Orange Laciness

Finally finished the Orange Scarf … about a week ago, I guess. Only just now am I realizing that I never blogged about it. So, here it is, in all of its strangely shifting pattern. Basically, I started out doing every right-side row as Snakeskin*, which is what you see at the top of the picture. From there, I shifted to doing Chevrons**, and from Chevrons, did Reverse Chevrons for a couple of repeats (just read the pattern backwards), and then went to doing Horseshoes***. And, finally, finished up with a few more rows of Snakeskin.

Basically, this scarf was to play with the idea of lacemaking, and to see how well I could adapt. I’ve found that it’s OK, but does require more concentration than I’m used to. I’ve now started on Branching Out, but … well, I’ve done two repeats of the pattern & have found that it interferes with anything else, like talking, watching tv, or whatever I used to be able to do while knitting. It’s probably going to work out better when I’m more comfortable with the terminology, and stop having to look at my cheat sheet to figure out what the abbreviations mean. But, until then, it’s going to be a matter of concentration.

I’m also thinking that I need to organize the pattern a bit, ’cause there’re no handy stopping points: I can look about 5 stitches in my head, and lose it after that, so I need to organize the pattern in groups of 5 stitches or something. We’ll see. It at least needs to have a “middle” so that I don’t have to rip back a whole row at a time. Sigh.

*Snakeskin:

Odds: Sl1, K1, K2TogTBL, K3, YO, K1, YO, K3, K2Tog, K2
Even: Sl1, K1, K11, K2

**Chevrons:

1:  K2Tog TBL, K5, YO, K1,  YO, K5, K2Tog
3:  K2Tog TBL, K4, YO, K3,  YO, K4, K2Tog
5:  K2Tog TBL, K3, YO, K5,  YO, K3, K2Tog
7:  K2Tog TBL, K2, YO, K7,  YO, K2, K2Tog
9:  K2Tog TBL, K1, YO, K9,  YO, K1, K2Tog
11: K2Tog TBL,   , YO, K11, YO,   , K2Tog

Evens: Purl

***Horseshoes:

1: Sl1, K2, YO, K3, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K3, YO, K3
3: Sl1, K3, YO, K2, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K2, YO, K4
5: Sl1, K4, YO, K1, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K1, YO, K5
7: Sl1, K5, YO,   , Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO,   , YO, K6

Evens: Sl1, K1, P11, K2

One last thing: if you’ve got a Laser Level sitting around the house? When blocking out a scarf, it’s the perfect thing to keep those long edges straight! I’ve done two scarves with the laser level now, and it’s marvelous! I just set it on a book or something & aim it down the row of where I want to pin, and then everything works out. So long as the ends are relatively equally spaced (pin out both ends first, in other words, so you’ve got two equally spaced starting points), you’re good. Doesn’t help the middle to be straight, but it sure helps the edges, and to make sure you’ve somewhat even tension throughout the piece when it’s left to dry.

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