Projects
It Never Gets Old
Dear Ann,
Last week I took a short trip to help a couple that is dear to me celebrate a big wedding anniversary. They live in France, so we met in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I joined them for the last few days of their two weeks on the French-speaking side of the West Indies island of St. Martin.
This may not have been a classically romantic way to celebrate a wedding anniversary, but over more than four decades of friendship, and especially the last 10 years or so, I have taken so many trips with MJ and Michel that they probably don’t feel quite right without me tagging along—or that’s what I tell myself. Hey guys, wait up! Let’s take a picture together! Would it kill you to hold my hand?
I’d never been to St. Martin, but my spidey sense told me that the knitting for this getaway should be as uncomplicated as possible. No pattern. No markers. No counting. Just a little linen bundle to tote with me to the beach and back. Knitting you can fall asleep to without messing anything up.
Something like this
I had a project in mind. Remember when I said I wanted to make a second Swarf, but just keep going, turning it into a long, luxurious scarf in Woolfolk’s sumptuous Tynd?
Ding ding ding! Perfect travel project.
I had started out using leftovers from my first Swarf in the Kay colorway: blues and grays and a deep red. My rule was to knit a 2-color marl until one of the colors ran out, and then pick up another color to marl with the remaining strand, and on and on.
I tried to mooch Tynd scraps and leftovers from other people’s Swarfs (Swarves?) but struck out there (despite offering a Breads Bakery babka in exchange for Tynd bits), so I resorted to full skeins. To keep the vibe scrappy, I didn’t coordinate or plan colors; I just asked Allison to send me a few shades of her choosing. With the Tynd palette, there are no bad matchups.
Here’s how my Swarf scarf looked before taking its soak in the Soak.
Before blocking: bumpy
I love the crinkly ridges of Cecelia Campochiaro’s alternating bands of stockinette and reverse stockinette. I changed it up by varying the length of each section, making some of the blocks very blocky indeed, at 14 or 16 rows, and some of them much ridgier, going down to sections that had just 6 rows before switching the pattern.
I had blocked my Swarf, so I knew that Tynd, ultra-soft and drapey to begin with, would relax fully and lengthen substantially. And it did.
After blocking: smooth
The length of my Swarf scarf went from 70 inches before blocking, to 81 inches afterward.
It’s so freaking soft. They aren’t kidding when they say people mistake Tynd for cashmere. I cannot tell the difference, that’s for sure.
Isn’t it lovely?
My rating: 10 out of 10, will definitely knit again. I particularly long to make a summer version using Sylph. I love a summer scarf!
Hmmmm. I happen to have a couple of skeins of Sylph in the stash Does anybody want a Breads Bakery babka? I’ll trade you for Sylph scraps!
Love,
Kay
I’ll tell you what else never gets old – reading these daily posts. I love everything about yarn and knitting (well, not everything, but the territory covered by the things I love makes it seem like everything). I enjoyed reading about your adventure – happy anniversary to your friends! and about your decision to knit something uncomplicated (most of my knitting falls into that category) and hearing about your yarn, and seeing the transformative power of blocking – yet again! The scarf is fantastic! I’m currently loving knitting with your new Atlas yarn, which feels great in my hands. I’m making a stripey pullover – Stratified – so I could use a variety of colors together. Such fun! Good luck acquiring your Sylph scraps – another joyful way to make something wonderful when you have needles, yarn and a great plan!
it looks so lovely & organic: bark-like
It’s beautiful! Would love to see a photo of it being worn! How heavy is it?
Me, too! I would love to see it worn.
So great to see the photos and read about your scarf. I’m doing the same thing, same stitch pattern with Tynd, different colors. I’m loving knitting it so much I have to remind myself to decide when to end the thing. Your results from wet blocking are very helpful.
Your generously sized swarfy scarf is really beautiful. When I first encountered Tynd I scooped up enough to make a long marled scarf for my husband-and I bought more the next day. It is a lovely lovely yarn.
I haven’t blocked my beautiful Swarf because I love the bumpy look! I live in New Hampshire and I’m wearing it for walks with daily temps still in the 40’s…and getting rave reviews from everyone who sees it! I’ll look forward to seeing photos of your Swarf scarf! More marling and swarfing are definitely on my list of future projects…
What would I do for a Breads Bakery babka? Please don’t tempt me.
Love the idea and loved working withTynd on my swarf. What a great idea….I want to do this too! ☺️
Wet blocking sometimes makes me feel like a magician, especially when lacey stitches are involved. I love that feeling! I feel the same way about kitchener stitch. I rarely do toe up, rather than cuff down, socks because I lose the chance to work the kitchener magic.
Ooh, I had the same thought. May I ask how many stitches did you cast on and how wide did it end up ? Thanks so much.
64 stitches, following the Swarf pattern with its 4 sections of 16 stitches each.
Oooh, how wonderful! Tynd is so wonderful to the touch, it elevates the knitting experience for sure! Great minds on a Slyph Swarf Scarf – I was looking at scraps and available new skein colors just the other day for the same, for this Texas weather.
Really lovely and organic looking – evokes sand dunes, sedimentary rocks and shale, petrified trees. So COOL, Kay. I can see a kit being offered up…
Yes I agree, shale and bark-like as said, I love it! I can just imagine the dreamy feel too, well done.
Gorgeous! I am inspired now to take the 4 strips of color explosion that have been done for more than a month now and block them. The idea of laying out that much wet wool has been a bit intimidating but you have inspired me with your Before & After pictures. Thanks!
It is really beautiful, Kay. I have never tried Tynd, and certainly don’t need more yarn at the moment, but you never know!!!
We need to see some knitwear modeling here, please! Stretch it out in all its glory on some random tall person!
Or on the Terrier Supermodel. (P.S.: You HAD a Breads Bakery babka. The supermodel found it.)
I love hearing how you treated the Swarf pattern like a jazz chart – riffing off the idea but suiting yourself. Blocks and ridges! Gorgeous
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Tynd in person and it’s like butter. No. Not butter. It’s like The Good Butter. The Really Good Butter. And it has such clever color names. I’m tempted to pick out my six favorites (plus the bonus) and play Lotto.
I don’t have any problem with the initial blocking of a finished item. What I fight with is having to block it every time it is washed. I probably wash knits more than some other people, because I find I’ve become very sensitive to odors retained in clothing. Thank goodness restaurants don’t allow smoking any longer. It was always horrible to have to wash everything, or air out things that had to be dry cleaned, after a night out. And back in the smoking days, airing out didn’t always do it anyway.
Beautiful scarf Kay! It looks warm, and soft, and cozy. Just the perfect comfort for when the weather turns cold.
I need a travel project and I have some Sylph stashed away. Hmmmmmmm…..
this is my favorite color combo yet. I know that you used scraps but can you share the names of the colors? I tried to match up some using the color chart, but I don’t think I’m able to get it right as the marling gives you such a different look. This is the most beautiful scarf ever.
Yes, I would love to know which colors Kay used – it is gorgeous and I need this project.
I think this is so lovely and yes, a perfect travel project! If it is at all possible to share the colors, I would appreciate it. I am taking my first trip to visit family abroad in almost 3 years and with the uptick in the new coronavirus, my nerves need soothing. Thank you!
My husband and I went to St Martin (St Maartin on the Dutch side) years ago. We lived in TX and the cheapest place to fly was the Caribbean. Stay on the Dutch side, eat on the French side.