Scarf II: The Revenge

After I finished my own scarf, I was a bit er, inundated with requests. However, as most of the people requesting didn't really understand the concept of fair pricing (you really can't expect someone to labour a fortnight over a 100% wool scarf then flog it to you for a fiver!), I've only actually taken up one of those requests and just yesterday posted off a rather festive thing to my sister in North Carolina.

For this one I used 2 ply lambswool from Risby Grange, having emailed the proprietors and struck a bargain for big cones of different kinds of wool at £7 per 100g. That meant smaller needles, and then as I got going I started to get very frustrated with the fact I kept having to unravel and restart cos I just couldn't seem to keep the edges straight.

I spoke to my friend Meera who is a very talented hand-embroiderer of ribbons that she sells for people to edge saris with, and she suggested using some of her ribbon along both edges so I could have a bit of leeway for errors and make progress. I took up the idea, and then realised that this thing would have to be lined or the edges would be too stiff for the middle, if you get what I mean?

So, looking for natural fabrics suitable for lining and produced as close to home as possible, I stumbled on Thomas Ferguson's Irish Linen, and we had a winner.

All these super high quality products were starting to intimidate me a bit as I started putting the thing together after I'd finished knitting the length of it. I knew my meagre skill couldn't really do justice to it all as I'm very much an improvisational craftsman in every sense: I just make things up and figure them out as I go, I've never had lessons and don't have time to either, so I just work intuitively and correct/cope with problems as they arise.

But I think it all turned out ok in the end - there was a point where the cotton ran out as I was machine sewing the ribbon on, which made a bit of a blip on the reverse side, but I think my sister will forgive me that as it won't show when it's being worn.

She asked for a figure-of-eight style, with the ends sewn together instead of tassled, so that's what she got. I snapped myself wearing it for her to get a sneak preview before I posted it, so I don't think she'll mind me sharing that with you before it gets to her in the post!