New Habit scarf recipe by Rose White (yarnivore on Ravelry)
I designed this scarf using a texture pattern that Franklin Habit (franklin)recently deciphered from an antique knitting pattern, ladys-travelling-cap-1847, which was published in the Deep Fall 2010 Knitty . I wrote Franklin to confirm that he would approve this usage, and he said he'd be \*honored and delighted" -- and I'm honored and delighted that he said so! My scarf is knitted with 4 ounces of Spunky Eclectic Handpaint Corriedale, spun to 16wpi, and 220 yards, but which knits up more like a DK weight (11wpi) yarn, due to its being a bit dense. It's soft enough for next-to-the-neck wear. I chose to knit on size 8 needles to provide more drape for the scarf.
Texture Pattern (Worked over an even number of sts):
Row 1 [RS]: K1, [k2tog] to last st, k1. Row 2 [WS]: [K1, m1] to last 2 sts, k2. Row 3 [RS]: K all sts. Row 4 [WS]: K1, p to end. Note that if changes of color are desired, they should be made at the beginning of this row! Repeat Rows 1-4 for Texture Pattern. For my scarf, I've knitted 28 stitches for a scarf 6 inches wide. If you're getting a different gauge with your chosen yarn and needles, but you like the fabric, just go with it! Pick a scarf width that YOU like, and figure out how many stitches to cast on and knit for that. Remember, as Elizabeth Zimmerman taught us: You are the boss of your knitting! This texture pattern lies flat and blends the colors of striping handspun beautifully, making it a good choice for a scarf or perhaps even a shawl. It would also be a fine way to use smaller balls of handspun in stripes. Like most knitting, the scarf will benefit from blocking - either a dunk in warm water or at least steam blocking, to help the wool yarn settle into nice, even stitching. Happy knitting!
