Sykes A Dickensian Scarf
I started knitting this while watching "Oliver Twist" on Masterpiece Theater..and named it after my favorite character in the novel-movie Bill Sykes. (played in this version by the impeccable Tom Hardy) Sykes is a dark, seedy fellow but not without his moments. He's very much a product of his circumstances. He is also very charismatic and not without heart. (or, maybe that's just how Hardy played him..no comment) Likewise this scarf is dark, with complex looking twisting paths and a jagged, broken rib edge. It's a unisex design not so boring you want to jab your eyes out while knitting it. Don't worry...I won't peach about all the boring scarves you've frogged in the past! The wrong side of this scarf lays very flat and it is easily folded.
materials
220 yards worsted weight yarn-I used dark grey wool which I koolaid dyed with blue lemonade and splotches of Wilton's in complimentary colours. If you decide to make your scarf longer than $60^{\circ}$ you may need more yarn. size 9 needle notions as needed
gauge
5 stitches per inch blocked..about $7^{\circ}$ wide lightly stretched (for those of you who don't want to block a swatch, wink wink)
construction
-cast on 37 stitches (I used long tail) -knit 8 edge rows -knit pattern repeat 13 times (aprox 6") -knit 8 edge rows -castoff
edge
row#1, 3, 7, 9: k1, p1 row#2, 4, 6, 8: p1, k1
pattern
-on even rows repeat the stitches as they face you, knit the knits and purl the purls. row#1,3: kl, p1, k1, pl, kl, p4,[k1, p5]x3, kl, p4, kl, p1, k1, pl, k1 row#5, 7, 21, 23: p1, kl, p1, kl, p4, [kl, pl, kl, p3]x4, p1, kl, p1, k1, pl row#9, 11, 17, 19:kl, pl, kl, pl, kl, p2, [k1, p3, kl, pllx4, pl, kl, p1, kl, pl, k1 row#13, 15: pl, kl, pl, kl, p2, k1 Ip5, k1lx4, p2, kl, p1, kl, pl
In this picture I am wearing it folded in half and then wrapped around my neck and looped through the middle for a cowl-collar effect..very Dickensian!
