Just adding this link because I referred to it elsewhere! Susan Rainey’s Improved I-Cord Cast On
July 15, 2023
July 13, 2023
From Susan — Off to Camp
It’s been four years since the last Meg Swansen’s Knitting Camp. I, of course, went with Kim in years past. This year I’m traveling solo. I started a project a couple of weeks ago that should be perfect Camp knitting: round and round stockinette! It’s Alpine Bloom in Spincycle and BeWoolen Pigments.
The Spincycle is from Harriet and Alice in their special colorway called Hot Dish. That’s Minnesotan for casserole.
Addendum: I’m at Camp! It’s really great to be here. It seems on the low-key side, which I’m fine with!
July 1, 2023
From Susan — A Big, Big Sophie
ETA: Easy Does It predates Sophie…
There are so many “Sophie Scarf” knock offs out there right now…or is Sophie a knock off? Chicken and egg dilemma I suspect! Here is my original Sophie, which I call Lettie because Lettie thinks it highlights her best feature. I must agree:
The “tie pin” is actually an earring, and makes the scarf really cute, I think!
On June 13 I attended one of Darn Knit Anyway’s delightful river cruises. They are located in the heart of beautiful Stillwater, right at the docks where the river boat cruises launch. Could not be more convenient. You almost have to shop before boarding — how else will you fill the time? I saw this giant Sophie knock off in soft pinks and yellows. I fell in love and bought an Easy Does It kit (4 skeins of Mélange, in color 59). It knit up quickly. The only real difference was that the increases (/decreases) are worked every 6 rows instead of 8.
I started this like my other Sophie, using a provisional cast on for the i-cord so it would be continuous around the points. I also knew that I wanted to improve the look of the increases. I tried MANY iterations and stumbled upon the one that I finally used: a reverse YO, which is then worked on the WS as a right-leaning make one. I put pictures on my project page. It is invisible on the RS and almost invisible on the WS.
One problem that many knitters seem to have with these scarves is knitting the built-in i-cord edges. The thing to remember is that on ALL rows, the first 3 sts look like stockinette sts and the last 3 look like purl sts. When you get to the last 3 sts (the ones that look like purl sts), bring the yarn forward and slip each of the 3 sts one by one as to purl, with the yarn in front. Turn. Now these 3 look like knit sts and the 3 at the other end look like purl sts. You knit the garter sts every row and the i-cord sts every other row, because they are slipped at the end of each row.
Off my soapbox!! This will be my final Sophie-like scarf. At least for now! Here is a picture of the St. Croix River:
