FO: Liesel Scarf

The Liesel Scarf is blocked, unpinned and ready to be giftwrapped to give to my mom on Easter Sunday. Here are the specs...

Pattern: Liesel by Mary Joy Gumayagay

Made For: Mom

Needles: KP Harmony Interchangeables size US8/5.0mm

Fiber: 100% Wool

Fiber Weight: Worsted

Fiber Brand: Lion Wool by Lion Brand

Colorway: Winter White

Fiber Amount: 271 Meters (296 yards)

Finished Size: 150cm (59") x 23cm (9")

Liesel Scarf

Well I finally managed to complete Mary Joy Gumayagay's Liesel scarf. I am very pleased with the project, the pattern is well written and no problem to figure out, although I had some trouble at the beginning with the SK2PO (slip one stitch, knit two stitches together, pass slipped stitch over), I can't remember what I assumed it meant but my knitting posse at Men Who Knit cleared everything up for me.

Don't think it was all wine and roses, Liesel and I started off on the wrong foot. This was my first "big boy" pattern, life before Liesel was all knit, purl and not much else. I was determined to get through this however. I started Liesel on some aluminum (I don't like metal), straights which were the only thing I had at the time in that size. What resulted was bursts of progress and then a mistake of some sorts would send the thing flying into the frog pond. "Great" I thought, I would have to lock myself up like a hermit if I were to ever make some serious progress with this (that's when I learned about using a lifeline). Then something new came along to halt this project, I ordered my KnitPicks Options Interchangeable Harmony Wood Circular Knitting Needle Set, surely after frogging it yet again I could wait until my fancy new needles arrived and dump those aluminum straights. Well, as it turns out the size I needed for the Liesel Scarf was in place and I was happily knitting away when I found there was a defect in one of the tips which snagged unrelentingly at the wool. So another wait was eminent, thankfully Knit Picks took care of the problem in no time at all. Finally, with no more excuses, Liesel was under way toward the end of February. As I type this entry, it is done. Liesel is blocking on my ironing board right this very moment, as a matter of fact, my hands are still pruny and smell of wool wash.

As a beginner, I learned some good lessons from this pattern. Here's a little rundown...

• When dealing with patterns composed of various stitches/techniques, keep count of your stitches! I double checked at the end of each row that I had the correct number on the needles. I also went through each row of the pattern and wrote down the number of stitches that should be left on the needles at completion of that row. This made life so much easier.
  


• I made myself a large-type printout of this pattern in an easy to read font with lots of space between rows. I put said pattern on my clipboard and was ready for action (this stopped me from knitting half of row 6 and finishing it with half of row 7).
  


• SK2PO means Slip One Stitch, Knit Two Stitches Together, Pass Slipped Stitch Over
  


• Using a lifeline is as vital as the name suggests. I used a length (not too short or it may pull through) of black cotton embroidery floss after each pattern repeat. This way if I had to frog, I only had to rip down to the string which also let me know how my stitches should go back on the needles. I used embroidery floss as it is less likely to get in the way when knitting the row above it, embroidery floss also doesn't (shouldn't) shed, getting odd colored fibers into your work. Think about it, why would you want to frog an entire project when you could get away with frogging only a couple of rows?
  


• The felted join is a fabulous way to start a new ball (assuming that the yarn you are using can be felted)
  


• Knitting the tail of your Cast On into your work with the first couple stitches (no need to weave in one end at least).
  


• Duplicate Stitching as a means to neatly weave in the remaining yarn end(s).
  


• And finally, I've learned that my ironing board isn't such a great blocking board. I really need to come up with something different.

All in all I am very happy with my Liesel scarf. This is the first project I am super proud of. I will post some specs as well as pictures of the finished scarf soon. Also, to my fellow newbie knitters; dive in the deep end. I highly recommend it. Choose a project that seems just a bit too advanced for you and get yourself through it no matter what. I guaranty you will be pleased with the lessons you've learned.

Why Am I Here?

No, this isn't a theological question. I started this blog as sort of a journal of my progress (and lulls), on my quest to become a knitter. Yes, as I write this entry I can technically knit. I can cast-on a few different ways, knit, purl, yarn over, PSSO, sk2tog etc. with the best of them. I can determine gauge and even follow a pattern, but it's all completely new to me. I still consider myself a beginner.
I have done several types of needle arts through the years and some time ago, I decided that I should learn to knit. I didn't know anyone who actually knitted so I made a poor attempt at it myself and soon tired of trying to figure it out.
In 2007, I made a connection that I never made before, knitting + Internet = virtually unlimited information. I spend at least an hour a day on the Internet looking up one thing or another and it never occurred to me to look up knitting. I soon discovered a handful of websites that make up my knitting arsenal. If someone were to ask me how to knit, I would tell them to buy a skein of yarn, a pair (or two or three), of needles and to log onto Knitting Help. Honestly, with the exception of a little book of various stitches I bought in the craft section of a local department store, I have yet to buy a knitting book because of Knitting Help.
I also found Men Who Knit, an online community for... you guessed it, Men who knit! This is a fantastic community with lots of friendly, helpful fellow knitters. It was some of the guys on Men Who Knit who inspired me to knit something other than garter or stockinette stitches. They are bold and creative and unafraid to try new projects, even if they have to frog the thing and start all over they are cool headed and determined. I think if I hadn't found this site I would be knitting garter stitch scarves for the rest of my knitting life.
So after all of this searching and learning, I started by making swatches (with the occasional garter stitch scarf for good measure). My swatches were for practicing new stitches and techniques, the scarves also had their merits. Some people frown upon a garter stitch scarf as a "waste project" but honestly I learned from them, I learned how to cast on, how to cast on neatly, how to knit, how to keep a good tension, and how to cast off. Because I used nice yarn for the scarves (I use cheap crap for the swatches), I also had some nice scarves to keep (just one), and give away as much appreciated gifts (the gushing over them made me blush because it was such a simple process to make them).
To get you up to date with me, I am currently working on Mary Joy Gumayagay's Liesel scarf pattern, and naturally learning quite a bit from it. I am frogging the thing for the last time (I swear), and starting over. Here's one of my lessons, I "discovered" the life line, the strand of contrasting thread you weave through the last row of work in a repeat so if and when you screw up the next time you don't have to frog the whole blessed thing. I felt like man discovering fire when I came across that one. I was beginning to have nightmares involving the Liesel scarf.
Well, that's pretty much my story thus far. Also, if anybody actually reads this, look me up on Ravelry as well, I'm on there as Asbjorn (sans umlaut).