Monday 12 March 2012

Knitting a Scarf

Something I seem to do each year is knit up a scarf using the latest yarns (wools) available.  Scarves are great accessories to dress up our winter wardrobes with and I have particularly enjoyed the more feminine ones available over the last year or two.

A few years ago I tried out the bobble type yarn which was really popular, I don't even remember what it was called.  It was unusual to knit with, but made up into a scarf quite quickly.  These are nice and cosy to wear!


In the early months of last year when I was at one of the craft shows in Brisbane I came across Can Can Yarn.  A lady was demonstrating it as she knitted a scarf.  I was so fascinated with it and knew I had to give it a try.  Loving frills and ruffles, I was amazed at how this yarn curled into natural ruffles as it was knitted up.  It was most unusual, nothing like any other yarn I had seen or tried, and looked more like a rolled up mesh.


Colour availability was limited and I didn't really like anything they had in stock, so I chose a ball of white yarn and took it home and dyed it.  I dye my own laces all the time to use in my sewing and craft work and usually buy my dyes through Starr Laces & Ribbons.  I first discovered them at a craft show, but they are also available online.


After dying my yarn, the end result was a yarn in a gorgeous shade of pale pink which is one of my favourite colours.  Each ball of yarn can knit up into two scarves and being a family with quite a few girls in it, I had no troubles finding a willing recipient for the 2nd scarf!

Each ball of  Can Can Yarn comes with instructions for knitting it, on the reverese side of the label, but the instructions are written so small that even with a magnifying glass it is difficult to work out what it says.  So after some online searching I found a great tutorial for knitting up Can Can Yarn at Can Can Yarn Tutorial.   Because you have such a small number of stitches on your needle, you can honestly knit up a scarf in an evening, or if you are a bit slower, two evenings at most.


I have noticed that this yarn is now available under different names and in a lot more colours, even varigated varieties.  I prefer this close-knit mesh, but there are yarns also available with a much wider mesh which still gives the ruffled affect with a more open, loopy kind of a look to it.  Prices have come down this year too, now that the yarn has been around for awhile. 

So if you are looking for a relatively simple knitting project to try, I highly recommend this yarn for making up a cute new winter scarf.  Enjoy the compliments you receive when wearing it, because I can guarantee you there will be plenty!

1 comment:

  1. I love your pink version, Karen! I haven't been brave enough to try this yarn yet - and I don't need to with a lovely friend to make scarves for me {wink} - but I'm tempted to try it this season as I see the yarn coming back into the stores.

    Thanks so much for sharing your post on my blog too.

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