Monday, April 21, 2008

Moebius Scarf

Saturday I took a class from Lucy Bromm on how to do the Moebius Cast On. The first hour was somewhat tense - took off the extra shirt, deodorant failure, wanted a cigarette, drank a Diet Coke, but it was so worth it. Once my fingers stopped overreacting to the cast on, it was quite easy and very fast. Then the fun began! You are actually knitting from the middle out and because the needles are twisted, one side will look knitted but the opposite will look purled. It does sort of feel like magic.
I have high hopes for this scarf and right now plan on knitting hundreds. I started the scarf above with the white yarn that I just got back from Stonehedge Mill. It is 50% alpaca and 50% merino lamb, and is heavenly to knit with (I have 16 skeins of 250 yards each). Because I was experimenting, I did 2 rows of knit, then 2 rows of purl, 3 knit, 3 purl, and just changed whenever. There are 4 rows of knitted commercial mohair around the outside. I need to find that stretchy, knitted bind off directions and will finish. Yea! I will probably list it in my Etsy shop.
I had bought Cat Bordhi's book A Treasury of Magical Knitting but the cast on didn't make much sense before Lucy helped me. I think Cat Bordhi will be at Threadbear in Lansing this summer.
The most usable, helpful thing that I learned that I want to pass on is that if you use a larger needle on the right, knitting is waaaay easier. I have a US# 11 on the right and a US# 9 on the left. Why didn't anyone ever tell me this before? Is it the best kept knitting secret? Well, now you all know!
Of course, you need the needles that screw onto a cable, like Denise, or KnitPick which is what I have.

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