Saturday, November 28, 2009

Free Scarf Recipe: Or, How to Knit your Squash

Fresh-baked Squash

SORRY! I MISSED A STEP PLUS A FEW DETAILS. PLEASE SEE REVISED RECIPEE BELOW OTHERWISE YOUR
SQUASH WILL BURN!

We're just at the end of autumn here in the northern hemisphere: our turkeys are cooked, our pumpkins baked and our butternut squashes at their most perfect. I feel like celebrating all things orange today so here's a recipe where your squash can be knitted rather than eaten. Here's a wavy, richly-textured scarf to make a perfect snuggle around your neck. No new purchase needed. Try using up bits and batts of stashed yarn or spring for a fat, chunky hank of handspun, hand-dyed.

To begin, gather the following ingredients:

• 1 set of circular needles size US11/8mm
• Small quantities of the best, most delectable, fiber such as hand-dyed, hand-spun, yarns, silky ribbons and anything with chunky inclusions. This mix is of the hearty variety so don't scrimp on nutrition.

Directions:

• pre-heat needles
• Cast-on 100 stitches using a thick, aran-weight yarn.
• Knit two rows. On next right-side row, work the feather and fan stitch across the row. Feather & fan stitch consists of : K1, *knit two together (k2tog) 6 times followed by yarn over knit 1 (yo k1) 6 times.* Work this pattern set to the end of the row end of the row.
•  Knit the next two rows
• Change yarns to your heartiest fiber to knit two more rows, ending on the right-hand side.
• Change yarns to a ribbon or tape such as Mango Moons Silky Ribbon and work one row of simple open stitch as follows:

• Knit 1, wrap yarn around the needle once and knit two together (yok2tog). Repeat across row. On reverse row, knit the stitches knit on the right side including loops formed by the wraps. Repeat this sequence for another 2-row set.

Repeat the sequence above in reverse, ending with a feather&fan row followed by two rows of knit. Bind off.

Now take something interesting or yummy like ribbon or hand-spun yarn to weave through the openings formed by the openwork running down the middle. Using a tapestry needle, I wove silk ribbon in and out through these 'tracks', moving back from one track to another to form a silky meandering reminscent of butter dolloped on sweet potato.

The finished creation will be thick and wavy with lots of chunky texture to cuddle your neck on blustery days. Try not to stick it in your mouth, all right?