I knit it up in less than 10 glorious hours! This was such a fun knit and I am thrilled with the result. I knit it up using Bernat Satin in a cream colour (I have so much Bernat Satin in the stash...it's top of the line Zeller's yarn!). Anywho, I knit it on US7 and, like Sam, I also knit it in two separate halves (13 pattern repeats on each side) grafting them at the centre so that the ends would match. Bonus, I love the flowery pattern created by the graft-line.
It is only after I had completed it and started looking up how this blocking thing works anyway (would you believe I've never blocked anything in my life before) that I learned that acrylic is apparantly "unblockable." Imagine my horror! There were some ramblings here and there about killing acrylic (which frankly sounds too violent - afterall, this was a satisfying knit) and others about steam blocking by hovering a steaming iron over the garment (without touching it) and letting it cool and dry before unpinning and handling it.
I tried the latter. Not only was it quick, but the results were terrific (the pic below shows the scarf half blocked - I didn't have enough pins to block the whole thing at once). The Bernat Satin softened up considerably to near cashmerey goodness and the pattern really opened up notwithstanding the gained 1 1/2 inches in the width of my scarf and an extra foot in length. My finished scarf is 7 inches wide by 60 inches long.
Well that's another Christmas gift down. This one for my mother. I think she'll love it ;0)
Cheers!
P.S.: I found that writing down each row of the pattern on a separate index card and flipping as I got to each row minimised frustrating screw-ups. Will definately do that again in the future for pattern repeats. Just one of the many tips that I picked up by reading this thread on Craftster.
It looks fantastic! My BO had 14 repeats per side. I'm so glad it worked out for you with the grafting. It looks like I may have started something, eh? *lol*
ReplyDeleteSteam blocking and "killing the acrylic" are one in the same (or so I've been told). I didn't do that to my BO, but I still have time to decide. It kind of makes me nervous. Then again, me holding an iron isn't a typical sight in my house! :)
Great tip about the index cards ... that is something I will have to keep in mind for the next time I do a pattern like this. :)
it's beautiful! such a great job you did - your mother will love it!
ReplyDeleteYou put me to shame friend. I started my branching out awhile ago and still nowhere close to being done. I can't motivate myself to concentrate on it. Yours turned out very marvelous!
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