Floating on a river of yarn

Published on by Jane

My Shifting Sand:

I was a little surprised when I finished this scarf. Had I really knit for 64 inches? Was that the end of the second skein of yarn? I enjoyed every inch and every single one of the approximately 2,448 cable crosses (yes, I calculated). I could have gone on floating. What’s next?

Pattern: Shifting Sands Scarf by Grumperina
(I still think I should call mine “Midnight Water”)
Yarn: Two 225-yard skeins Sundara Yarns Sport Merino in “Navy Over Marine”
Needles: 4mm/US 6
Finished Size: About 64″ long and 7″ wide
Modifications: My scarf seemed a little stiff, so I went up one needle size and eliminated one pattern repeat (5 stitches).

My Blurry Hand:


I finished these mitts in two evenings of knitting. I love them. L. O. V. E. them. I ended up “designing” my own by cobbling together my favorite parts of the free patterns I found, because my yarn was just too heavy to do justice to the lovely Knitspot patterns. I have plans for them already.

I used Garter Rib, one of my favorite stitches from Sensational Knitted Socks. It’s got texture, it’s got a little ribby stretch, and it shows off my yarn. The mitts have 2X2 rib cuffs and a vertical slit for the thumb (Look Ma, no gusset!). At first I thought I’d made the wrist part too long, but now that I’ve worn them I like how it scrunches comfortably. And they’re so warm! It’s true (at least for me) that if your wrists and hands are warm that your fingers warm up, too.

Pattern: Fingerless Mitts, ingredients thrown together and stirred till they tasted right
Yarn: My own handspun, 2-ply DK-ish weight yarn from Grafton Fibers Corriedale batts
Needles: 3.25mm/US 3 and 3.5mm/US 4 birch DPN’s
Finished Size: About 7″ in diameter and 8.75″ from cuff to tip

My frivolous plan:


As I was knitting along on the mitts I hatched a plan for a little scarf to match them. I wanted to use the same Garter Rib stitch, but I also wanted to frill it up a little bit. I figured out how to knit little ruffles at the beginning by casting on as if I was going to knit a 6X2 rib. Then I ssk-ed and k2tog-ed in the right spot on every other row until I was back to the 2X2 count for the pattern. I’ll be able to work the ruffles in reverse at the other end, too. I think this little scarf has just the right amount of cute.

I’m not too happy with the way the edges are sitting (or curling, rather) so I’ve given the end a little test-block to see if it will lay flat (it’s damp in the photograph). If it won’t, I have no qualms about ripping it out and starting over.

All this knitting activity seems to help take the dull ache out of my hands. We are doing so much book-moving at the store that I come home each night feeling like my hands belong to someone else. I’m very careful to lift no more than I can carry, and to use both hands whenever possible, but there’s just something that happens when you shelve and re-shelve books for hours at a time. Why does knitting help? I don’t care; I’m just glad that it does!

18 thoughts on “Floating on a river of yarn”

  1. Sweet Jane,Gorgeous scarf & fingerless mitts too. The mitts are next on my knitting agenda for myslef – need to/ feel the need to get some other items off the needles 1st however!Yes to hands that lift all day & need knitting to feel relaxed – am so there w/you on that one.XOXO

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  5. Love how you did your own ‘thing’ with the fingerless pattern. Maybe some day I’ll be good enough at this to venture out on my own. Right now I’m on to my second pair of Fetchings, but I didn’t like the way the first pair rolled back, so will try and figure out my own ending in this pair to keep the wool closer to my fingers.I’d love to do Grumperina’s scarf but I am not sure about all the cables involved having just learned the basics with the Fetchings. Yours is beautiful.I have Raynaud’s syndrome, so I was skeptical that the ‘fingerless’ gloves would really do the job. Like you stated, as long as your hands are warm, the fingers just follow through. As always Jane, loved your post.

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  6. Oh the scarf and fingerless mitts are super — as usual 😀 I carted all my knitting to Fla and back and did about 40 rows on my shrug and that was all – which I guess is good as it means I was busy and having fun right? So what do I do today – cast on for a vest hehehehehe

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  7. Jane, can I pretend to be you? I want to be able to knit half as well as you someday. Plus, I’ll trade with you: my homework for organizing books any time…

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  8. Ooh! Ruffles! I’ve been in the ruffly mood lately. I have got to try that scarf pattern, it must feel great around your neck. The handspun is perfect for the mitts. This way you get to pet it all day long.

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  9. Hi Jane. I’ve had to delurk here now that you know I read your blog regularly (I’m goldiegirl from KR)Cool fingerless mitts! Your own design and your own handspun, too! You should be very proud. And the scarf? Gorgeous. I love that design and yarn combo. After I get a few projects in the queue done I’m off to order from Sundara.And Lynne – I, too, didn’t care for the way the Fetching bind off rolled, so I just bound off in the pattern. It seems to work well.

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  12. Oh my goodness, you are killing me with that scarf. Perfect color, and that pattern is gorgeous. But, I’m afraid I would gouge my own eyes out if I made one. For an Irish Studies person, I’m not sure I love cabling enough . . .

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