Wednesday 18 May 2016

How long does it take to knit a scarf?

(photo from ebay)
I saw some of this Stylecraft Poodle wool a couple of years ago in a shop in town  and saw from the label '1 ball=1 scarf'.  I'm not a good knitter, in fact I can only do plain stitch and haven't ever progressed from being able to knit a scarf.  I really liked the wool which was lovely and soft, having mohair added in, and thought it looked simple enough for even me to manage. 
 So, I bought some in 'Lavender', took the label off and read the instructions.
 Four pictures, easy to follow, I thought.  However, I was completely baffled by the way the wool looked as there was a black tape at one side, with the wool hanging down from it and for the life of me, I just couldn't work out where the needles went, how you made a stitch or even how to start it off. I looked for help from the Internet and while there were stockists and people who had used it, there were no instructions for a beginner that I could find. I left it for a while...
A year or two later, I came across it again and had a brainwave - I could ask a very good knitter at work and she'd be able to sort it out.  However, she was baffled too.  I asked the lady on the wool stall at the market, but she'd no idea either.  I took it to my Mum, who is also a good knitter and she was stumped .  My mother in law, also a good knitter, couldn't work it out either.  By this time, I was ready to donate it to a good cause.  In the end, my sister worked it out and showed me how to knit it and that the stitches were made using the black tape bit.  I spent an hour or two knitting it up and she finished the ends off.
 Here it is, modelled by a dressmaker's dummy (and very nice she looks in it too).  So, it took me a good two years to knit my scarf and I don't think I shall be rushing to knit myself any more.  (I have since found out that Stylecraft is not making this wool anymore - perhaps other people have been as confused and baffled as we all were!)

12 comments:

  1. Well done. It looks very cosy indeed - and I love that you refused to be defeated.

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    1. Thanks, EC.
      I very nearly did give up, but then thought about all the people I know who are good knitters and who could help! I am pleased with the finished product though and the wool feels lovely.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  2. Lol ...when I saw the subject of your blog post, I said to myself "uh oh!". I must say, I give you huge kudos for being so persistent trying to figure out how to make the scarf. It's pretty....well done. Wear it with pride.
    xxx

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    1. Thanks, Kim. As I am not a knitter, I was so pleased to finally get this finished. Thank goodness my sister was finally able to figure it out! It is a lovely warm scarf though and will be used a lot in winter.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  3. Very frustrating when the instructions are inadequate. Well done for persevering though and the end result looks nice and soft. Lovely colour too xcx

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    1. Thanks, Chrissie and welcome. It made me feel better when all those I asked couldn't work out the instructions either (and they know what they are doing with knitting!). I'm pleased to have got it done though and will enjoy wearing it in the winter. The gradation of colour was what attracted me to the wool in the first place, but if I'd known then what I know now, I might not have bought it!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  4. Sounds as though it was very difficult! Well done for persevering!

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    1. Thanks, Amy. Once we had worked it out, it knitted up really quickly but I won't be rushing to use that wool again!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  5. It looks fab finished and the fact that so many other people were stumped shows it was clearly the instructions and not you!

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    1. Thanks, Josie. I must admit that it did make me feel better when so many good and experienced knitters couldn't work it out either! Even the pictures on the instructions didn't help that much. I do like it now that it is finished though and the wool does feel lovely and soft.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  6. My goodness, no wonder they don't make it anymore ;-)! Such a strange way to be knitting... Well, after all you did make a beautiful scarf out of it! Love from Mirjam.

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    1. Thanks, Mirjam. It was strange until we worked out how to do it! The end result makes all the hard work worth it.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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