All of the knitters have been making up their versions of Brooklyn Tweed's Noro Striping Scarf for gifts this holiday season. Since spotting the gorgeous scarf on his website last year, I printed out the pattern but set it aside as I had other more complicated knitting projects in the works. But in early December I thought that I needed something a bit more mindless to knit on cold evenings.
Instead of using two different colorways of self-striping Noro Silk Garden yarn, I selected only one in a fairly masculine colorway (Color #249)which mostly meant no pink or purple in it. I then chose another solid color yarn (charcoal gray) in similar weight and fiber content (Brown Sheep worsted which also has mohair in it)to use as the contrasting yarn. I made the pattern a bit narrower than Brooklyn Tweed's version and continued alternating every other row between the Noro and the Brown Sheep.
I was really happy with the results. It wasn't as bright and colorful as using two different striping Noro yarns, but I thought the striping Noro through the neutral Brown Sheep yarn was more subtle and appropriate for a guy to wear. The recipient was happy with it and so was I. I also helped my sister-in-law select her yarn colors to make versions for her son and daughter-in-law, and I also have another scarf going already in using two different Noro and Brown Sheep yarns. It's fun, easy, and addicting!
Here is the pattern for MY version of Brooklyn Tweed's Noro Striping Scarf:
Materials: Noro Silk Garden yarn (silk, kid mohair, lambswool) - 2 skeins, and Brown Sheep worsted - 1 skein - in a complimentary color. (Using the Brown Sheep also makes the scarf more econoical than using 4 skeins of Noro as well)
Needles: I used a circular Addi Turbo in size US 8 (I use Addi's for nearly everything because I love the smoothness and how easily the yarn glides off the end)
Dimensions: Approx. 5 to 6 inches wide, and 6 feet in length. (The recipient loosely wrapped the scarf around his neck once, and let the ends hang just below his chest. It looked about right).
The scarf is worked over an odd number of stitches in 1 x 1 ribbing (knit 1, purl 1,etc.). This is great because it is reversible (both sides look the same), is rather thick, and lays flatly. I cast on 35 stitches using US 8 size needles. Start with the solid color (Brown Sheep) yarn, and knit two rows, slipping purl-wise (with yarn in back) at the BEGINNING of every row. This makes a nice neat edge on both sides of the scarf. Simply knit and purl across each row, turning and continuing back to the beginning side. Then switch colors and continue in two rows of each color until you have used up both skeins of Noro and the one skein of Brown Sheep, OR until it is long enough for you. You may block it if needed, but I found that simply rolling up the scarf when I was not working on it kept it in good shape.
Enjoy! and share your photos if you try this version in different colorways. Obviously this would be just as appropriate for women using brighter and more feminine colors of both Noro and Brown Sheep.
More photos of other knitting projects to come soon!
