Hi, Newbie Knitter Asking Opinions ...

[ingridmatthews]

I asked my circle this morning, but thought I'd ask here as well. I want to knit a scarf that's appearing in the upcoming Sherlock Holmes 2 movie (link below). I have the yarn, but I'm kinda paralyzed by what stitch to use.

Here's what I posted. Please note that I'm a newbie knitter, but have an okay hang of the basics.

Okay, flist, I need advice from my more experienced knitters. I've decided to knit the Hotson Scarf of Ultimate Warmitude but I'm paralyzed deciding the stitch.

1)Garter. Pro: easiest and fastest for me, won't lose track and mess up. Con: doesn't look particularly pretty or polished, but maybe that's just me.

2) Stockinette. Pro: pretty and professional looking. Con: Heard it curls and doesn't hang awesomely. Is this really inevitable? :(

3) Ribs. Pro: Very, very pretty and soft, hangs well. Con: Will lose track very easily and the original scarf looks nothing like that to me.

Thanks for any input!

Comments

[pinesandmaples]

...

Or just knit it in the round.

[franzi1981]

?

Are we talking about the same thing when we say knit in the round? How/why would you want to knit a scarf in the round?

[pinesandmaples]

Step one: Knit a long tube.

Step two: Wear as a scarf.

Optional step three: Add fringe.

A scarf would be knit in the round to avoid curling from stockinette knit flat. It's significantly less complicated to do one stitch for six feet than to add a border for six feet.

[franzi1981]

I'm not fond of knitting in the round for things where I don't have to (and I really don't want to have to do seaming for a scarf), so I prefer the border - and I don't mind the "wrong" side... but YMMV, of course.

[jumpuphigh]

There is a way to do this without knitting in the round or seaming. I'm currently trying to figure out how to do multiple strands of yarn with it since ingridmatthews wants a striped scarf but if you are just using one color, the pattern is:

Cast on an even number of stitches.
Each row: (k1,sl1) Repeat til end. When you slip a stitch, have the yarn to the front.
Bind off.

You'll have made a tube with both ends already closed.

[franzi1981]

Ooooooooooh. That sounds interesting! I'll have to try that eventually, thanks!!

[apis_mellifera]

That technique is called double-knitting.

[jumpuphigh]

Cool. Thanks for the technique name. I never knew what it was called. I learned to knit when I was living in Mexico and my techniques tend to baffle most American knitters.

[apis_mellifera]

It's not a particularly common technique, but it certainly useful in the right circumstances. :)

[jumpuphigh]

My first project was done this way and I've made many scarves with this technique. Then I stopped knitting and when I picked it back up, I was living in one of the hottest places in America so making super-warm scarves just was not on the agenda. I may use it again for scarves for friends in colder climates or for bags. It's a really fun technique.