Sunday, January 22, 2012

Criss Cross Alpaca Scarf

I learned a new stitch, Criss Cross, recently and used it to create my final birthday gift to myself... a scarf to go with my new coat!



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I found this yarn at Michaels. It is Yarn Bee's Andes Alpaca in color Damson.  I picked it because it looked like a purple and brown, which I had been looking for. It is a longer varigation - or maybe a shorter skein. Whichever the case, look at all the other colors in this, even though only purple and brown showed at the store on the outer skein! I think I love it better with all the colors, but I was so surprised as I was knitting that it started looking like this! (A happy surprise!)  I really liked the "depth" I got by using a varigated yarn!  The finished size is 40"x7". This took two skeins of yarn, or roughly 200 yards.

Five inches on each end are double knit stockinette.  I knitted 30" using the Criss Cross stitch. 



I used the double knit stockinette because I found after doing a gray practice scarf that I did not like the Criss Cross stitch on the bottom edge.



The Criss Cross stitch is one I learned after seeing a video on YouTube. Click here to see it. After watching it, I had to re-watch it to create a diagram so I could actually do it.


The Criss Cross stitch actually is a pattern of two different combinations, each creating a stripe. When combined, you get a whole new and interesting design.   After I finished my practice scarf and the final one, I did a little sample to figure out what I was really doing.  You can see how each pattern is a stripe.

Pattern II is at the top and Pattern I is at the bottom.


I did this on my Knifty Knitter looms and I will warn you that a #4 yarn is too thin unless it is "hairy". You can see the weave well here on the practice piece (I used Simply Soft yarn), but I liked the weave tighter on my birthday scarf.


Using alpaca for my final scarf made all the difference in not shifting. The final product is a nice, tight weave. I also liked it on my cream-colored sample that used a #5 chunky yarn!

On my sample, I also played with alternating two and three of the same pattern at a time.  This is what I did on this sample to play with variation shown on the lower part of the sample below:
two rows pattern II
one row pattern I
three rows pattern II
one row pattern I
three rows pattern II
one row pattern I
two rows pattern II

I think it created a fun design and I really liked this stitch with a chunky yarn:
The upper part is pattern I and II alternating as designed.  The lower area shows variations of two and three rows of pattern II with single rows of pattern I.  This is a chunky #5 acrylic yarn.


So, this is my last birthday gift to myself! It has been a super-busy and stressful January in our office and at home. (My husband and I work from our home!) I am looking forward to an easier February for sure. For my friends who share a birthday with me today-- and there are four that I know of -- here's a little fun!



9 comments:

Sis Patterson said...

Happy Birthday, Nadia!

I love your birthday scarf - Alpaca, how fabulous and appropriate for an "achievement" gift. The colors are amazing and the stitch is too cool.

And thanks for the birthday video - I would like you to dance too - we're gonna have a good time!

Best wishes for a wonderful year and the time to enjoy it!

Beth said...

Beautiful scarf, I wished you would quit posting all of your loom projects, it is inspiring me to get mine out, and I don't have time:) Love them all.

Sandy from Ukiah said...

I absolutely love that yarn... Beautiful colors... And a happy birthday to you...

JennyKozar said...

Happy Birthday again my friend! Hope you are enjoying your day -- the scarves are ALL beautiful! Love how you are rocking those knifty knitters!!

Diane Hodrick said...

Well, you certainly made yourself a fabulous gift. I love the scarf. The stitch is dreamy, and I love the way you finished (and began) your ends with the stockinette stitch. It really does make a huge difference...thanks for the visual. Love that you are adding how you did this. I do have a few looms, but haven't dug them out yet this winter. You have done a fabulous job with this. Every craft you touch ends up with a top notch result.

Sara Andrews said...

Happy Birthday Nadia!

I love the scarves!

cdm317 said...

Happy Birthday! Love the scarf!

Gina piazza said...

Happy Happy Birthday!!

MelodyR aka Ry&MysMom said...

Greeted you on the CC MB, but I'll do it here too - hope you had a wonderful bday yesterday!

BTW that criss cross stitch adds so much texture to the scarf. Love the color you chose too.

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