#needleworkmonday | Making Spring Scarves - an easy knit

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It's Easter Monday in England, a public holiday. It's raining, of course.

I remember one Easter where it rained the entire weekend, four days non-stop. I sat wrapped in a duvet watching films and eating chocolate eggs. I saw The Graduate for the second time and realised it was funny. That had passed me by the first time, some fifteen years or more earlier.

This Easter, though, I am ready for the rain, with some Spring scarves, just right for when it's still a little cool and you want something around your neck, or you fancy making a chic fashion statement 😁.

I've been very taken with the black neck ties worn by the characters in Our Flag Means Death, simple ribbons worn by men and women, either alone or with more fancy eighteenth century dress.

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Source Rhys Darby and Samson Kayo from Our Flag Means Death, Rhys demonstrating the ornamental black ribbon tie.

Then I came across the Sophie Scarf by PetiteKnit literally all over the knitting Internet. Everyone has either made one, wants one, will make one, has six in different colours. It looked like the perfect choice for trying out my pirate fantasies (the ribbon tie is as far as I am prepared to go with pirate fantasies, I must stress, unlike the film Free Guy where I have made fashion outfits inspired by Guy, @molotovgirl and Antoine).

The Sophie Scarf comes in two sizes: short (wraps around the neck once) and long (wraps around the neck twice, and a little wider). It is fabulously easy for new knitters, mainly garter stitch, i-cord edges (easy to do) and simple increases and decreases. It doesn't need a lot of yarn, and the pattern explains how to adapt the pattern to use up small amounts of wool or other fibre.

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Source The short version - looking fabulous.

Even though the pattern is very easy, I did make mistakes on the first one (or hacked it, depending on your point of view). I left a greater interval between increases and decreases than the pattern gave. I like the thinner version that resulted, it's closer to the neck-tie idea.

I also changed the placement of the increases and decreases, I think that gives a better finish to my knitting. It takes a couple of hours to knit, which is ideal for picking up and putting down. I've made mine in Softyak DK, a lovely mixture of cotton, yak and nylon. It's very soft and silky, and has a beautiful sheen and drape.

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Source Yak is a scarce luxury yarn: each yak produces about 500g of suitable fibre, compared to 5-6kg from a sheep.

Yak is non-allergenic and non-irritating, it is odourless, wicks away moisture and is less prone to pilling than other woollen fibres. It's naturally anti static and anti-microbial. (Source)

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(Source) Long version of the Sophie Scarf. I'm going to use the green yarn for this.

More about yak yarn at Nimble Needles.

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Part of Needlework Monday, the community for everything needles, fibre and fabric (FAQs).

Founded by @crosheille supported by @marblely, @kattycrochet, @lauramica, @neumannsalva and @romeskie.



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27 comments
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Happy Easter @Shanibeer Stitching, knitting and cooking are my important hobbies. I am quite well in these skills. You had great choice of colors. I like the long version of the scarf. I can only survive with it in winter season.

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Hello @hmmmhmm 😍
You'll enjoy this community. Look forward to seeing your posts.

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I love 18th century fashion and this scarf, although it is not exactly the same, looks beautiful, it is a chic version as you say, I am sorry that my climate does not allow me to wear something like this, although many who live in Europe love tropical countries , here it is difficult to dress cute without ending up sweating 😆

HUGS

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I have wondered whether the scarves will make it from the spring to the summer, even in England 😃. The yarn is cotton and yak mix, though, so cool to the touch and wicks moisture, so maybe even comfortable to wear in hot temperatures. I will report back later whether it is cool to wear 😂.

But you have a cute haircut, cool, too, no need of a chic scarf 😍

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It is so fulfilling to be able to create your own fashion yourself. Great for the brain and soul while you are doing it, fun when looking fashionable out and about, and probably even makes for nice affordable gifts if you make the time.

I have a scarf I love pulling out when winter comes along but think I may need some 18th century styles now!

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to be able to create your own fashion.

Sometimes, it's the only way to have your own fashion 😁

Look how that 18th Century grabs your attention!

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I've never seen yak yarn! I didn't know it was non-allergenic. I may have to look for some, I react to sheep wool now. ;(
!BEER

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It's super soft and nice. I think it is often mixed with cotton. The one I'm using has a chainette structure to make it lighter. Let me know if you find something!

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It's very good to knit in a few hours. That's pretty fast. My mother used to knit and it used to take her two days to knit a cloth. Ah, it snowed and rained for a week in my village this year and I did what you did 😂

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It's nice to have some things that give a fast result, especially when larger or more complicated items take a lot of time. A week of rain ... which part of the world are you in? 🙂

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I'm in Turkey but that was just predictions and changed right now 😂

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Ah, okay 😁

My sister is in Cyprus, she talks about the rain and sometimes snow in the winter. Rain a lot, though!

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Yeah it really rains a lot here and Cyprus 🌧️

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Yak yarn sounds pretty impressive !
The Graduate is a great film - I aint seen it in ages !
!ALIVE
!PIZZA

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Yes, it was fun! I was wondering whether it was time to watch again, another two decades on 😂. The whole wool thing is another world, I'm only at the start of it.

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(Edited)

Love those littles scarfs you made ! I was searching for some exactly like that few years ago... Maybe I should have started to knitting one :D Mmmh, this yak yarn must be incredible !

I'm so very tempted haha !

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Would you have time with your gardening? 😁
It's good for the winter when you want to cosy up - the scarf and the knitting!

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Oh, we didn't start yet ! Not for real as the purchase is still ongoing :) But for June it should be good and we'll start to prepare the land for planting the trees in winter... But you're right, it's totally a winter task ^^ !

I wish you a good weekend 😘

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