I bought a lovely mohair blend with the intention of making the Osaka Scarf (Ravelry link) by ITO Yarns. And then… something else caught my eye.
I was browsing my favourites and felt compelled to cast on Blended Wedges (Ravelry link) by Tricia Mitsberg (designer’s blog). I went and looked at some rainbow yarn colours to make a version similar to the pattern, but managed to get a grip on myself before clicking ‘buy’.
Not before adding to cart – but adding to cart doesn’t cost anything or increase my stash. I add to cart at least once a month. It’s ‘research’.
I’m not sure if I will ever learn that I shouldn’t buy yarn until and unless I a) have a pattern lined up for it, and b) (and this is the crucial one) am ready to cast on that pattern the day the yarn arrives. I ordered this mohair at the start of February, knowing full well that I had two birthday gifts to knit in that time. It was unreasonable to think that my desire to make the Osaka would hold steady for two months.
I reverse engineered the pattern from the images, with the modification of only holding two strands together, not three. It’s all about short rows, and I used a stitch marker to keep track; on the return rows, I knitted till the place is need to w&t on the next row, then placed the marker. I don’t know why I’ve never thought of this before, it was so much better than counting.
At first I thought I’d mis-read the stitches in the photos, as my scarf didn’t look like them at all. I had nice sharp triangles instead of curves. I actually liked it that way – but when I stretched out the work I could all of a sudden see the shapes I was expecting. Blocking magic strikes again!
I love the curves, and I love how wiggly and variable the lines within them are. It looks like the patterns that waves leave in the sand, or light catching ripples in the water.
The only thing now is… the mohair is still quite prickly, even after a soak and light steam. It may need to be rehomed, which would be sad – but would give me the opportunity to make one in those rainbow colours…
I used 4mm needles and about 25g each of four colours, which I bought from Yarn Store by Stay Alive (Etsy link). It’s Mohair Solo (Etsy link) in Jet, Grape, Dusty Pink and Ivory – held double throughout.
The Crafty Yarnster 