Steek Boa Scarf Pattern: A Stash-Busting Project with Varied Yarns and Techniques

Mary-Louise Quick, 2006 Blog: Odd Ball Knitting - http://mlqknits.typepad.com/odd_ball_knitting/ Web-site: MLQKnits - http://www.mlqknits.com/ Page 1 of 3

Steek Boa

This is intended as a stash-buster scarf (though it doesn't have to be!), and the pattern can be used with a variety of yarns. I like to make it with a variety of yarn types, but keeping the colour spectrum close together, so my preference is to use 1 chunky yarn (which may also be a fancy yarn), 1 hairy yarn, 1 smooth yarn, and 1 shiny yarn - overall, I'm aiming for a thickness of all the yarns held together about the same as an HB pencil (ie 8 - 10 mm). Examples of some successful recent combinations havebeen 1) Patons ZigZag, Gedifra Soffice, Gedifra Fiocco Oro, 2 strands of DK cotton, 1 strand Twilleys Goldfingering - overall colour sea green / blue, see picture above 2) Louisa Harding Fauve, Louisa Harding Impressions, Rowan Kid Classic, 2 strands Rowan Kidsilk Haze, Rowan Lurex Shimmer (similar to Twilleys Goldfingering), Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Baby - overall colour red - orange (think hot lava!) 3) Adriafil Graphic, Sirdar Country Style DK, Adriafil Kid Mohair, Rowan Kidsilk Haze, Sirdar Silky Look - overall colour pink 4) Adriafil Graphic, 2 different colours Jaeger Matchmaker Merino, Rowan Kid Classic, Cotton DK - overall colour blue

Makes:

Scarf completed measurements - approx 12 inches wide including fringing, and between 5 and 6 foot long, depending on the yarns used.

Requirements:

You need approximately 120 - 130 metres of each of your chosen yarns Some matching plain yarn (about 10 yards) A pair of 10mm needles 9mmcrochethook A pair of scissors

Method:

Cast on 15 stitches, using the e-wrap method, and knit 1 row. Commence pattern: 1st row (RS): Slip 1st stitch knitwise, K5, P1, K1, P1, K6 2nd row (WS): Slip 1st stitch purlwise, P5, K1, P1, K1, P6 @ Mary-Louise Quick, 2006 Blog: Odd Ball Knitting - http://mlqknits.typepad.com/odd_ball_knitting/ Web-site: MLQKnits - http://www.mlqknits.com/ Page 2 of 3 Repeat these 2 rows, until you've used up all but a couple of feet of your combined yarns, then work the final row, as follows: Slip 1st stitch knitwise, K4, cast off middle 5 stitches, K5. Turn the work over to the wrong side; you now need to lock the edges of what will become the scarf, once you've made the fringes (the wrong side will have 2 knit stitch ridges running up the middle of the work). Now using your crochet hook, and a matching plain yarn, you need to run a chain stitch through the middle of every purl stitch in the column of purl stitches outside the knit stitch ridge. This doesn't need to be done too tightly; the scarf will stretch a little to 'fit'the chain stitching. The diagram may make it clearer, showing the position of stitches from the wrong side, you need to run your chain stitch up the columns marked with a '\*\*

When you get to the other end, fasten off. Repeat for the other edge. (Now take a deep breath - here comes the scary bit). Working from the cast off end, unravel the 5 outermost stitches on each edge, and let them all ladder back to the start. Working methodically, cut halfway through each long loop formed by the dropped stitches, till you have two fringes running along the side edges of the scarf. Detail of scarf from front:

Detail of scarf from back, showing the “holding' chain stitches: Mary-Louise Quick, 2006 Blog: Odd Ball Knitting - http://mlqknits.typepad.com/odd_ball_knitting/ Web-site: MLQKnits - http://www.mlqknits.com/