Hitching a ride on the bandwagon

Monday, March 12, 2007

I have had this annoying, inexplicable habit of buying single skeins of sock yarn, the ones that are no more than 175 yards and obviously not enough to make a full pair of socks. See this. And this. And also this. There are more bachelors and bachelorettes hanging out in the stash. When I approach that wall dripping with those Koigu colors, fighting the urge to grab every skein and stuff them in my mouth, I think to myself: Why buy two skeins in one color when for the same price you can have two skeins in two colors? More for your money! I'm so smart! Not a bad shopping practice in general, but when the whole point of buying sock yarn is to uh make socks, full-grown socks, which you now can't do because you don't have enough yarn, well then really how smart are you? I tried justifying my single purchases by convincing myself that I only wanted to knit anklets. But again. Wool anklets. What's the point? In the end you end up wasting. These Spring Anklets I made in that buttery Sundara yarn has been worn maybe all of five times in the last year.

So I'm totally loving this Chevron Scarf craze. It's the perfect way to use up the single skeins of sock yarn, and to pair up colorways that are not particularly matchy-matchy. In fact the less matchy the colors are, the better! I'm also trying to wean myself off of making socks, and the Chevron Scarf is the perfect in-between project. Still using yummy sock yarn but not making socks. Yay!

Chevron Scarf

I'm using Sundara yarn in "Troubador" + Louet Gems Pearl in the lightest green. Instead of the fan-and-feather pattern I'm using this simple chevron pattern with eyelets:

Across 33 stitches:
RS rows: [k4, yo, k, yo, k4, double-decrease] twice, then k4, yo, k, yo, k4 (35 sts)
WS rows: p2tog through the back, p to last two stitches, p2tog (33 sts)

Double-decrease is: slip 2 stitches knitwise together, k next stitch, pass the two slipped stitches over.

This makes for a skinny scarf. For wider chevrons increase the 'k4' part to your liking.

After the first foot of the scarf I switched up the height of the chevrons by knitting 4 rows of one color and then 4 rows of the other. So it'll be 4x4 for the middle, and 2x2 for the ends of the scarf.

I'm using US3 needles on the fingering weight yarn, and as a result the fabric is loose, but not lacey, and the sides aren't curling in. Woot! Very pleased with how this is turning out so far.

P.S. I also finished the back of Kooch. Just the sleeves left...I see the light! Slow and steady wins the race, right?

Comments [25]
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Monday, March 12, 2007 10:26:25 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Such a great idea to do a Chevron scarf with your sock yarn - I've been thinking about doing one too! And I can't wait to see Kooch (although I giggle everytime I say the name!)
Monday, March 12, 2007 10:28:09 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I see nothing wrong with stuffing Koigu into one's mouth. Why fight the urge???
Monday, March 12, 2007 10:38:48 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
You have no idea how happy you have made me today! I like this pattern - your color choices are lovely too! Thank you for sharing.
Monday, March 12, 2007 10:48:03 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Oh, that is a clever idea... thanks for including the pattern you're using!
Monday, March 12, 2007 10:49:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I love the color combo you're using!
Monday, March 12, 2007 10:50:10 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Oooooh, your scarf is stunning! I love the color combo. One of these days I will have to jump on the Chevron Scarf bandwagon.
Monday, March 12, 2007 11:13:43 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
oh i like this pattern! prettier than the LMKG one i think
Monday, March 12, 2007 11:26:16 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
thanks for sharing, i want to cast on right now!
Monday, March 12, 2007 11:42:10 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
oooOOOOoooo. so pretty! i just bought some koigu to match (but not match) a single leftover koigu skein i had in my stash to make a cheveron scarf, but i love this play on the pattern! one question... how do you handle carrying the un-used strand up the side? do you twist it every row to keep it hidden?
Monday, March 12, 2007 11:44:41 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
You know, maybe the Chevron scarf is exactly what I need. I started a feather-and-fan variant a good two years ago (wasn't that prescient of me? who'd have known there'd be a craze?), and it's been languishing at twelve inches long ever since. I think you may have just inspired me to rip that sucker out and start over with chevrons. w00t!
Monday, March 12, 2007 11:47:23 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Nooooo! Everyone STOP making these. Right now.

The scarf is gorgeous, of course (that's a great color comibination). And it's making me want one, too.
Monday, March 12, 2007 12:56:35 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
ooh, great color combo (and photography). you're zooming along, too. I'm glad to hear Kooch is coming along, too! It will make a great spring coat.
Monday, March 12, 2007 1:06:56 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Love your take on the Chevron scarf. The colors and pattern look perfect together.
Monday, March 12, 2007 2:09:17 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Wean yourself off socks...Haha! I think pigs will fly when that happens ;)

The Chevron Scarf is quite lovely though, it's a good bandwagon to join.
Monday, March 12, 2007 2:36:06 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Sheesh . . . I thought I was the only one who bought a lovely skein of yarn only to say, "What the hell am I going to do with this?" when I got home. I love seeing how all the different versions are shaping up, but your color choices definitely yell, "Hello, Spring!" which is a great thing.
Monday, March 12, 2007 5:47:11 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
What a coincidence! I just finished knitting a feather-and-fan scarf in about the same width as the scarf you're knitting now!
Monday, March 12, 2007 6:02:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I love how your chevron scarf looks! I keep seeing scarves like these cropping up in the blogs I read and on flickr...one of these days I'm going to have to break down and knit one for myself!
Monday, March 12, 2007 8:47:08 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I likey!! I thought you were coming up to hang out with me in Taos? :)
Monday, March 12, 2007 9:32:54 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Yummy! I've even converted P-funk to sniffing yarn...not eating it yet though.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007 6:29:51 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Absolutely stunning! Both that gorgeous scarf and photo!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007 7:33:52 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I actually will wear wool footies - even more than socks - but I have a lot of slides in the house. The ones you made from the Japanese book are yummy.

It's so interesting when patterns have a second Renaissance. I made the Chevron Scarf in a single color in January 2005, but I'm dying to make it all over again in two colors now. It does seem like a great way to use those oddball skeins. It's cool that you're using the willow-colored Gems, too. I have that exact stuff left over and it looks a lot more appealing to me now. Thanks for the eye candy! Love your photography, by the way.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007 8:50:07 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Oh I love the scarf you making. Beautiful colors. I also love Sundara yarns. As for the single sock skein syndrome ... how about ankle/leg warmers to go over the anklets during the cooler months? Wear contrasting colors and patterns. Might start a new trend or fashion statement. M-m-m-m, I just thought that up!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007 12:55:53 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thanks for sharing -- I LOVE non-curling scarf patterns (I found you via good to be girl's blog)!
Thursday, April 12, 2007 11:40:25 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Isn't that the happiest little scarf ever?

Love it! I like the pattern better than the chevron too.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 11:23:54 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Very Pretty! :-)
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