My First Scarf!

Well, I did it.  Last night I finished my first scarf!  It wasn't my first knitting project (frankly, I'm too embarrassed to share the first three things I tried - at least for now), but this was the first project that I completed and that looks pretty nice.  In fact, I think it came out looking terrific!

It's hard to see from the picture, but it's a black and grey scarf, about 8" wide.  I used black Wool Ease Thick and Quick yarn (2.5 skeins) and black/grey Fun Fur yarn (3 skeins). I knitted with both yarns together (holding a strand from each together as one), using a simple garter stitch for the entire piece, casting on 16 stitches on size 13 needles.  It took me a total of about 9 hours to complete, but remember, I'm a newbie.  I'm sure most experienced knitters could whip this out in 3 hours or so.

Interestingly, I didn't see this scarf online or in a pattern book anywhere.  On Thanksgiving, I was at my Aunt's house knitting a scarf for a cousin, using regular worsted weight 5 yarn and size 6 needles. It was slow going, and I was discouraged by my mistakes.  My cousin's girlfriend, who has been knitting for years, suggested that I try using a thick yarn and bigger needles. Hmmm. That didn't sound like a bad idea at all.  Then I got the idea to add the Fun Fur, hoping that it might make any newbie mistakes a little less noticeable. 

It worked like a charm. The larger needles and thicker yarn made the project go much faster, and I made very few mistakes.  The few mistakes I made are completely hidden by the Fun Fur.  No one will ever know.  Well, now everyone knows because I've put it out there publicly on the internet, but you wouldn't have known if I hadn't told you.

I can't even begin to express the sense of accomplishment I have. I showed the finished product to one of my friends today, and he said, "Wow! That looks like something you would buy at a store!"  I can't think of a sweeter compliment.

My next project is another scarf, a Christmas gift, in Thick and Quick Denim Twist (black and denim blue striped) yarn. No Fun Fur this time.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm dying to make a blanket, but I have several holiday scarves to make first.  The practice will do me good. I also have some needlepoint Christmas gifts to finish.