Finished: The Marf

marf noun: man scarf

In the absence of my resident male

model, the bannister will have to do.

Pattern: Mistake Stitch Ribbing (CO multiple of 4 sts plus 3, work *k2 p2* across to last 3 sts, end k2 p1)
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (55% merino, 33% microfiber, 12% cashmere), color 330009, four skeins
Needles: US 8 straights
Dimensions: 5" by 56" before blocking, 5" by 71" after
Mods: I slipped the first stitch of each row knitwise for a nice even edging of selvedge stitches
Started/Completed: December 9/January 10
Recipient: J

A detail of the slipped-stitch edging.

This was a fast knit that I kept putting down in favor of other projects; had I not started it in the midst of all the holiday knitting, I probably could have finished it much faster. In any case, I will be taking it with me to Chicago this weekend, just in time to keep J's neck warm as winter seems to have finally arrived in the windy city.

I had originally purchased six skeins of the Cashmerino for this scarf, but I stopped after four because I remembered how much my cabled tube scarf had bloomed and stretched with a good blocking. This sucker grew a full 15(!) inches. It's now long enough for J to wrap around his neck once or twice and tuck into his coat.

An interesting side note: J and I made many trips into Banana Republic while we were on vacation. I've long since given up on finding anything for me there, so usually I wait while J looks around the men's section (of course I usually wind up examining the knitted items to see what I could make). I kept going back to the scarves, because I was just so amused to see this one -- recognize the stitch pattern?

Tomorrow I'm headed to Chicago for a long weekend with my J and hopefully visits with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I will probably have some Internet access (that is, if J lets me use his laptop), but I don't know if I will be blogging. I am taking two pairs of socks with me (Jaywalkers for me, started last night, and socks for my Sockret Pal, started tonight), so there will definitely be some blog fodder for when I get back. Have a great weekend!