The Red Scarf

This beautiful red scarf for the Foster Care to Success ended up being one of my last knitting projects of 2020 even though I started it during the summer. At first I couldn’t decide on a pattern so I decided to knit 2x2 rib. Simple, reversible, and easy to knit, right? Yes, but also a bit boring so I didn’t want to pick up after working the first couple of inches. This was rip number one.

My second attempt at knitting this scarf, got me to pick a pattern: The Wheat Scarf by Tin Can Knits. So I cast on once again. The contrast between the garter and the panel of ribbing was definitely more interesting to knit. Unfortunately, now I didn’t like the fabric and decided the needles were too small for this pattern. This was rip number 2.

For the third try, I went up a needle size and skipped the garter edges at the end of the scarf. This time I liked what was on the needles, but it still took me awhile to make. My other mod to the pattern was making the scarf a few inches shorter than the Red Scarf Project guidelines to account for how much superwash scarves can grow during their first wash and block. This one grew 4 inches! So, the scarf was only a hair too long instead of way too long.

In the end, I managed to get it in the mail with a few days to spare even with the holiday shipping delays. Here’s hoping it brings warmth and comfort to whoever wears it.

The Specs

Pattern: Wheat by TinCanKnits

Yarn: 338 yds Berroco Ultra Wool - Sour Cherry

Needles: US 6 - 4.0mm

Dates: August 5 - November 27, 2020

Ravelry Page: Red Scarf 2020

Another One for the Red Scarf Project

The Foster Care to Success Red Scarf Project sends red scarves and care packages to college-bound foster youth for Valentine’s Day. They started accepting scarves for Valentine’s Day 2020 September 1st, and this scarf is ready to go. I need to add a label and pick up a gift card to send off with it, but it’s ready.

I’ve knit a few scarves for the project over the years and I’m usually rushing to mail one off right before the submission deadline. Not this time. I’d like to say it’s because I cast on a few months ago, but really it was because I started this scarf way back in 2017. I knit half of the scarf before I needed a break. Then everything else got in the way. It wasn’t until the end of this July that I picked it up again because I needed to knit something so badly. I was digging through my pile of WIPs, found the half-finished scarf, and decided that, obviously, this was the next project to finish. I’m not sure where this sudden and overpowering urge to knit came from but I’m still rolling with it months later. I’ve knit more in these past few months than I have in at least the past year.

The pattern is a mash up of Mabel’s Scarf by Larissa Brown and a band of 2x2 rib. Mabel’s Scarf had been in my queue for awhile, and was the only one that called to me when I was digging through different patterns. The scarf was narrow though and needed the extra stitches to meet the required width. The stitch pattern was based on 2x2 rib so adding more of seemed like the optimum choice relatively easy knitting that still looked good. Once I figured out where I was in the pattern repeat and reclaimed the correct needle tips, the stitches seemed to fly off the needles.

The finished scarf is lovely. It’s beautiful, easy to wrap and tie, and definitely cosy. The chosen yarn, Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd’s Wool Worsted (yeesh, say that 3 times fast), is a wonderful red specked with small bits of blue thanks to how it’s spun. The color has depth and interest and variety even though it just looks red from far off. I’d definitely use this yarn again for another scarf.

Now that I’ve waxed poetic about this scarf, it’s time to put it in the mail to make someone warm and happy.

If you would like to donate money or send a red scarf, you can find more info here. And if you’re looking for a pattern, check out the Melded Scarf which I designed specifically for the Red Scarf Project.

Pattern Specs

Pattern: Mabel’s Scarf by Larissa Brown

Yarn: 413 yds Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd’s Wool Worsted - Garnet

Needles: US 6 (4mm)

Dates: August 28, 2017 - August 15, 2019

@Ravelry

Red Scarf Update

At 28” and 9 repeats, I’m about halfway finished with the Mabel’s Scarf I’m making for the Red Scarf Project. 32” and 11 repeats to go. I couldn’t resist doing the math and figuring out how many repeats I’d have to knit for a complete scarf. Counting the squares is a lot easier than breaking out the tape measure every few inches. 

The yarn, Shepherd’s Wool Worsted, is new to me. Now that I’ve spent a good chunk of time knitting with it, I like it even more than when I first bought it. The yarn is soft with good stitch definition, and is turning into a cushy and warm scarf. I’m tempted to pick up a few skeins for myself once I have an idea in mind.

I’m really enjoying working on this scarf, but I’m not used to counting this much! It’s been awhile since I’ve knit a pattern with such a large repeat, and I’ve had to get cosy with a chart. Makes it hard to tote around, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t tried. Soon it’ll be too big to keep as purse knitting since I’m making good progress. My original plan was to knit a repeat every day, but I haven’t been able to stick to that. So the new goal is 3+ repeats a week which will still give me plenty of time to put the scarf in the mail. And work on the next batch of holiday knitting. 

If you’ve been on the fence about making a scarf, there’s still plenty of time to knit a scarf for the Red Scarf Project before the December 15 deadline. You can find the requirements here. And there’s a helpful Ravelry group too. 

Knitting for the 2017 Red Scarf Project

There’s a few days left in August, and I’ve already written down my holiday gift knitting list. It’s on the short side so far and the projects are mostly small stuff. Hats, a few scarfs, a pair of socks, and probably a few ornaments. Seems doable, right? Near the top of that list is a scarf for the Red Scarf Project. The project is run by Foster Care to Success which provides scholarships, coaching, care packages, and an emergency fund to help foster kids graduate from college. The Red Scarf Project sends out hand knit red and crocheted scarves as part of Valentine’s Day care package. The due date to send in the scarves is September 1st through December 15, 2017, and I’m going to mail mine off before December this year. 

I had a back of the envelope plan to knit another Melded Scarf, a pattern I designed last year for the Red Scarf Project. If you want to knit a scarf for the project too, you can download the pattern here. 

That plan changed when I joined up last minute with Yarn Along The Rockies, a widespread yarn crawl, and stopped by Gypsy Wools. They had a lovely selection of yarn, and I loved the look and feel of Shepherd’s Wool. I bought 2 skeins of a nice garnet red because I couldn’t settle on a color combo that I liked. 

Since you can’t knit a striped scarf with just one color, I had a to find a new pattern. There was a bit of a false start with a cabled scarf that was way too narrow for my liking. Nor could I get into a rhythm with the knitting. Back to the drawing board. This time I went digging through my Ravelry queue and found Mabel’s Scarf which has been on my list since 2013! It’s been 4 years, and this isn’t always the case, but I still wanted to knit the scarf. Having a 20 page queue pays off occasionally. 

I frogged the 2” of the first scarf and started over. I added a few stitches of 2x2 rib as an edge to accommodate for the finer yarn and started knitting with some Netflix for company. This scarf is definitely a winner. It’s got texture and interest. It’s cushy and soft. It’s reversible. It’s also interesting to knit, but not finicky. 

And I’m enjoying working with Shepherd’s Wool. It’s the first time I’ve used this yarn and it’s a plump 3-ply wool that love the look of. Plus, when you get a close look at it, it’s heathered with navy blue. The yarn is just as soft knitted as it is in the skein, but I wouldn’t recommend ripping it out too many times or it’ll get fuzzy.

I’m only a few inches into the scarf, but I can already tell it’s going to be my constant companion during movie and tv time. I’m already back to my old habit of knitting and watching sci-fi and horror movies. I’ll keep you updated as it grows!

Free Pattern: The Melded Scarf

The Melded Scarf is what happens when two colors meet in the middle and come together to make a cosy and bold striped scarf. Worked in 1x1 rib the scarf is reversible, and looks great on anyone. The Melded Scarf is also a great showcase for variegated and gradient yarns.

Check it out on Ravelry and add it to your queue!

I originally designed this pattern for Foster Care to Success’s Red Scarf Project which collects red scarves to send college-bound foster youth for Valentine’s Day. I first read about the project several years ago when I was a college student myself.  I probably should have been studying, but I was hunched over my laptop reading knitting blogs instead. A huge part of the reason I got into college and made it through 5 grueling years was because I had the support of my parents. Without them and their support everything from buying books, to final exams, to pulling all-nighters (saw so many sunrises from my studio desk) would have been so much more difficult. And it was so nice getting notes and surprise care packages from home. It was amazing and wonderful knowing that people were cheering me on. I wanted to share that feeling and support with others, and I still do. 

If you enjoy the pattern, please consider making a scarf for the Red Scarf Project or making a donation to the Foster Care to Success program. They provide scholarships, coaching, care packages, and an emergency fund to help foster kids get through college. And, according to Charity Navigator, the majority of the money F2C receives actually goes to it’s programs and services.

For The Red Scarf Project

Better late than never. One of the first things to go on the holiday knitting list this year was a scarf for the Red Scarf Project. The project, run by Foster Care to Success, sends college bound foster youth red scarves as part of a Valentine’s Day care package. I first read about the project years ago when I was cooped up in my own college dorm room, so the project struck a nerve. It’s been a few years since I made a red scarf and it was time to fix that.

I found the perfect red in Yarn Fort, a ball of Patons Classic Wool in Bright Red. The problem was that I only had 1 ball which isn’t enough for a scarf.  Thankfully, the stash provided another ball of matching Classic Wool in Mercury. One problem solved. Second problem was the pattern. I couldn’t find a striped scarf pattern that I liked and fit the project criteria.  So I put on my designer hat and got to swatching…and frogging. Seriously, my design process involves a lot of swatching and a lot of frogging. How else can I can be sure that my idea will actually work? I came up with a design and an idea that I loved, and still do, but it turned out to be way more complicated than I originally thought. I kept putting off the last construction swatch. Then other holiday knitting came calling - specifically a pair of matching baby hats. Spoiler: I couldn’t find a pattern I like for those either. Rinse and repeat with the swatching and frogging. I finished the hats and a rough draft of that pattern last week, but that’s another blog post.  

So, back to the scarf. The deadline to send in the scarf is December 15 which is exactly a month from now. The time for complicated, half-written patterns passed weeks ago. Back to the drawing board. I’m keeping things simple this time which is more of a struggle for me than I’d like to admit. Going with the tried and true 1x1 rib scarf which is reversible, cushy, and good lucking. It’s also a fast knit that my fingers could do in their sleep. I’ll be changing up the stripe pattern to keep the scarf both interesting to knit and wear. Once it’s done, I’ll be sharing the pattern. That’s about 43 inches from now. Back to knitting with me and a whole lot of Netflix. 

Ridges

Pattern: My own

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool in Dark Grey Mix and Rich Red

Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm)

Date: Sept. 1 - Sept. 6, 2009

@Ravelry

Of everything I've knit during the Single Skein September KAL, this scarf is far from the cutest but is definitely my favorite. Besides from being warm, which is an important aspect of any scarf, it has an ambiguous character which, in this case, is a good thing. It could appear striped or solid gray depending on the angle or a strong gust of wind.  I know how illusion knitting works but I still find the effect intriguing. Amazing what something as simple as 2 rows of stockinette and 2 rows of garter can do, isn't it?

I tried out a few other patterns that I wasn't quite happy with before picking this one. Since the scarf would be heading off to the Red Scarf Project, I wanted to send something that either I would wear or happily give to family and friends. Seeing as how my mother wanted to take it off my hands, I think I succeeded. Once I figure out the note that I'll be sending along with the scarf, they'll be on their way to Sterling, VA. If you want to send a scarf as well, the details are here and the deadline is Dec. 15.

Single Skein September

Today, September 1st, is the beginning of the Single Skein September KAL run by Nicole and Jenny of the Stash & Burn podcast. The basic premise is to knit as much as you can from various single skeins of yarn (or several skeins depending on the project) through the month of September.  I usually don't join KAL's but this one sounded fun and was a good fit with my gift knitting plans. I might even win something since there's a prize for most knit and another prize given to a randomly picked participant.  Not going to hold my breath on that though.  If you feel like joining in, the KAL is being hosted in the Stash & Burn group, here, on Ravelry. 

My first project for this endeavor is a scarf for the Red Scarf Project which gives Valentine's Day care packages to people that have aged out of the foster care system. I've wanted to contribute something to this charity for a few years now but never managed to before. So, this year I made sure I had some red yarn, along with a matching grey, and some empty needles. Since illusion knitting has lodged itself in my brain, I'm useing the basic foundation of that technique for this scarf. Two rows of stockinette followed by two rows of garter is creating a wonderful fabric that has a dash of ambiguity.

If you also want to contribute to the Red Scarf Project, info on requirements, deadlines, and where to send is here, and at the Ravelry group.