A couple of FOs

Finally, after several months of hard work I have finished my Thelonious socks and I feel like I understand better how travelling lace patterns work.



I have also finished the stripy scarf I showed off in my last post.  For a scarf in knit 1 purl 1 rib it simply flew by, the chunky yarn helped, as did the mesmerising colours.  In fact I do have to admit that I have been plotting more similar scarves and wondering if there is a limit to how many stripy scarves one person needs.  The scarf is lovely to wear, smooshy, soft, squishy and elastic and I am hoping it will brighten up the winter.



This finishing has not left me bereft of knitting though, I am beginning seriously on Christmas knitting, early though it seems, these projects take time.

Stripes before my eyes

Five years behind the trend, I have started knitting a Noro Striped scarf, using Jared Flood's instructions and am finding it utterly compelling knitting. It is very much "just another row" knitting, or rather in this case "just another stripe".
 
I would also recommend it as a soothing, almost meditative knit. When I was planning this scarf I was worried about getting bored of knitting a knit one-purl one rib for the entire length of a scarf, so I bought some now discontinued Noro Silk Garden Chunky from Black Sheep Wools at a discount. Although the boredom has turned out not to be a factor I am still glad I went with the chunky weight. It is becoming a thick, soft, stretchy and squishy scarf and judging by the weight of it draped across my lap as I type, should be gorgeously warm.
 
Naturally being Noro there is the odd unfathomably itchy bit and the occasional bit of straw/grass/vegetable matter but I am being fairly successful at picking those out and with a wash it should be fine. Silk Garden is definitely the softest of the Noro yarns I have used so far and I am definitely thinking of giving the sock weight a whirl - Noro striped socks here I come?

 P.S. While we're on the subject of socks, I should have some finished sock photos to share tomorrow.