Coutndown to Knitmas: Day 22

One day in November, I had a really cool moment while Bella and I enjoyed some Starbucks treats. There was a lovely lady waiting for her drink wearing a very cute scarf. I was doing my side ways quick glances to try to figure out how it was made and if it was hand made (if you ever catch me looking at you in a strange manner, it is because I am dissecting something interesting that you are wearing or carrying). Becoming more intrigued, I decided that I would simply give her the deserved compliment and ask her if she made it.
Turns out that she did make it. And, she was actually one of my past beginning knitting students. After the my embarrassment faded from my not remembering her out right, I pressed her further about her clever scarf. She was inspired by something she saw and improvised from that object. Here is Kari (lost the note where I made sure to spell your name right; hope I remembered correctly) wearing her inspired accessory -

So pretty. And the scarf, too.

Now, I am inspired by her scarf. I think that one could improvise using the famed 6st scarf times 3. Here it goes.

1. I am starting with US8/5mm needles and  3 colors of the same yarn, Classic Elite Classic Silk, 135 yds/50g, 50% Cotton, 30% Silk, 20% Nylon -

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2. I am cutting 42 (14 of each of 3) pieces of fringe, using a DVD case as the guide. I will be placing a 3 strand fringe in 7 places on each end. 

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3. Cast on 6 sts and work until the yarn is gone in each. I did not go as far as that. I stopped at 300 ridges or 600 rows each strip. I found that working each strip individually was the best thing as far as speed and yarn management. It is also best to work them to equal number of rows; since garter stitch is so stretchy, measuring can be unreliable. I used stitch markers to count every 50 ridges.

 4. To join the strips before braiding, I used the fringe. I inserted a crochet hook into each layer of fabric at their corresponding corners and pulled the fringe through.

 5. Then, I proceeded to braid. The strips were best managed during braiding if I kept them wound into balls.

 6. When braiding is complete, use the fringe and overlapping the ends in the same way to tack them together.

It is a thin scarf ,but It is also very long and I can wrap it a couple times. I am looking forward to trying it again with thicker yarn and perhaps different cast ons, maybe 8 or 10 stitches.

Happy Needling,

Anne