Tuesday 29 March 2011

Tartan on the needles


I'm working on a tartan inspired scarf/wrap.

I actually started this in the New Year after Hubby suprised me with a lovely camel cape.



It's crying out for something around the neck and I was thinking what kind of pattern would suit it.  I was really into the new series of Sherlock at the time (still watching repeats now, love it) and although the new Sherlock is set in present time I couldn't help but think of the older Sherlock films and series.  Thick wool capes and caplets, waistcoats, walking sticks, deerstalker hats, bowler hats, tartan.... tartan!!!
The more I thought about it the more excited I got about putting together something with a tartan or tartan inspired pattern. 

I've been messing about with various tartan patterns and colour schemes, I had some gorgeous camel Rowan wool so went on the hunt for other Rowan colours to work with on my swatches and am now really happy with the design I've ended up with. 



To keep with the tartan theme I thought a pleated edge would be perfect, give it kilt feel.  I've experimented with a few different ways to work a box pleat and the one I'm using is quite fun.  I haven't done this before but am loving the way it turns out.

To avoid floats and also to keep the amount of wool down that it uses I've decided to use fish floats (don't think this is what they are really called, but I call them that) to take the wool up on the vertical stripes and then just carry wool across from the ball for the horizontal stripes.  This way the scarf isn't too thick and the reverse looks almost as neat as the front.

   
I say scarf... I've made it quite wide and its somewhere between a scarf and wrap, I want the whole tartan pattern to be displayed and it looks much nicer draped than tied.

I'm hoping to have it completed very soon and I'll put the pattern up for free download.

LB

2 comments:

  1. It's always impressive when the back looks as good as the front. How's the tartan love going?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tartan is coming on nicely although I seemed to frog it a while when the weather seemed to pick up but now we are having a few more windy days it has found it's way from my knitting box again. Hopefully I'll have it done soon.

    ReplyDelete

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