too. But this scarf! The colors! The texture! And only one pattern row to remember! This is the alpha and omega. Love it. LOVE it!
    Now if only I knew how to navajo ply…

  57. Such pangs of envy that shot through me after just finishing a spinning lesson where THEY threatened to send me back to the drop spindle if I didn’t stop spinning twisted up snarl varied with lopi type yarn. All they really had to do was show me your blog for today. I am now lifted from the depths of despair from the spindle threat and inspired to try once again to climb the cliffs of drafting, slippery though they may be. And in the meantime, I can knit your scarf. Lovely, lovely.

  58. There’s nothing wrong with a little gloating…not with such a spectacular example of your own cleverness and creativity there’s not…

  59. Geez, Stephanie, first time I read this it was dated October 11 and time-stamped 6:42 (or something like that) p.m. Stop confusing me like that!! You know, I have some of Linda’s batts right here in this house, and some of them are blue. . .

  60. When you walk around,and people ask where you got your scarf, do you say, “Oh, it’s just a little something I spun and knit YESTERDAY”?
    I’m more than amazed at your spinning and knitting. With a few decades of practice,I’m sure I could spin and knit just as well. I’m amazed at your SPEED, woman. I’d be doing well to knit that thing in a week, let alone spin it.
    Golly.

  61. Oh, my, how lovely. For the batt-challenged, could you tell me about how many ounces of fiber you started with? I have 8oz of merino in fantastic colors.
    Also, I can’t believe I disappeared from the blogosphere for a few weeks and you got married!! Congratulations.

  63. One word which should be pronounced as two: Gor-geous. And since I am now reading everything I can get my hands on about spinning (you people and your damn spinning, sucking me in to yet another money-squandering hobby), I was way too excited when I understood every. single. thing. you wrote about spinning in this post. I should not be so excited by that.
    Clearly, I have spinning issues. And will be found at Rhinebeck with a crazed look in my eyes, fiber jammed into fifty bags hanging from my arms, drooling over spinning wheels. Try your best not to point and laugh.

  64. Perfect! I just got a new winter coat and have been trying to find the scarf to go with it. Something like this would be fab with it. Hmm, must buy a batt or two at Rhinebeck. Thanks Stephanie!

  65. wow! Those progression photos definitely make me want to spin! So cool! Now if only I could find the time and the dough :).

  68. That worked out very nicely, certainly easier than knitting the panel, dyeing it, unraveling it, then reknitting in pattern. I know, believe me…. I know.

  69. Absolutely Marvelous! I can’t wait to get home and dig thru my homespun options to see what I can use to make this lovely scarf:)

  70. Ok, your post confirms it. I’m glad I don’t spin. Otherwise, I’d be completely addicted and would NEVER eat, clean the house, go to work, etc., etc. How do you do it???

  71. Wow! I just love your scarf. Where did you get it?
    What, you MADE that? Knit you say.
    Really?
    No, really, where did you get it???
    Oh, OK, sure you KNIT it. Uh huh.
    (walking away, swearing under breath b/c you won’t tell where you got it).
    tee hee!
    Honestly, I love the scarf and how clever of you to figure out the color spinning thing. Very, very nice!

  73. May I ask, how many yards (metres?) did you get from your spinning? My first spun yarn was a Grafton batt, and it needs a project to aspire to (if it is long enough).

  75. Thank you! I think the scarf looks wonderful, and I’ve been looking for a simple but cool-looking reversible pattern for a scarf. After seeing yesterday’s blog, I was wracking my brain to figure out how you made it, and then you tell us the stitches….you ROCK!

  76. That picture totally says “Dude, don’t mess with me.” I can’t help wondering if this is in anticipation of the fact that, although those are not my colors, I desperately covet your scarf. It was brilliantly conceived and executed, and I need to go buy that book.

  77. That turned out even more lovely than I expected! I like the reversible pattern, too – I might whip one up for myself one of these days. Not in my own handspun, though – I have yet to learn to spin, although tomorrow is my birthday, and something on our bank account says “Joy of Handspinning”! Hee!

  78. Boy I must be busy. Winged by the site and there were three entries to read! Lovely spinning by the way. Now back to work!

  79. Okay, pretend that I’m close enough to Bloor West Village that you can hear me yell “Hey, where did you buy that gorgeous scarf?”
    The colors just make me think of the best things in fall…crackling leaves and deep blue skies and all that!

  80. WOW!! It’s gorgeous. I can’t believe you got it all done so quickly. I’m going to try the scarf in Noro. Seeing what you’ve done with a batt of wool makes me want to get a second mortgage on the house and try spinning my own yarn. Then maybe NOT! I’ll have to settle on what others can provide.

  81. when i saw the finished scarf and the pattern, i thought ‘red scarf project’, too. looks like they’ll be getting more than one of these.
    it looks terrific. thanks for the pattern!

  83. I swear by all that is holy, you are SO MUCH CUTER in real life. You are a petite little hothouse flower and that photo? Poor lighting. You look NOTHING like that. You, my dear, look like the woman Joe fell in love with. In real life, you don’t even need to be photo-shopped-THAT is how cute you are.

  85. If you’re walking around the neighbourhood, could you drop one off at my aunt’s place (she lives near you). My aunt will be glad to send it on to me! *LOL* Just kidding… it looks very, very nice. You have every reason to gloat!
    And speaking of Denver… any word yet?

  87. Lovely scarf, and beautiful handspun. And dang are you fast! It takes me practically FOREVER to finish a scarf.
    And I often wear my handknits around public and wait for people to ask where I bought my super hot scarf or hat. What knitter doesn’t?

  89. Brilliant scarf pattern and those colors are beautiful, though unfortunately not mine, or you’d be having to watch the scarf like a hawk! Now I know what to do with my Grafton Fiber batt that is patiently sitting in the stash.

  91. That scarf is beautiful, the colors are smashing on you, and i’m very grateful for the pattern and all the good spinning advice. i have to tell you, though, that if i get to the grafton booth at rhinebeck and there’s nothing but dustbunnies waiting for me, I’m gonna cry real tears.

  92. This is so funny – having heard you speak in Chicago I TOTALLY heard your voice as I read the blog just now. And your snarky laugh – that’s a GOOD snarky laugh.
    Scarf well done. Will add it to my list of things to do while avoiding what I ought do.

  93. Thank you thank you thank you!
    And thank you for the comment about it being a good stitch pattern for a mobius, that’s a GREAT idea!
    Stephanie, you totally rock!

  97. So, you wait till the week AFTER I spin up my two Grafton batts to post this?! Mine? Not so great. Never would have thought of doing them that way! Oh, and Deb Menz? Aren’t you going to be at SOAR? So is she…just sayin’. (I took her color blending course at SOAR last year and she “made” me buy a Pat Green carder…evil woman.)

  100. Ok….now I have yet another project I MUST do..have a lovely rainbow bat from Grafton and this is the perfect project…geeee I wonder if I could spin up enough to take on my flight to CA at 3:30 AM Sat…lets see…hmmmm need to work friday….there is 8 hours gone…comute…20 minutes…meals…I’ll drink something with a straw…can still spin that way…pack…do I really need to take anything but my knitting?…ok throw undies and toothbrush in purse…I just might pull it off! Thanks a lot Steph! My family thinks I am off my rocker as it is! Awww who cares! They stay with me for the sweaters, right?!

  101. Thank’s Stephanie. It’s a beautiful scarf and I was just wondering what I could knit with my first skein of BFL.
    Love the colour and you’re right about the book.
    Any idea of how much yardage you had to start?

  102. Thank you for sharing your pattern! And BLESS YOU for also sharing how you spun your batt! 🙂 You’re awesome!

  103. First of all, I can’t believe how quickly you spun AND knit a SCARF. Love the pattern, I believe I will try it out!

  104. great scarf…i’ve got some hand dyed thick and thin yarn. any idea where i can find a scarf pattern for that?

  105. Quit it quit it quit it!!! I don’t want to start spinning, I have enough in queue to knit without adding plying to the list! I don’t have room in my apartment for a wheel or fleece!
    But it is so tempting… Dag nab it!

  106. Dude — you deserve your compliments on this endeavor in the true, authentic dialect of New Orleans:
    “Dat scawf is jus GAW-juss, dawlin’!”
    And fie upon you. Fie, I say. I did not even know Grafton Fibers existed until today. You made me go to their website. Yes you did. It was your fault. Do you really expect me to read that and NOT buy a batt from Grafton Fibers?

  108. Excuse me…would you mind if I borrowed your scarf? Just to get these carrots home, you understand, I promise I’ll return it…
    It’s gorgeous. I haven’t spun in years and wasn’t that hot at it even then. My best would have been called “passable”. Maybe.
    But I did learn to knit in order to have something to do with the handspun…so I’ll love spinning forever. 😉

  110. Beautiful! I have 1 and a half skeins of a Noro silk garden. I am going to make it up using your pattern. Thanks much.

  111. I wasn’t going to comment, as I know you get a ton of mail on a regular basis, but I had to this time. Your batt was awesome, but the way you spun it, and the pattern for the scarf – it all totals to spectacular. I’ve returned to see your photos at least three times this afternoon. Thank you for sharing that pictorial essay with us!

  112. Well done! That scarf is worthy of the batt.
    By the way, I don’t know how things work in Canada, but since you are doing this knitting/spinning/writing for a living now couldn’t you buy the batts wholesale. You are using them for your new business sort of. At the very least it’s a tax write-off: you know, research.
    Just a thought. 🙂

  113. Thank you! I decided today to make my daughter a scarf — it snowed in Ann Arbor, MI today. Time to go yarn shopping…

  118. Amazing.
    But it’s reassuring (in a very disturbing sort of a way) that I’m not the only one reading your posts and heading straight to Ebay to look at wheels!

  120. Now I have the perfect idea for the father-in-law’s holiday gift. Thanks, Stephanie!
    P.s. Great choice of photography and placement with the skein vs. rolled up scarf. It pleases my little photo obsessed brain. 🙂

  121. Simply smashing my dear! It makes me want to cast my son’s sweater aside to pull out my hand spun (by someone other then me) stash and make a scarf!

  122. OK, so not trying to mean or anything, but this total obsession you have must make you not even sleep. It looks as if you are mad, tired and worn out in your picture……….bless your heart….learn to do the same spinning, plying and knitting in a longer period of time; longer than 24 hours. Go take a nap!

  123. Just gorgeous, and thank you for showing the progression from fibre to finished – it’s totally Bloor West Village (I am still homesick after 13 years away!), and if I had been there, I would absolutely have wanted to know where you got it – all the gory details!

  124. Have read your blog but never commented but this scarf is just what I would need right NOW. I have a sore throat and what would be better than a scarf in one’s favorite colors??? Be glad that I don’t run around Downtown Toronto, I would be tempted… ;o)

  125. That scarf is beautiful and will be a great pattern for the Red Scarf Project. I think I may make that my dye spin knit along project.

  126. That scarf is absolutely gorgeous…..I have fall yarn that is begging to be made into a scarf and that is the perfect pattern

  128. You gloat nicely! Add it to your list of talents as it was well placed gloating, so that really, had you not mentioned it nobody would have noticed. Too blinded by the beauty and cleverness of the scarf they would be.

  129. To echo the sentiment… you finished the scarf??!!! Love the waffle effect. Thanks for the pattern. I am going to try it on the next scarf. Now could you share how you knit SO FAST? Or did you give up sleeping entirely in the past 24 hours.

  130. For the record, it snowed in Toronto today. SNOWED!! It’s too early to put the Birks away….

  131. Stephanie,
    You look very distinguished in that scarf, and the colors are luscious!
    Margie
    PS congratulations to you and your family….

  132. Wow, wonderful job on the spinning and the knitting. Love that colorway. Totally something I’d have gone for, as well

  134. I’m so glad you posted this. I’ve been thinking about spinning yarn for a Lady Eleanor, and now I know how to spin the yarn to make awesome color changes.. I know, it’s a lot of spinning, but I’m crazy and like big projects like that. The scarf is beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

  135. The perfect pattern for the Red Scarf Project. Thanks!
    So, besides spinning, knitting, designing, and writing, you are also a photo genius — I love the batt to yarn to scarf series. The look on your face in the last shot: Don’t even think about stealing this scarf, dude.

  136. Oh, it’s lovely and looks so beautiful on you! And who needs a green (or yellow) sweater, anyway!?
    I just tried my hand at spinning last weekend at the Fall Fiber Festival in Montpelier, VA. Now I’m hooked and must have a wheel. The photos of your wonderful handspun only fuel the fire!
    Thanks for the (continuing) inspiration!

  138. hey wait a cotton-pickin minute,
    spun on tuesday, wearing on friyday?????
    You got love making a LARGE pot of soup eh?
    It lasts days.

  143. Wow! I was searching for blogs from knitters and I found your blog!
    This is kismet.
    I was going into the knit shop tomorrow to see if I could find an address on your book to write you.
    Hi, I am Lynn Tucker. I was shown your books at my local knit shop. I am in love with them. Yes I worship inert objects!
    I took a photo of your books to suggest to other bloggers that your books should be on their wish lists.
    I was wondering… could I have permission to print one of your thoughts for the day so the gals know what they are missing?
    Um and….If you have the time would you like to do an email interview with me before the Holiday season?
    Wow. I am so surprised!
    I really like the scarf too!

  148. This is just perfect…in sequencing of colors *and* pix. Ohmyyum. Thanks much for the pattern, Steph, I can tell it’ll be a personal favorite! Especially the Moebius bit, I’ve been wanting to make one for a friend.
    To everyone bemoaning the expense of spinning? Start with a drop spindle. Much cheaper, not to mention portable – you can spin while waiting for the bus, in lines, etc…anywhere you’d knit, except maybe at movies. 😉 If money’s so tight even that’s problematical, you can make small ones out of wooden cabinet knobs or wooden toy wheels and thin dowels. Or somewhere on the web – Google it – there’s a version made out of CDs, a dowel and oddments. Ugly as sin, but it works. In an emergency, you can even use a small potato and a crochet hook. Don’t laugh, I tried it; it does work, although can be a tad wobbly! Not recommended for total newbies. [g] Dog flicker brushes work as mini carders if you can’t afford real wool cards at first. In fact, one is a great sub for wool combs if your fleece has lovely locks with tips you just need to open. Learning to spin – get yourself a book, or video or tutorial w/pix off the web, and persevere. Heck, I taught myself on a spindle back in the days there hardly *were* any books to be found…which saga I put up on my blog. 😉 Remember, even expensive unspun fiber is cheaper than the yarn. (LOL, at first I typo’d that as ‘yearn’. True enough!) Fleece is cheaper than prepared fiber, and unwashed fleece cheaper yet. So you’ll work harder; you’ll still be able to spin. They sell all sorts of fibers, too, not just wool. And Navajo plying is easy, easy, easy. It’s just single crochet done with your hand. You can do it on a spindle as well as a wheel, too. So go ahead, give in to temptation!

  150. Dear stephanie,
    everything i read at your blog and also from your fans make me want to live in amerika, somewhere near canada if it’s possible…but…no way i’ll have to stay here in holland and envy everybody who meets you. When you are on tour…
    Just love your stories about that and also want to congratulate you with the marriage.
    I think your scarf is very pretty and hope it keeps you warm and nice and do make a hat or mittens with it?? I think it finish it off.
    kind regards to you all and i keep on reading every day because i always learn so much from you stephanie but also from the other bloggers.
    love.
    Valeria

  151. If, for one moment, I thought I’d ever be able to spin as beautifully as you do I’d ply the wheel. For now I will stick to knitting and whip up the gorgeous pattern you’ve created. Of course, I’ll never be able to knit it as quickly as you did!

  152. Isn’t it nice to have an obsession that you can share with all these like-minded people? Have you tried to explain your excitement over a hunk of unspun fiber to someone who just doesn’t get it? It’s awkward.
    Great scarf.

  153. While walking around pretending to buy veg and someone “notices” your scarf (after much fondling of said scarf in a non-plussed way, much like a newly engaged young woman with her engagement ring), I always think it sounds too lame to say – “Thanks, I made it!” My fav comeback is “It was loads of fun to make.” Sounds a little more…..self congratulatory?
    Love the scarf, will have to play with the spinning technique!

  156. Batts vs roving….
    I have only spun with roving so far. AM currently spinning some nice interlacements… but see a hug difference in the potential control of spinning and colorway in batts vs roving..
    are there other differences, or benefits? I tend to be a “use the rt yarn/tool for the rt project” girl…but i don’t know enough about fiber to be able to assess. In put would be wonderful!

  159. I LOVE it!! I think I’ve found the perfect scarf pattern I’ve been looking for this year. And the fall colors are amazing!

  160. What’s that rattling sound? Champion speed-typist on a classic Remmington? Machine-gun fire? A badly tuned Harley? A loooooooong drum-roll? No. that’s the clicking of Stephanie’s aluminum needles as she whips out another scarf. We stand in awe and salute you!!

  161. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
    I have been needing a simple, reversable and lovley (not to mention unisex) scarf pattern for Christmas knitting pursposes. You rock.
    Your spinning amazes me…I haven’t tried to spin yet, but I am intrigued. I like the way it looks like a sushi roll when it is wound. Maybe some avocado on the outside, carrot next, etc, ad nauseum. 🙂

  162. I really like that stitch pattern – very clever and very attractive, as is your scarf 🙂
    But I have a question – if the fabric is reversible and therefore doesn’t have a right or a wrong side, where do I weave in the ends?
    Yes, I’m being facetious 🙂 Thanks very much for sharing. I’m going to use this for Dulaan knitting!

  164. I’ve got most of my Winter Gift-giving Holiday Knitstravaganza knitting planned (and some of it started!), but there were a few very important people that I had NO CLUE what to make for them. I think you may have solved that problem. I don’t spin, but I dig the pattern. 🙂

  165. You. Make. Me. Feel. Like. such. a. slouch. You didn’t include a timeline, but by my calculations (I am notoriously poor at math), you spun, plied, set twist, devised pattern, and knit your ooh-so-lovely-autumn scarf in 2 days!!!
    (sigh)

  166. RAD! I did just as you instructed and skipped over the spinning portion (because the number of hobbies going in this house seems to be growing ever-larger by the day). That scarf is RAD — thank you for sharing the pattern! You rock and are the Queen of All Things Superb.

  168. OMG, Stephanie, it’s amazing!! Wow, now I /really/ want to learn to spin. (Lucky me, a friend is going to teach me next weeekend!! I can’t wait!!)

  169. LOL – one tiny wups in my post – Navajo plying is *chaining* with your hand, not single crochet… (Ok, ok, it’s been a while since I crocheted. Heh.)
    I should probably put this in a comment on her blog, but I’m lazy this morning – Tracey in MI? You can have total control over the colors in roving if you spin from the fold instead of splitting off lengths. (Doesn’t anyone teach spinning from the fold any more? Katy Turner taught me that method back in the 70’s, and I’ve never seen reason to switch. I never pre-draft roving. Sounds like a lot of extra work. I can see stripping batts, but roving?) Pull apart sections of roving horizontally instead of in strips, wherever there’s a color break. Then pull off about 2″ segments of those, fold them over, and spin from one corner of the fold. They’ll still come out worsted, and you’ve got a segment of your solid color. You can do this as you go; or ahead of time and make little piles of matching colored sections. (Still fast. [g]) Then grab in the color order you want. Voila; roving control.
    Another good book that explains color methods is Diane Varney’s ‘Spinning Designer Yarns’. About 3/4 of the book is on how to spin umpteen different types of yarn, which is what I got it for. It’s fantastic on that. But in the beginning she also discusses dyeing and how to make/handle different preparations of fiber for different color effects. That’s where I learned the Navajo ply. 😉 Interweave must’ve republished, because Amazon has the copyright as 2003; and I got my copy back in the late 80’s or so!

  172. You look like a right respectable married woman, there, Steph!
    Thank you kindly for the pattern…I LOVES it. (Read that last bit in Gollum voice for maximum effect.)

  173. Steph…got your book…Yarn Harlot, and have, or at least as far as I am concerned, laughed my ass off…I’d like to laugh it off, trust me, it’s big…but that’s not my reason for writing.
    I read your post about your scarf and the batt and all that, and I took your reversible stitch and am using it for my shrug…the shrug, if you’ll read my blog, that is now in it’s 5th or 6th attempt at being a shrug…though if I have to rip it out much more, the yarn will be for shit and will have to be thrown away…yep, I’m writing to thank you for saving my yarn and my ass, because if I’d had to throw it away, I’d have had to buy more, which would have caused problems at home that would be bigger than my ass.
    thank you for your saving grace…
    Sincerely,
    Melody

  176. Gorgeous yarn. I have been nudged that much closer to wanting to learn to spin.
    And the scarf pattern is fun! Took me a few dips into my stash to find a yarn that liked it, but it’s fun to knit.

  177. Like every second knitter in the world today, I cast on for THE scarf this afternoon and I’ve just discovered that I can knit 10 1/2″ in the 2hrs and 3 minutes it takes to watch the Rent DVD :]

  179. Thanks for the easy reversible pattern! I cast on for this scarf in Soy Wool Stripes tonight for a scarf for the Red Scarf project. I wonked something up as it doesn’t look anything like yours (gauge perhaps) but I don’t care because it still looks cute! Thanks for posting the pattern!

  180. That’s it…I am learning to spin.
    I have tried not to comment on your blog…because I didn’t want to seem like a pathetic hanger-on, groupie type…because I really am NOT. I just try to absorb your blog and books intraveniously…
    But I wanted to let you know that this is just one of many ways that you have inspired me.

  181. Wow. Just wow. I love the colour sequence and I have to confess I have cast on and knit 3 inches of your very clever reversible pattern already today… when I really should have been doing something else!
    Wish I could get hold of materials like this batt – gorgeous! You don’t know how lucky you are in the US, it’s a lot harder to find yummy things this side of the pond!

  182. The scarf is beautiful! I love the fall colors, my favorite every time.
    I’ve been looking and looking for a simple, textured, reversible pattern for a homespun baby blanket. I am so going to try a swatch of your 1 row pattern, it looks as if it will be perfect.

  183. You know that you are completely “wacked” when it is 11:30 at night, and after reading your blog and seeing that awesome scarf, you pull out needles and yarn and BEGIN the scarf. Love that pattern (almost looks woven) Of course I don’t have your lovely hand spun, but I had been to Nathania’s(she who never takes a bad picture) opening of her new yarn store in Sunnyvale, Ca., and I had purchased some yummy stuff. Thanks. You are awesome!!!!
    Rosemary

  184. Such beautiful colours – I wish I could spin!
    I will just have to raid my yarn stash for suitable colours amd textures to do my own version. I should do this anyway, I keep my yarn stash in the cubby-hole under the stairs. The man called to read the electric meter the other day and the cubby-hole was so full we couldn’t find the meter let alone get to it!

  186. YES.. It is a Fabulous Looking Scarf…
    I’m Casting on one in a few minutes…Thanks 🙂
    Looks Great to do while watching Lost 🙂

  187. Hi Stephanie: Your scarf is awesome!! I teach knitting classes at a store in San Diego, The Shepherdess. May I use your pattern to teach or to give away as an insentive to buy yarn? I await your reply before I do either.
    Annette

  188. Lovvvve this scarf, too-too cool. I’m on my way to pull something out of my stash & get one started!

  189. How wonderful! I was immediately inspired as it looks like a wonderful pattern for a beginner knitter……and the link to the backward stich was MUCH appreciated.
    However, my poor attempt looks nothing like your beautiful scarf.
    Am I being thick by asking if you could tell me the second row knit? Is it really the same as the first row? Or is my tension too tight?
    Blimey….it’s a good thing I have at least two more months to finish this before Santa needs to put it under the tree……
    Thanks….. I hope I can aspire to some of the beatuiful projects you’ve completed.

  190. I love the colours very much.
    I’ve also tried casting this scarf on and it doesn’t look the same…

  191. I’m loving this pattern. I didn’t spin my own yarn (I’m not that hardcore….yet), but I’m using this lovely green yarn flecked with gold and it’s progressing in a fabulous manner. Well, it was intended as a Christmas gift for someone, but le husband is as enamoured as I am…so, yeah. Back to the drawing board. But thanks for posting this fabulous pattern!

  192. I love the scarf pattern and colours.
    Is there a hat pattern to go with it?I am almost finished the scarf and thought someone as gifted as you would likley be able to just whip up a hat pattern using the same stich.
    keep on knitting.

  193. BEAUTIFUL!
    Though I am finding out after a few inches that my pattern isn’t looking quite as beautiful. I’m not seeing the square-type shaping, more like vertical lines. Maybe because it’s not blocked out? I’m going to try blocking my swatch to see if that’s the case.
    Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!

  196. Hi Stephanie!
    I found this pattern via some people on livejournal, and it looks awesome! And you matching up the batt, yarn, and scarf.
    I did have a question, though. I cast on for the scarf, and I’m not getting the waffle pattern as a couple have said up above. I’m getting the strips, but it’s all garter between them, not stockinette. And I’m not getting the ridges across. Is there a row that should be added in?
    Thanks a bunch! I do love reading the blog.

  197. Hello, Stephanie! Thanks for the gorgeous pattern. I had expensive yarn, one ball made a section only 18 inches long, so I reworked your pattern to make it into a keyhole ascot.
    Thank you again for sharing your knowledge with us.

  198. Hey Stephanie, Happy Christmas!! Great Pattern, We’re having a bit of a problem though…it just looks like ribbing!! Is there an extra row? or possibly swopping the knits and purls round every few rows or something? We’re confused!! Help?!!

  199. I loved knitting this up in alpaca almost as much as I love wearing it. I was tickled pink that remembering ONE ROW got me such a beautiful texture.
    Thank you for sharing this!

  201. Can you pls tell me if you are located in the Toronto GTA area and if you are involved in what’s called the “Red Scarf Program” (this is in the US for orphans) – I am trying to find comparable organization here in Toronto. I had also requested information from the REd Cross society here in Ontario but rec’d no reply – out west, I believe in Alberta – they have a scarf & mitten project through Red Cross to provide school kids with scarves & mittens. Any information you could pass along would be most appreciated. Why don’t we have organizations more like this in Canada?
    Thanks
    Julie

  203. Not much on my mind these days, but what can I say? It’s not important. I just don’t have much to say lately. I’ve just been letting everything pass me by recently, but eh.

  204. I just don’t have anything to say. Not that it matters. Eh. I’ve just been staying at home doing nothing, but I don’t care. That’s how it is.

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