28 December 2013

The Lamberhurst Scarf

Lamberhurst Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I love this time of year. The almost-chaotic build up to the holiday season has passed and a quiet contentment has set in. Good food, good company and lots of plans for the year ahead.

Many people feel a bit gloomy at the thought of the long, dark winter evenings ahead, but for us knitters this is not an issue. If it's cold outside, you can curl up in front of a warming fire and either start working on an item that have been languishing for a while in the "To Do" basket or start a brand new project.

Well, here's a new scarf pattern that might be a good choice for that fire-side knitting session — the Lamberhurst Scarf. I designed this as a man's scarf, but with a different choice of yarn or colour it could just as easily work for ladies too.
Lamberhurst Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I started knitting this on my birthday earlier this month. It wasn't one of those "special" birthdays, nothing with a '0' or a '5' at the end, but each one counts doesn't it?

However, I got to musing on previous birthdays and I recall one unusually warm December day walking in Lamberhurst in Kent. We had togged ourselves up with mittens and scarves, but on that day they weren't needed. So we carried them in our hands as we walked along and enjoyed the winter sunshine slanting through the trees.

I expect had we been walking there today it might have been a different story, as it's very chilly right now!
Lamberhurst Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The scarf worked up quickly as the pattern is easily memorised. This was for a draped scarf which falls to about jacket length. I like this length of scarf because it has enough width to cross over at the chest for extra warmth when required but is also very easy to tuck it into the opening of a jacket.

Then when that one was done, I found I still had a lot of yarn left over so I made a second version! My brother was dropping a lot of hints that he would like a new scarf for the winter, so I worked this second one for him. This one was a little slimmer and longer as he likes scarves which can be wrapped and folded multiple times around the neck. Longer scarf lengths are so good for artistic wrapping and folding too. Have a look at this earlier blogpost for some more ideas on that.

Then later I went on to make a chunky winter version too and have included instructions for all three scarves in the pattern.
Folds in the rocks, Canadian Rockies, photo for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The stitch pattern was taken from our new book, Reversible Knitting Stitches and is one of those rare examples when an easy stitch looks complicated. Isn't is great when it works that way around!

I love the texture of this stitch. It catches the light in such an interesting way and gives a wonderful graphic feel. However, as I worked I found that it also reminded me of some wonderful rock formations we had seen a while back where layers of rock had been squeezed and tilted into fan-like shapes.

I love examples like this, of a design which feels so dynamic and modern yet which has echoes of something timeless.

For more details about the Lamberhurst Scarf knitting pattern, please click here. The pattern is available for instant download from the site so you can kick-back and start your fireside knitting tonight.

Happy Knitting!

Moira
Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs

Last blogpost: At the end of a row . . .
Next Up: The Four-Way Wrap

​​​​​Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Patterns/Mens Scarves,
scarf, scarves, reversible scarf, reversible pattern, reversible stitch, knitting stitch, zig-zg pattern, chevron pattern,

04 December 2013

At the end of a row.

Ocean Currents Blanket by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
A lady walked into the knitting group I was in a few years ago and sat down at the same table as another knitter, Margaret, and myself. She hadn't been to the meeting before and seemed a bit quiet. Then she asked us, "Where do you join in a new ball of yarn?"

Almost speaking together, we both said "Usually at the end of a row...", which when you come to think about it is not especially helpful.

So when is it usual to make the join at the end of a row? When is it not?

She proceeded to pull out a baby blanket she had been working on and showed us the large holes that had developed all the way through it. She looked close to tears. She had been told by someone to "just drop and take", ie to work to the end of your yarn, drop it, join in a new ball and continue on.

And that was what she had done, quite literally. She had worked right to the very last cm and then neatly pulled the next end to line up with it so as not to waste a single scrap of yarn. Of course, as the blanket came out of the knitting bag and went away again these ends had gradually unravelled to give the sorry-looking item we saw before us.

Margaret and I sat and honed our Kitchener stitch skills, bringing in extra lengths of yarn to reattach everything and finishing all the ends off, and by the end of the evening there was quite a reasonable baby blanket and a happy knitter.

I was thinking about this the other day while finishing off the Sawston Infinity Scarfand thought it might make a good blogpost as a bit of a "Finishing Primer." So here are four scenarios for where to join in your yarn ends.
Derwent Cove Cushions by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
#1 - Always at the end of a row

When I am working a piece of flat knitting, then I will almost always add a new ball of yarn at the end of a row. The yarn tails can then be worked into the spare material at the seam after the work is completed, and sometimes can even be used to help with the joining together of the pieces.

Then there are some stitch patterns such as Stocking Stitch/Stockinette St which can be really spoilt if there is a join in the middle of the row. It is hard to disguise the bulk of any yarn ends behind Stocking Stitch no matter how neatly they are worked in, so I always want these to be at the side where they will be less noticeable.

The same goes for Garter Stitch, as the joins can often disrupt the regular surface of the patterning. So I will position these joins at the side as well, as in the Derwent Cove Cushions above.

Colour work usually requires yarns to be brought in at the sides, except for specific techniques such as Intarsia. If there are many colour changes in a small area then I might choose to stagger these a bit, if possible, but usually it is best if these are right at the end.

For circular knitting, a new ball can be joined in at the end of a round or at the half-way point, which equates to the other side "seam".
Half-way point for end of yarn - diagram by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Design
And to figure out if you have enough yarn to get to this point, plan for this as soon as you see the yarn ball looking a bit 'thin'. Unwind the remaining length of yarn and double it over to find the half-way point. Make a loose overhand knot at this point.

​Now knit to the other side or to the next position where a join could work. Did you get to the knot and have to undo it already?

If so, there is insufficient yarn to work another row and you should join in a new ball. If not, then undo the previous knot, fold the yarn end in half again and put a new loose knot into position to repeat.
Elizabeth Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Design
#2 - Almost at the end of a row

I don't like having joins at the very edges of scarves, shawls, afghans and throws. So I will always position these at the inner edge of a border, or somewhere inconspicuous about 2-3cm/1 inch in from the Selvedge/Selvage.

In the Elizabeth Scarf above, this is where the Garter Stitch border meets the central pattern.
Lamberhurst Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Design
Also, I'm a little unconventional as to my method of joining in a new yarn end at this point. What I do is to leave the old yarn tail on the Wrong Side (WS), then I bring in the new ball on the Right Side (RS). I dangle the new tail there, take the yarn to the back and loop it underneath the old tail to lock them together. Then I continue on.

This means that I have the two yarn tails at opposite sides of the work and can give them a gentle tug to hold that join snugly without having to knot the ends together. Then later I use a tapestry needle to take the new yarn tail through the work to the back and finish it off. (BTW, this is a teaser look at the new Lamberhurst Scarf pattern coming soon!)
Finishing off ends, Sawston Cowl by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
#3 - To suit the pattern

There are some patterns that really lend themselves to using every last piece of yarn. Cables are one of those. I will work to the centre of a cable crossing point knowing that I can later bury the yarn end deep into the textural folds on the WS of the cable design.

Ribbing is another case in point, as it is really easy to lose a yarn end down in the depths of the purl stitches in the rib, as in the Sawston Infinity Scarf pictured here.

Some lace designs work well this way too. Just make the transition between the old and new yarns at a point where there is enough space to weave the yarn tails into the back of the work. This often gives a better result than having multiple yarn ends being finished at the same location down the side, especially since the front edges are such a real feature of a lace shawl.

This type of joining is especially useful for reversible designs where both sides are the "Right Side".
Ocean Currents Blanket by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
#4 - Almost anywhere

However, there are many knitting projects where it really doesn't matter where you join in your new yarn. Rugs and blankets with strongly textured patterns would be good examples of this since the yarn ends will be safely hidden away on the wrong side. I often take liberties with yarn tails if the rows are very long too, as it would use up too much yarn to wait until you got to the other side.

Spinners will often meld a new ball of yarn with the old by splicing the ends together and gently working the twist across the join so that it holds securely. That way you can join in a new ball almost anywhere. This is especially useful for all-wool yarns, but I wouldn't normally advocate that for slippery yarns or machine-washable fibres which have been coated or treated to resist felting.

For these yarns I would suggest using a tapestry needle to work the yarn tails in opposite directions, either working at a bit of an angle or "Swiss Darning" the yarn end into the back of the stitch so that it is as neat as possible. I like to double back and just work the final end in the opposite direction to make sure everything is really secure, possibly even drawing the yarn through a strand to hold that end firmly in place.

Hopefully, if you carefully plan these ahead of time, then you will always have wonderful inconspicuous joins - and no holes in your next project.

I'll be back next time for the final blogpost of the year with news of that new men's scarf I talked about earlier.

Happy Knitting!

Moira 
Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs

Previous Blogpost: To Infinity and Beyond...
Next Up: The Lamberhurst Scarf

​​​​​Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Knitting/Tips & Techniques,
finishing techniques, joining in yarn, joins, sewing in ends, end of a ball, do I have enough yarn, zR-231114

28 November 2013

To Infinity and Beyond...

Sawston Cowl & Infinity Scarf  by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
You have to admire Mathematicians. They figure out how to do remarkable things like calculate the distance from here to some distant planet, and how to make a three-dimensional object which only has a single side!
Moebius Strip diagram for Sawston Cowl & Infinity Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
We have all done this experiment at school, haven't we — you take a strip of paper, give it a half-twist and fasten it together. Then you start tracing a line with your pencil and before you know it you are back at the beginning and, what's more, you're still on the same side!

Wikipedia informs me that this was discovered by two German Mathematicians, one called August Ferdinand Möbius in 1858, and he gave his name to what we now know as the Mœbius strip.

In the 1930's some MÅ“bius designs were seen in the work of the fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet. Then in the 1980's, Elizabeth Zimmermann realised that you could work this idea into knitting and that the twist made the item sit beautifully around your neck. The MÅ“bius Scarf was born.

These have become high fashion items over the last few years and wonderfully oversized versions can be seen in all the leading magazines. Referred to by their other name "Infinity Scarves", they have been featured on catwalks, runway shows and television programmes.
Sawston Cowl & Infinity Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The pattern I am featuring today is called the Sawston Cowl and Infinity Scarf and there are two different versions. The long scarf in the photo at the top of this page is warm and cozy and can be worn open with a nice "pocket" for your hands like a muffler. Alternatively,  it can be doubled up to give a wonderful sense of warmth around your neck on a cold day.

The shorter cowl version gives a wonderfully cozy light-weight covering for your neck and is easy to slip into a pocket or pop over your head as you head home.

Both are especially comfortable to wear as they are made from one of the softest wool fibres around, the Bluefaced Leicester, or BFL for short.
BFL Sheep, photo for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The BFL sheep breed was developed in the North of England over the 18th and 19th centuries and became acknowledged as a separate breed in the early 20th century. Now it is one of the most highly prized breeds in England and is also well represented in a number of other countries.

The fibre is soft and fine, measuring about 22-25 microns (close to the range of merino, which is usually about 18-24 microns). The wool is lustrous and items made from this yarn drape beautifully. The fibres have very smooth scales on the surface so the wool does not felt easily and is comfortable to wear. It also takes dye very well so good strong colours can be obtained.

One lovely BFL yarn that I like to work with is West Yorkshire Spinner's "WYS Bluefaced Leicester DK”. This is a wonderful yarn and I have used it many times, especially to make items for people who usually find wool itchy to wear.
Sawston Cowl & Infinity Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
And now for Wovember, here are some facts about the Bluefaced Leicester breed:
  • The Bluefaced Leicester is one of three Leicester breeds, which also includes Border Leicesters and Leicester Longwool sheep.
  • The BFL sheep is so named because the skin on the face has a blue tinge. The wool is white!
  • They are large sheep, with adult ewes weighing about 80Kg (175 lbs) and rams about 115Kg (250 lbs). However, their average fleece weighs only 2-3 Kg (4-6 lbs).

If you haven’t tried Bluefaced Leicester wool yet, try knitting with some this month! You're in for a treat!

For more details of the Sawston Cowl and Infinity Scarf knitting pattern, please click here. The pattern is available for immediate download from the site.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this mini exploration of some of the many sheep breeds available for knitters to use. I’ll be back next time with a topic that vexes many people – when do you join in a new ball of yarn?

Until then – Happy BFL knitting!

Moira 
Keywords: Patterns/Women’s Scarves & Wraps,
scarf, scarves, wrap, knitted scarf, reversible scarf, reversible stitch, knitting stitch, Blue Faced Leicester sheep, BFL, wool,

10 November 2013

Two strands held together...

Maine Line Yarn for Elizabeth Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I am continuing my month-long look at sheep and wool as part of the on-going Wovember celebrations that are happening right now, and today I am going to look at Merino sheep.

They say that no learning is ever wasted, and that really proved to be the case for me with machine knitting. I had two knitting machines some years ago, one for standard-gauge and one for chunky. The chunky one would work up every yarn that I was using for hand knitting – even a Lopi sweater that had stalled in my hand-knitting basket was completed on this machine.

However, it was the standard-gauge knitting machine that was really an eye opener, with its punch-card patterning, the ease of shaping a garment from a hand-drawn outline and the wonderful range of additional yarn options using coned yarn.

I had never really appreciated coned yarns before, thinking that they were purely for machine use or weaving. However, when you use them doubled or even trebled then they can easily be used for hand knitting too.
Elizabeth Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
For example, one of the versions of the Elizabeth Scarf pattern is worked using a DK merino wool yarn called Swish from Knit Picks. However, I had recently purchased some wonderful coned yarn at a machine knitting yarn store in Massachusetts and decided to work a version of the scarf using two strands of this yarn held together. 

This was worked from a cone of Jaggerspun "Maine Line 2/8" yarn which is a wonderfully soft 100% merino wool yarn. I was actually spoilt for choice for colours in this range as you can see from the shade card at the top of this post. In the end I settled on this one, Emerald, which is wonderful deep forest green shade. 

I pre-washed the yarn in my usual way (and please click here for more info on that), and then wound the yarn into two balls. Holding the two yarn ends together gave a super-toasty result. The separate strands trap air between them, making a light-weight but cozy combination. And that is not the only benefit of using coned yarns: they are often spun a little tighter too, which reduces pilling and makes the final fabric stronger.

Jaggerspun also make a few other varieties of yarn, including a "Superfine Merino" that would be fabulous for this scarf, and they have a list of distributors on their website. In the UK, Uppingham Yarn have whole rooms of coned yarns, including a wonderfully soft lambswool yarn spun by Z Hinchliffe in Denby Dale, West Yorkshire.
Merino stamp photo for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Lambswool is the short and springy fibre that comes from the first shearing season, and the material for the coned yarn from Z Hinchliffe is sourced from Geelong in Australia. Merino sheep have been bred here for generations and some of the finest and softest yarns have come from this part of the world. They are so prized that they have even made their way onto some Australian stamps!

And here are some sheepy facts relating to the Merino sheep:
  • Dwayne Black from Australia went into the record books in 2007 by shearing a merino lamb in 53.88 seconds!
  • Merino wool generally measures less than 24 microns in diameter, but Ultrafine merino can be as fine as just 10 microns.
  • Spanish breeders developed the Merino breed in the 13th and 14th centuries, and even up to the 18th century exporting any animals from this breed was punishable by death.

​Try using two strands of merino yarn held together the next time you fancy knitting something special, and enjoy the extra yarn options that that opens up!

If you would like more details of the Elizabeth Scarf pattern, then please click here. Next time, I will be looking at another sheep breed, and this time it will be the fabulously soft Blue-Faced Leicester.

Until then – Happy Knitting!

Moira
Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs

Previous Blogpost: It's Wovember!
Next Up: To infinity and beyond

​​​​Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Doubled Yarns,
merino wool, wool, yarn, coned yarn, using two ends of yarn held together, scarf, scarves,zR-231114

01 November 2013

It's Wovember!

Sheep in the Brecon Beacons, Photo by Tim Ravenscroft for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
No – that's not a spelling mistake! November 1st sees the start of a month‐long Celebration of Wool. This began in 2011 as a campaign to encourage everyone to wear, use and appreciate this most basic, fundamental and remarkable fibre.

And this year they are co-ordinating with the well-known Campaign for Wool for a whole series of events with ideas on how you can make more of wool. There are links to current activities and photographs from shepherds raising sheep, shops selling wool yarn and crafters using 100% wool.
Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
So I am going to join in the celebrations this month by highlighting projects using my patterns that can be worked in 100% wool. I'll also be talking about different sheep breeds that have been used for those projects and throwing in some interesting woolly facts along the way.

Today, I am going to feature the Rare Earth Rug and Rare Earth Cushions knitting patterns. These were inspired by the trees outside my studio window in New England the first winter we were living there. I had never experienced a winter in these northerly climes before and was amazed at how early in the season the first snowflakes started to fall.

​Indeed the trees still had a wealth of colour in their branches when the first snows arrived, coating every limb with a dusting of white. It was truly magical.
Spinning for Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Yarns for Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I decided to see if I could capture those impressions in a handspun rug.

Earlier that year I had purchased a wonderful "bicolour" fleece with shades of black and grey which seemed to echo the colours I was seeing outside. I separated out the colours and carded them separately, then blended them together with some bright white wool to give 5 different shades.

I then sat with my spinning wheel, cozily ensconced indoors while the snow continued to drift down. I wrapped a card with the patterning I had in my mind and compared it with the new vision from the window. Unfortunately, everything was now blanketed with snow! However, I still had the mental image of how it had been earlier.

I love the fact that you can get such a wonderful range of colours in wool without having to step near a dye‐pot! Not only does this make the whole spinning process simpler, but the yarn is so soft and warm without the addition of any chemicals or harsh treatment.
Rare Earth Cushions by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
It was still snowy when I completed the rug several weeks later. I had spun a generous amount of yarn to make sure I had enough and still had quite a bit of the yarn left over. So I set to and made some cushions to match. I even managed to find some great sheepy buttons to finish them off!

Now, of course, you don't have to do what I did and start with a fleece and a spinning wheel to make these items, as there are great resources available right in your local yarn store. Cascade 220 or Knit Picks Wool of the Andes are both excellent alternatives.
Corriedale Sheep, photo for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The fleeces I used came from Corriedale sheep raised in Wisconsin. This is a breed that came to the USA in the early 20th century and was derived from a Merino‐Lincoln cross in New Zealand and Australia. The wool still shows the softness of its merino ancestry, but has the extra length from its Lincoln parent too.
Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
And to finish, I promised some fun facts on sheep and wool:
  • Sheep were domesticated between 9,000 and 11,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, roughly where Iraq, Syria and Turkey are now.
  • Wool can absorb nearly 30% of its weight in water, yet gives off heat when it dries – so hill walkers always prefer wearing woollen trousers to denim.
  • Wool is also fire resistant, tending to smoulder or even go out in a fire.

If you would like more details of the Rare Earth Rug pattern please click here, and for the Rare Earth Cushions patterns then click here. Both are available for immediate download from the site.

Until next time ‐ enjoy working with wool!

Moira

Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Previous Blogpost: How long shall I make this scarf?
Next Up: Two strands held together

​​​Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com

Many thanks to my husband Tim for the picture at the top of this blogpost, which shows sheep grazing in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. Please visit his Flickr page to see more of his pictures.
Keywords: Patterns/Cushions,
cushion, cushions, pillows, wool, 100% wool, Corriedale sheep,

29 October 2013

How long shall I make this scarf?

Elizabeth Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
One question I was asked last week is how long a scarf should be, especially when the person is knitting it as a gift. Unfortunately, my answer was: "Well, it depends!" ...  Not very satisfactory, I agree.

So I am going to look at a few scarf patterns to see if I can offer some more suggestions, including the Elizabeth Scarf in the photo above, and my newly‐published pattern, the Beckenham Scarf, pictured below.

I tend to think of the Elizabeth Scarf as a ladies' scarf, and the Beckenham Scarf as one for the men‐folk, but of course this is rather a sweeping generalisation and both could be suitable for anyone on your gift‐list with the right yarn and colour choices.
Beckenham Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Both of these scarves feature reversible stitches which means that they will suit any style of wearing. If a scarf is made from a regular knit stitch, then it is harder for it to look good when casually draped around the neck or thrown over the shoulder. But a reversible scarf can be tucked in a dressy fashion inside an overcoat or allowed to wrap or drape at will, so will suit a variety of uses.

So, how do you choose what length to make your next scarf? Well, the best rule of thumb is that you should make a scarf approximately equal to the height of the person who will be wearing it. This will give a nicely proportioned scarf without being too short for a tall person or swamping a more diminutive figure.

However, you can modify this "rule" by thinking of how the person usually wears their scarves.

Scarf for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​The first category of scarf I think of as Senatorial or Executive. You see this style often at places such as Washington's Dulles airport on a Friday afternoon.

The scarf is neatly draped around the neckline and allowed to hang open with the scarf ends exactly aligned, then the blazer or overcoat is shrugged on over the top.

​If the temperatures start to drop, then one end of the scarf can be folded neatly over the other and the coat buttoned up.

For this style you will want a reasonably narrow scarf, say 15‐20cm/6‐8 ins wide, preferably worked in a soft and fine yarn such as a luxurious merino.

​For the ladies, continue until the scarf measures about 112‐120cm/44‐48 ins long. ​For a man's scarf, 120‐135cm/48‐54 ins would make a good draping length.


Scarf for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​The next style of scarf is for the Active Set.

​It is a bit longer than the previous version, so can either be flipped back over the shoulder or wrapped tightly around the neckline.

This is a popular style for walkers and cyclists. The wrapping gives extra warmth at the point where the wind usually finds a gap at the top of your coat, yet is not trailing to risk getting caught in the spokes of your wheel.

Knit these scarves with a width of 18‐22 cm/7‐9 ins using a cozy medium‐weight wool, and with a length of about 135cm/54 ins for a lady and 150cm/60 ins for a chap.

Scarf for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​That brings us to the Regular Scarf. We all have some of these don't we? They are perfect for most uses – just a good average width and not too long or too short.

If you can't decide what length of scarf to make, then go for this one. It will find a happy home somewhere!

Keep the width as for the last scarf but make the scarf about 165cm/66 ins long for the ladies on your gift list, and 185cm/72 ins for the men.


Elizabeth Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​​The next style is for the Artistic people you know. Adding an extra 15cm/6 ins to the length of the scarf gives extra scope for more innovative wrapping methods.

​One example of this would be the four-way wrap which you can see in the Elizabeth Scarf on the left, beautifully modelled by our daughter Anna!

So for the ladies, aim for 185cm/72 ins long for this style and for the men make it about 200cm/78 ins long.

Beckenham Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​​Or you can go wider. Knitting a 22‐ 25cm/9‐10 ins scarf will give a good wide result, but going further to 28‐ 35cm/11‐14 ins will give a cozy extra width for scrunching and folding into shape.

The chunky Beckenham Scarf shown here, for example, is 28cm/11 ins wide and 185cm/72 ins long.

Scarf for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Then there are the Fashionistas among us! And the trend this year is for super‐long wrapping styles and volume for both ladies and men.

Go for the same width as above but just keep knitting until it looks right for the seriously fashion‐conscious recipient. Just stop before Dr Who might consider wearing it!

For this type of volume‐wrapping continue knitting until the scarf measures about 200‐215cm/78‐84 ins in length.

(Oh, and in case you want to know, there were several Dr Who scarves, and the longest measured a cool 26ft! That's some serious knitting there...) 

I hope that gives you lots of scope to adapt both of these knitting patterns so that everyone on your gift‐list will get just the scarf they were hoping for.

For more details about the all my various scarf pattern for men then please click here, and for the ladies please click here.

​If you would like to explore some reversible stitches so you can design your own reversible scarf, then please read more details about our Reversible Knitting Stitches book here. There is also a gallery of sample pages to look through and the book is available for immediate download from the site.

Happy Knitting!

Moira 
Keywords: Patterns/Mens Patterns, Patterns/Women’s Scarves & Wraps, Pattern Notes/Scarves,
Beckenham Scarf, Elizabeth Scarf, scarf, scarves, scarf length, scarf width, ladies scarf, mens scarf, knitting, reversible knitting, reversible stitch, reversible scarf, zR-231114

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