Finished Objects : The Silata Scarves Are Finally Done !

Blue is for Théo and Grey for Samuel

If you have been following, I had a hard time knitting the scarves. I had decided to knit two at a time as I do not like to knit twice the same pattern. After knitting about ⅓ of each scarf, it stated to get very heavy and I was struggling. I did not see my progress and was not having a nice time. I think I am a monogamous knitted because I like to see things done. I had the feeling to knit at snail pace as we would say in French 🙂

So, after Emma commented on my YouTube Podcast where I was talking about it, with her gentle suggestion, I decided to separate the two projects. You know, when sometime you think of doing something but do not dare doing it because it would change your plans and a friend’s gentle nudge is enough for you to jump and do it ? That is was happened. I am very grateful to Emma, thank you so much !

After separating the two, placing one on The Knitting Barber cord I recently got, I realised that was exactly what I needed and I literally flew through the remaining ⅔ of the project. I knitted one full repeat alternating scarves, so I finished them together.

As I anticipated after knitting the first repeat, I needed the extra yarn. The Fonty Polaire is a perfect match for the recommended yarn, I got gauge on both my swatch and the pattern with the recommended needle size (also recommended on the yarn label), but needed 11 balls of yarn instead of the 6 they recommend.. The yardage and weight per ball is exactly the same. I do not understand but I managed to get the remaining 5 skeins from the blue dye lot, woot !

I really love the ridges such as the ones you can see on wet sand after the sea has gone away, I like the vibes it gives me. The fabric is soft and airy, and very warm. I am sure my two eldest sons will be pleased.

Now is time for weaving ends in and packing presents, I love that too 🌞😺

Companion YouTube Podcast : https://youtu.be/CSG-FFKF_gc

My Work In Progress – It Is Taking Forever !

Am I impatient ? Most probably 😺 Knitting being a “me time”, when I am too tired after a long day at work, I have a hard time to pick up my WIPs. I do try to sneak at least two or four rows a day, either with my morning coffee or after dinner. I also think that my choice to knit the two Silata scarves that will be my two eldest sons Holliday presents at the same time is making it difficult to measure my progress. I do think the scarves grew up quite a bit, but I am struggling.

The Silata Scarves are Marie-Amelie Designs Ensemble Book. To note, the pattern is called Silene on Ravelry should you prefer to get the pattern alone.

May be should I decide to knit one at a time from now ? And then be bored about knitting the second one right after ? This is why I decided to knit two at a time, I do not appreciate knitting twice the same pattern, and I was a bit afraid to knit the two scarves back to back.. For now I keep it that way, but I feel this is a heavy commitment and not a relaxed pleasure time.

Taking the picture made me realise I have already knitted one third of the whole project, that brought joy to my heart. I love the stitch pattern, the way the slip stitches travel through the scarves, reminding me of ridges on the sand when the tide is low. I love the colours, the 50% Alpaca 50% wool blend is extremely soft and will do warmth and softness wonders around the neck and next to skin. I am overall very pleased and seeing in a picture how much work I have already done made me happy 🌞

My three sons were at home this WE, to celebrate all of our Birthdays of the year. My second son lives across France and airplanes have been cancelled when we had planned a WE and dinner for whomever had a Birthday close. So we picked up this WE that was working for everyone, the global situation allowed him to come over last Friday and leave early Monday morning, I just drove him to the airport as I am writing. My eldest son lives nearby and my last son at about 2h drive, so coming over is less of an issue for them. We had such a fun time, making memories and eating nice food at this Indian restaurant.

All that to say I did not knit on their surprise presents when they were home, so I got to knit on my Second Lawrenson Sweater that I had placed on the back burner to dedicate my knitting time to my sons’s presents. I’m not bored with the pattern because I have forgotten every part of it ! I started the left sleeve. My row gauge is off, I new that from my swatch, so I am adjusting for the short row rhythm to make the puff part, I think it is coming along as I expected and not too far off the original pattern version.

I love the bright yellow colour even though I do not think it fits my skin and hair tones. As Loraine commented on my YouTube channel, in such situations they wear a darker scarf and that does the trick ! I will remember to do that, thank you 🌼

Companion YouTube Podcast : https://youtu.be/vZbm3OhjUGs

Casting On : Silata Scarves

First time I am doing “Two at a time”. I know, usually people knit two socks at the same time, to avoid the second sock syndrome. Not long ago, I even saw someone knitting four or six socks at a time (not sure I recall where !), not being the same patterns 😲 Quite an achievement to me who can hardly handle two projects at the same time.

So this is a bit of a challenge, I have to place safety nets – ie a marker where I need to pick up next time I sit and knit (for a bit 😉 at Arne and Carlos) because I had to rip and start over once..

That said, the pattern is the Silata Scarf from Marie-Amelie Designs Ensemble Book. To note, the pattern is called Silene on Ravelry should you prefer to get the pattern alone.

Both scarves are Christmas presents for my two eldest sons. Samuel, my oldest son asked for black, and my eyes not being what they used to be he accepted a middle grey. Théo, my second son, asked for white, and he finally agreed to a lighter blue after I pointed out that white would rapidly turn yellow around his neck. None of them know the exact yarn and colour, neither do they know the pattern.

Having finished the first pattern repeat, there are 15 of them, I am a bit concerned I will run out of yarn .. The sample in the book was knitted with BC Yarn Hamelton Tweed 1, the Fonty Polaire I used is a perfect match considering meters per grams and needle size, so I got the recommended 6 balls. I got gauge with the recommended needle size (4.5 mm) and garter pattern, and am still on gauge with the knitted slip stitches pattern. One ball will goes for about 1.3 repeat so I’ll need almost twice the recommended amount 🙀

I called the Filature Fonty and ordered 5 balls in each colour, that is what I’ll need to finish them. Fortunately, they still had the same dye lots in stock, one of them I even got the very last ball.. Oh well !

Has it ever happened to you ? I mean, you need almost twice the recommended yardage for a pattern that calls for the same yarn weight with the same meter per grams, the same needle size and a correct gauge for both the swatch and the knitted object ? I do not understand what I am missing.. Thanks !

Companion Youtube Podcast : https://youtu.be/qP-mbGM5vHo