Pattern: Irish Hiking Scarf, free pattern from Hello Yarn
Yarn: School Products Worsted Weight Cashmere
Needles: US 8 Lantern Moon straight needles
Recipient: Undecided
Notes: This is the millionth Irish Hiking Scarf you've seen. But no matter - it's a lovely, simple pattern, perfect for typical amounts of stash yarn. And in this case, quite the stash yarn it was - about 4 oz. (?) of School Products cashmere, in my favorite of the colors they've offered. As I mentioned long ago, the ladies of School Products had often prodded me to use larger needles for the yarn than it looked suited for at first glance. It looks about DK weight to the eye, but the larger needles really provide the space for the cashmere to plump up and become ultra soft and plush. You can kinda see it in this closeup:
... but I wish I could send you a virtual squeeze of this scarf. Between the cables (which thicken the fabric) and the yarn, it's truly a luxury. The cables are a little loose and stretchy, but I think this pattern doesn't demand too much solidity from the cables, so it's all good. Here's one more view.
Now the question of who should recieve this lovely squish of a neck piece. She'd make a great gift, but then it might be unseemly to gift one person something knitted for the holidays and not others. And then, you know, I could just solve the problem by keeping it for myself. Enter inner struggle...
Related Posts:
I'm Neither Irish Nor Going For a Hike
That does look really squishy! My vote is for to keep it for yourself! If you end up knitting other gifts, the other recipients may be jealous that that person got cashmere.
Posted by: Angela at December 1, 2005 2:38 PMI am just a beginner... do you think this pattern would be a good one for me to practice/figure out cables? Any hints for a newbie?
~emily.
Posted by: Emily at December 1, 2005 2:39 PMWow....you are right, there are a lot of hiking scarves out there but I have to say yours is the first that has made me want to knit it! It looks so cozy and soft and wow, cashmere. You are right about the cables giving it some thickness...and your cables look so nice! I might have to make this....
Posted by: Sarah at December 1, 2005 3:11 PMAbsolutely beautiful! If you can't think of anyone else to give it to, I'll take it off of your hands. :-)
Posted by: Jewell at December 1, 2005 3:15 PMKeep it for yourself! You're always generously knitting projects for others. Your overdue to have your own plush, luxurious scarf! I've been enjoying my lovely wool orange one that you made me since mid-November! :)
Posted by: joyolivia at December 1, 2005 3:31 PMkeep it!! It's getting cold out there. It's lovely
Posted by: yahaira at December 1, 2005 3:39 PMbeautiful. i can tell it must be really soft and luscious. beautiful color, too. i must check out some of those yarns. you should keep it for yourself, too!!
Posted by: blossom at December 1, 2005 4:07 PMoh it looks so lovely -- squishy and cuddly soft. i say if a recipient doesn't immediately come to mind then you should keep it. you deserve some of your own knitterly love too...especially now that the colder weather has finally arrived!
Posted by: jody at December 1, 2005 4:08 PMthat scarf is beautiful!! how long did it take you?
Posted by: Kym at December 1, 2005 4:24 PMOooh, oooh.
Questions, questions:
How wide is the scarf?
Tell me more about this worsted-weight cashmere. Is it good stuff? Affordable? Because, you know, the next time that I can get to School Products....
Posted by: Colleen at December 1, 2005 4:32 PMJust goes to show that scarves don't have to be boring...nice job...it's gorgeous!
Posted by: Roxanne at December 1, 2005 4:56 PMYou deserve that luxury! I was not familiar with the giving-it-space concept before you started talking about it.
Posted by: Lauren at December 1, 2005 4:58 PMMy advice - never give away the cashmere! ;)
Posted by: julia at December 1, 2005 5:55 PMOooh, yummy. I love the color with the cables. I think you should keep it for yourself. I'm going to have to look into that yarn - I may "need" some.
Posted by: Stephanie at December 1, 2005 6:40 PMthe famous school products cashmere! oh i bet that scarf is so freakn' soft! i say keep it for yourself. selfish knitting is never a bad thing. plus seeing family members fight over it might not be a good thing!
Posted by: melissa at December 1, 2005 8:26 PMThe plumping action on your scarf is fantastic, it's giving me pause to think about making on of my own. What are the dimensions?
Posted by: Sarah at December 1, 2005 10:01 PMAh, I love that pattern! I made one for my mother and she actually wears it, she never wears scarves. (so why'd I make her one? oh well). That is a beautiful shade of blue, wow. I think you should go ahead and gift it, someone will appreciate it beyond belief. I often give knitted gifts to some friends and family and not others, but only because they'll get something eventually for a birthday or something else, so it balances out in the end.
Posted by: Julia at December 1, 2005 10:15 PMIt's gorgeous!
Posted by: natalie at December 2, 2005 1:03 AMi really do just want to reach into the computer and squeeze that scarf! i always tell people that they should keep their finished objects, but this time i really must insist.
Posted by: carrie m at December 2, 2005 1:17 AMYours is actually the first one I've seen. I'm not sure how I managed that, but now my dad is totally getting one. Yours looks so much nicer than the one on the pattern page too!
Posted by: ellie at December 2, 2005 2:21 AMOh, I say keep it! So lovely! And really, will anyone else appreciate it as much as you? I must go to School Products now to snatch up some of that cashmere.
Posted by: megan at December 2, 2005 7:36 AMLovely lovely - I can almost feel the cashmere on the screen ;) Definitely keep it! Jess needs a warm neck too!
Posted by: Lolly at December 2, 2005 7:49 AMThat looks gorgeous! It really does look plush and extra squishy! Good call on the larger needles. Must. make. irish. hiking. scarf...
Posted by: Cathy at December 2, 2005 8:25 AMKEEP IT!!! i mean, how can you not???
;)
I agree with the others! Lovely! I wish I could find cashmere around here for a reasonable price. Keep it!
Posted by: chica at December 2, 2005 4:24 PMWhat a scrumptious scarf! You totally inspired me to make one for my boyfriend. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough of anything sleeker than Lamb's Pride Worsted lying around, but he won't mind. I may need to hit the post-holiday sales at my LYS for something luxe for me.
Posted by: Editrix at December 5, 2005 2:20 PMYour cables look so much longer and elegant than mine! Gorgeous colour.
Posted by: Gloria at April 18, 2006 7:08 PMBeautiful cables! The knit scarf looks so soft.
Posted by: Monica Silva at September 27, 2007 7:45 PMBeautiful cabled knit scarf! The colors have great stitch visibility. It looks perfect.
Posted by: Monica Silva at September 27, 2007 7:48 PMYour scarf came out beautiful. How do you keep your edges so neat?
Posted by: jay at March 6, 2008 9:22 PM