Good News!

My friend Joe's stepson is coming home from Iraq today. He was supposed to come home in August but his tour got extended. He's home now, safe and sound, and that's what counts.

Nancy asked to see a picture of the scarf I'm making for my son, John.



I photoshopped the photo a little to lighten it so you can see the pattern. The scarf is actually a darker blue. The yarn is worsted weight merino Malabrigo in the Azul Buscando colorway. Since the yarn is handpainted, I'm knitting from 2 skeins by alternating every 2 rows. I bought 4 skeins (215 yds each - a total of 860 yds) hoping to have enough for a long scarf and a matching hat. At this point I've knit 45 inches, and I may be able to get another 5 inches out of the first two skeins so there should be enough for a hat.

The pattern is called "Woven Stitch." I borrowed it from a pattern in the Design Source Collection 1 booklet. I really love it because it's easy to memorize, looks nice, lies flat, and really shows off handpainted yarns in "solid" colors nicely.

Woven Stitch:
Cast on a multiple of 4 stitches plus 1
Row 1: K to back loop, *p3, k1 * (repeat until there is 1 stitch left), slip last stitch with yarn in front
Row 2: K to back loop, p until there is 1 stitch left, slip last stitch with yarn in front
Row 3: K to back loop, p1, *k1, p3* (repeat until there is 1 stitch left), slip last stitch with yarn in front
Row 4: Repeat Row 2

I'm not sure if I can knit a hat that incorporates the woven stitch in any way and still looks masculine enough for John, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.