Introduction
This scarf was created as part of a scarf design project of the EnVisions forum. Some of us were designing knitwear for the first time, some were more experienced designers. The project was meant to last for a long time, months. My scarf was completed in three days... The Banananas scarf was born when a lovely, merinowoolly ball of sock yarn literally jumped into my lap from out of the caches of my yarn boxes. The ball wanted to be knit immediately, and while l stroked the skein against my cheek, it whispered beautiful words of grace into my ear: "I want to be a banana... I want to be a pineapple... I want cables... I want garter stitch... I want lots and lots of bobbles and tassels... And I want to be used to the last meter!" Guess if I could resist the temptation. In the end, my joyfully yellow skein (the color's name is sunshine) was transformed into a boomerang-shaped scarf. The form came from the banana, the cable patterns resemble a pineapple's (ananas in Finnish) surface, and the color fits both fruits. Which is where the name Banananas came from (some will surely notice a little reference to Pratchett's Discworld novels). Attach cords and a couple of bobbles to the tips of the scarf and it's finished. Due to its form, it wraps itself nicely around shoulders and neck. For this scarf, you can use even the last meter of your ball of yarn, if you only make all the bobbles at the same time...
Yarn
Fyberspates Vivacious 4 ply (1o0 % merino wool; 400 yd (365 m) / 3.5 0z (100 g)), color Sunshine (no. 604), yardage 400 yd (365 m) / 3.5 0z (100 g). The scarf itself used up 3 0z (85 g) / 340 yd (310 m). The rest of the yarn can be coiled into tassels and cords. Alternatively, any similar yarn with yardage 390-460 yd (360-420 m) / 3.5 0z (100 g).
Gauge
20 sts and 28 rows = 4 in (10 cm) garter stitch (blocked)
Needles
Straight or circular needles, size US 7 (4.5 mm). Adjust if needed to obtain correct gauge.
Other materials
Cardboard for making the tassels/bobbles.
Size
Wingspan 72 % in (184 cm), depth at center 7 in (18 cm).
Directions
Before you start
le instructions, charts, key and abbreviations carefully before you start knittine The charts show RS as well as WS rows. Odd-numbered rows are RS rows, even-numbered rows are WS rows. RS rows are read from right to left and wS rows from left to right. m1 (make 1) = Knit the horizontal strand between two stitches tbl.
Scarf
CO 4 sts to one size US 7(4.5 mm) needle and k 3 rows. Row 1 (RS): k2, m1, k2 (= 5 sts) Row 2 (WS): k all sts Row 3 (RS): k2, m1, k3 (= 6 sts) Row 4 (wS): k all sts Row 5 (RS): k2, m1, k1, k2tog, k1 (= 6 sts) Row 6 (wS): k all sts Row 7 (RS): k2, m1, k4 (= 7 sts) Row 8 (ws): k all sts Row 9 (RS): k2, m1, k until 3 sts left, k2tog, k1 Row 10 (wS): k all sts Row 11 (RS): k2, m1, k rem Row 12 (Ws): k all sts
Rep rows 9-12 until there are 37 sts on the needle and the last row knit was row 12 Knit chart 1 once. Knit chart 2 twice. Knit chart 3 once. Cont knitting as follows: Row 1 (RS): k1, ssk, k rem Row 2 (WS): k all sts Row 3 (RS): k1, ssk, k until 2 sts left, m1, k2 Row 4 (wS): k all sts Rep rows 1-4 until there are 4 sts left on the needle and the last row knit was row 2. K1 row. BO loosely: k1, (k1, lift the first stitch over the last stitch you knit) until all sts are bound off. Break yarn and pull through last st.
Finishing
Wet the shawl, dry with clean towel, block to measurements as shown in the image and let dry. Make two 20 in (5o cm) long cords and attach them to the tips of the shawl, e.g. by threading them through the fabric and then knotting, or by sewing them to the shawl's tips using leftover yarn. Make four bobbles or tassels 2 % in (6 cm) in diameter and attach them to the ends of the cords. Weave in ends.
Charts
Chart 1
Chart 2
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Chart 3
Key : RS: k1, WS: p1 .: RS: p1, WS: k1 m: mitbl (k the horizontal strand between two sts tbl) :k2tog :ssk : 1/1RC (sl 1 st to cn, hold in back, k1, k1 from cn) : 1/1LC (sl 1 st to cn, hold in front, k1, k1 from cn) : 1/1RPC (sl 1 st to cn, hold in back, k1, p1 from cn) : 1/1LPC (sl 1 st to cn, hold in front, p1, k1 from cn) : 2/2RC (sl 2 sts to cn, hold in back, k2, k2 from cn) odd-numbered rows are RS rows
Abbreviations
BO bind off cn cableneedle cast on cont continue k knit k2tog knit 2 stitches together as one purl rep repeat RS right side sl slip ssk sl 2 knitwise, insert left needle into slipped stitches and knit tbl st stitch sts stitches tbl through back loop WS wrongside
