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· Promotion Scarf
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Instructions
There are several techniques you should use that are common to all
of the Doctor Who scarves. Since how to knit is not within the scope of this site, I have briefly described the techniques below and you can find more specific info elsewhere on the internet.
- Row Amounts: I have received tons of questions on this
issue and it's time for me to clarify it. Knitters use the term
"row" to describe one pass across the needle. In garter stitch,
which is what these scarves are made with, it takes two passes
across the needles, or "rows" to create one of the horizontal
"ribs."
Here, the yellow stripe has four ribs, which would take eight
rows to knit. On my patterns, this would be represented by saying
"4 yellow."
The reason for stating it this way is because many, if not most
of visitors to this site are not professional knitters, and might
get confused if I had stated the actual amount of rows. But maybe
I've just confused people more! ;-)
- Yarn Choice: On this site I've mentioned a couple of
different yarn brands that I have found to be the best choices
for each scarf. If you want to use a different yarn, just be aware
that it should be "sport" or "DK" weight and should be available
in the specific colors you need. Wool or a wool blend are the
best choices. Be careful about mixing different brands of yarn
together; sometimes the differences in the yarn can make the edges
appear uneven. If you do mix yarns, make sure they are of the
same material! (IE: Don't mix wool with Acrylic, etc.) Also make
sure that the stitiches-per-inch are the same.
- Style: The scarf should be knitted in garterstitch, probably
the simplest knitting technique. (It's all knit stitches.) On the original scarf there were no "slipped" stitches, but you can slip the last stitch on every row to make the edge smoother if you prefer. Alternatively, you can knit the scarf in stockinette stitch (knit and purl alternate rows), which I have recently taken a liking to. Some differences about stockinette stitch:
- It has a smoother look and looks more professional, IMHO.
- It knits up faster.
- It is thinner than garterstitch, which I like.
- It tends to curl up, which can somewhat be remedied by:
- knitting the first and last two stitches with garterstitch
- ironing or blocking it
- Color Changing: There are many ways to change colors
but this is the best way I know of. (And the way Ms. Pope did
on the original.) After you finish with a color, cut the end about
10-12 inches long. Knit 2 or 3 stitches with this strand, then on the
fourth stitch, start knitting in the new color leaving about the
same length strand. When you have
knitted some with the new color, neatly tie the strands together,
(a square knot works best.) When the scarf is complete,
use a yarn needle to weave the strands into the stitches of the scarf. Clip
the ends close to the scarf.
- Tassels: Each tassel should consist of a 12 inch strand
of each of the seven colors. Fold the strands to make a loop,
then with a crochet needle, pull the loop through the inside of
the scarf and pull the ends through the loop. (Make sure you pull
them tightly.) This is represented on the graphic.
- Blocking: This is the process in which knitted goods are steamed or wetted to make them drape a certain way and straighten out the stitches. For the scarf, you can do this if you want it to be more stretched out or if you want it to fold in a certain way. Some yarn stores and dry cleaners do this, or you can do it yourself. Basically, you pin the scarf in the position you want it to stay, steam (with an iron) or wet it, and let it dry in that position. This works well if it's a natural fiber yarn. (acrylic or other synthetic yarns don't really work with blocking.)
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