As with so many things, I procrastinated on making the tassels for this scarf, and in the end they only took an hour.
I’ve heard it said that procrastination can be a symptom of perfectionism. In this case, the thought of getting all the strands the right length and then positioning them evenly across the scarf are both things that can be tricky. But then again… not that tricky when you actually just get in and do it. I did reposition the first side after I was done to get them a bit more even but even that was the work of minutes.
The end result is, as ever, an impressive scarf. Over-sized doesn’t cover it. But it can’t be any other way – it has to be larger than life, a real statement piece.
I always stretch the scarves out brutally – not only to achieve the extra length but also to give pronounced rowing to mimic the on-screen scarf. On this occasion I’ve very much overshot the mark and ended up with a scarf that’s nearly 23 feet long, once you include the tassels. This is too long, really, particularly given that the recipient is of shorter stature, like me, and the rowing is excessively obvious. Can’t unring the bell, though, and it’s certainly completely unique.
I wouldn’t want this level of stretch in any other garment but when you think of everything the Doctor’s scarf has been through it’s understandable that it’s well-worn. There’s actually a couple of wee bits in this scarf that escaped the steamer so I may bring it back out to even things up… but even if I don’t, I think it’s OK. While I am a person who struggles with imperfection, I know my pal won’t think twice about it.
It’s a bit wibbly-wobbly, and the excessive stretching does make the scarf thinner and less cosy… but then there’s 23 feet of it to wind round yourself so you’re guaranteed to be toasty. It can also double as a blanket if you drape it artfully over your lap. I don’t hate the idea of making it into an actual blanket one of these days – this scarf could easily have been a baby or lap blanket just by cutting the stripes and sewing together side to side. One for the ‘maybe one day’ pile.
All details of pattern and yarn can be found in my previous post, which I’ll certainly use as a reference for myself in future.
The Crafty Yarnster 