4.29.2009

DKC Diamond Scarf FO

Pattern: Small Tilting Blocks Scarf - DKC Newsletter - January 2009
Yarn: Diamond Luxury Collection - Mulberry & Merino 50% Silk 50% Merino
Colour: 7025 Lot 2012
Start: January 14 Finished: April 24,2009
Modifications: None

I'll get to the story behind this scarf but first, the knitterly details. The pattern is 2 sets of alternating 4 row repeats. Its easy to memorize, easy to rip back and easy to see where you are in the pattern if you do happen to nonetheless lose your way.

I love the linear regularity of the pattern combined with the kind of juggled alignment that adds movement and interest. The little points that naturally occur at the ends aren't too shabby either!

The yarn is nothing short of magical. Its shiny but also fluffy. It feels great in your hands and knitting with it is effortless. Despite its fairly bulky size it slides through and around as each stitch is worked. It holds a dropped stitch until its easily retrieved while still yielding if you do have to rip back. I had no trouble with splitting.

Post blocking it drapes very nicely and feels great against the skin. Many of these aspects are of course due to the silk content but to look at it, it doesn`t scream `silk`to me and unlike silk, it stays put around the neck.

I have looked for more of this yarn in every LYS I`ve visited since I first encountered it last fall at a DKC meeting where the story behind this scarf begins...

I detailed the events of that particular meeting, featuring presentations by 5 local yarn companies where the guys from Diamond Yarns stole the show when they literally threw yarn into the audience. This post, so cleverly titled `Men throwing Yarn`, sums up what all went on at that meeting but it doesn`t explain that the knitters around me, when they saw I had one skein literally gave me two more! There was a woman in front of me who, as soon as the yarn stopped flying, started brokering deals to give any one knitter enough of a single yarn to really do something with it. She spied a skein of red yarn I had in my hand that I guess her friend really wanted - her friend of course had a skein of the Mulberry & Merino. In a flash she had switched our skeins so that I was left with a second ball of the the Mulberry & Merino and her friend had two of the coveted red. Then the woman behind me just handed me her single skein saying ìf you have three you can really do something with it! To be honest the yarn didn`t really `speak`to me at the time and I felt a little awkward taking it because I had nothing left to offer her but she insisted and I went home that night with 270 meters of lovely lavender potential.

The thing was, I didn`t have a plan or even an idea of what to do with it until the DKC January newsletter arrived in my mail box. The monthly pattern featured on the back jumped right out at me as the perfect way to put that yarn to use.
So that`s what I did!

My plan is to share this tale during `Show and Tell` at the May DKC meeting and thank all the assembled knitters for their roles - direct or indirect in facilitating this satisfying little FO!

BTW thank you all for your kind comments on my earlier post today! After re reading it I just wanted to clarify - I'm not literally seeking Glenna's approval or worried she would look ascance at my work. Its that I'm striving for the kind of knitting confidence that Glenna exemplifies, and I linked to her recent posts re "Autumn Rose" because they so perfectly demonstrate that confidence I'm striving for but was feeling worried I'd never attain.

6 comments:

Julia said...

Lovely, lovely scarf! And for the record - Romni carries it (it's across from the counter with all the silk and cashmere schmancy stuff).

Acorn to Oak said...

I love it!!! Sooo pretty! :-)

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Dear Marie,
Simply beautiful. I love the drape of it, in that first photo.

But nope, I'm not a knitter. Not handy that way, I fear. But I saw a comment by you, in another blog, where you spoke of having a paper collection. And needing more resolve to use it, 'cause you love it and don't want to write on it. :-)))

I see your problem... But if you'd really like to have some old fashioned letters correspondence, you could do so, with writing paper which isn't so dear to your heart. Who says you have to use the really neat stuff, hu?

I actually use computer paper, on which I copy/print pretty pics I get from all over the Net. So many pretty pics of flowers and all sorts of pretty things, are available. And I write with colored {el cheapo disposable} fountain pens too. Fun! And I've gotten the idea of making my own envelopes {from The Missives Maven}. Just pages from an old book of lovely pics, which I cut out and tape up with Scotch tape, to make a unique envelope, every time. :-)

All of these things are just fun for me. No one else has to do them. Just saying...

But trying to rev up my long forgotten snail mail and popping in and out of blogs, looking for people who sound like they too, would like to write letters. :-) And I guess you are in Canada, so my US postage to Canada, wouldn't be all that much, I don't think. :-)

You can pop in at my blog, which is linked to below. And if you'd like to try correspondence, please write me an email {yes, I appreciate the irony of writing this!} at my email addy, which is on my Sidebar.

Please and thank you...
Gentle hugs,
'Aunt Amelia'
Aunt Amelia's Attic

tiennie said...

This is a really lovely scarf! So pretty!

Anonymous said...

Very nice scarf! It really is a good combination of pattern & yarn. And good on you for bringing out the tangled yoke again. It looks like it's more than halfway done and just a bit of effort is worth it to finish it and have it in your closet ;)

Lupie said...

I have a scarf I made with silk bamboo that is finished and waiting for me to block it. You have inspired me to do so now.