1.5 skeins Supreme Possum Merino
Needles: 1 #6 10" circular, tapestry needle
Ravelry pattern
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I don't really know what got me thinking about it, but it's been annoying me for some time and it finally had to be crafted.
Perhaps I missed knitting scarves. Perhaps I was continually annoyed with having to figure out what to do with the ends of my scarves because the frilly-williness of them, while cute, wasn't all that warm or efficient when dangling needlessly out of my coat collar. Maybe my anal retentiveness is really starting to develop nicely.
WHATEVER. My brain churned.
What if I had a scarf like a rubber band. I mean, I like that when I ponytail my hair, the band goes around a few times and then stops snug - without leaving any annoying dangliess behind.
So, yes, I could just wear one of my many cowls, but they don't do the super cozy wrapping thing that I need when it's Supah Cold out unless I go find my Turtle Fur thing that's always one step ahead of me and likes to hide in places like the ski bag in the basement when I need it most. Jerk.
What I needed was a cowl rubber band scarf. But that's not a thing. At least not as far as I knew or could find in the bowels of Ravelry. Even after all my to-the-bone searching.
But imagine if there was a cable down the middle or some ribbing. FUN.
And so the Hoop Scarf came to be.
The concept of the Hoop Scarf is this: it works like a rubber band for your neck, but in a warm cozy snug way rather than a pinchy mean suicidal way.
Just hang it around your neck, twist it over to form a loop, pull the loop over your head, repeat, you're done. Much like you would a rubber band in your ponytail.
Adjust to make beautiful or warm or cozy as you see fit.
If you want to wear yours without makeup, too, that'd make me feel better.
This #1 Hoop Scarf will be going to a friend of mine in Supah Cold Montana Land for guinea pigging so that I can find out how well it cozies the neck against the Supah Coldness.
I would demo it myself except that when I finished my other projects and was ready to start on this PATTERN THAT WAS EATING A HOLE IN MY BRAIN I didn't have enough stashed non-wool yarn to make it.
AND I NEEDED TO MAKE IT NOW.
And surreptitiously, Dig and I were chatting and she mentioned the magic of knitting and how do you do it and then I pounced on the opportunity for a real field testing of my new pattern.
Thankfully Dig can wear wool in addition to being able to withstand the colds of Montana winters, so the deal was done.
This goes in the mail on Monday. To cold Montana. Where it better do a good job or else.
If you want to make one, too (and then not wear lipstick when you take the photo - thanks!), I posted the pattern (my first ever!) to Ravelry OR you can get it here.
If you make it and have opinions, give me a shout.
Finny's Hoop Scarf
Yarn: 1.5 skeins Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed
1.5 skeins Supreme Possum Merino
Needles: 1 #6 10" circular, tapestry needle
To make:
Cast on 41 stitches with a #6 10” circular needle and the first color yarn.
Join (without twisting stitches) by passing the last stitch over the first cast on stitch.
Knit in the round until the scarf is 1/4 as long as the final product. (I just checked by draping it around my neck and estimating.) Change to the second color yarn and knit in the round until it is 3/4 as long as the final product. Switch back to the first color yarn and knit until the scarf can be wrapped snugly around your neck twice.
Cast off.
Using a mattress stitch, stitch together the ends as a tube. This way it will be an open tube, rather than a seam where the two ends join.
To wear:
Hang around your neck like a giant necklace.
Twist once and pull that new loop over your head, pulling snug at the neck.
Twist once more and pull that new loop over your head.
Arrange the scarf’s layers in whatever way you see fit.
Oh! I can't wait! It is not only the magic of knitting but the magic of a neverending circle of wool loveliness.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your generosity and endless crafty inclinations. Next time I'll send you something that doesn't explode in the mail and arrive in a pile of goo. Textiles are great that way.
You are a genius! The rubber band idea for the scarf is just fantastic. I have never knit anything for myself, though I have knit for everyone else in a 200 mile radius of my house, and I decided I am making myself a scarf this month. I was going to search Ravelry but lookie here-now I don't have to! Because you just killed the two birds with the one stone. See, I am lazy. I can't be bothered to wrap and tuck either. And I can't be bothered to search for a pattern, partly because I am lazy and partly because once I enter Ravelry I can't leave. Now to find the perfect non-wool yarn that will still warm my wuss neck in northern Minnesota in January...
ReplyDeleteNow you're INNOVATING? Will you never rest, Finny?
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine made me a scarf for my birthday that has a hole left in the middle at one end to pull the other end through, so it doesn't hang down. It's clever. And of course, I am always impressed by anything anyone makes with their own little hands, seeing as how I am Not Crafty.
Genius. At first I thought you had purposely knitted it like a mobius strip, which would be cool in a weird sort of way, but would probably always make people wonder if you had actually done it on purpose or not. I'm sure you could do it by twisting stitches before you join the circle. I know this because I've seen it in real life. I'm just sayin.
ReplyDeleteTuesday night is our first stitch and bitch meeting of the year. I have managed to get some of them to actually hold knitting needles this year. I think this might be a project that will motivate them to pick up yarn on those needles. Thanks, I needed fodder for the meeting ,they're all counting on me.
ReplyDeleteBut you are wearing a sleeveless blouse!
ReplyDeleteSo. Cool. Finny! At last the end to the scarf that unwinds itself around your neck! Thanks for the pattern!
ReplyDeleteLove the scarf Finny! The snow outside dictates that I cast-on for one of these immediately!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Great minds think alike! I made a few very similar scarves for Christmas presents this year. They can either wrap around the neck twice or one loop can go over the top of the head to keep ears warm. I must say, yours looks much nicer than mine.
ReplyDeletePre-tty. I need to learn to knit.
ReplyDelete(I ran 4 1/2 miles last night. And I didn't die.)
You've got this whole rural fabulous fashionista look going for you with the garage in the background. Love it!
ReplyDeleteAnd the scarf is of course fabulous.
oh, love this pattern!
ReplyDeleteand the rolls...um, yum.
Dude. I'm glad you did this as a gift for someone else because, hello, you live out in sunny California where you have lemon trees growing in your yard at all times, and you're wearing some sleeveless shirt in the picture where you're implying "it's so cold I need a scarf". But you're wearing it WHILE wearing a sleeveless shirt. And it's warm there. I'm sure it is. And we're all icy cold here. So don't tell me you need a scarf.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I realize that that could just be a girl thing - it seems scarves are VERY "in" around here as well. It's funny how you can see a group of girls sitting together in the Student Center, all wearing scarves even though they're indoors and it's warm.
Girls are funny that way.
Seriously though? Looks cool! And nice that you opted for some color change 'cause all one color would've been boring.
And love the make up comments! ;-)
Love the scarf! Thanks for the pattern. Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDelete