Sep 27 2005
Self Portrait Tuesday : Autumnal Amour
Three years to fruit.
Three clusters of small Concords.
Three minutes to eat all of them.
It was worth it… they were so sweet!
I love autumn! It is my favorite time of year. I love the crisp breeze, and the beautiful foliage. Even though I complain about the amount of reading, I love the return to school. I love pulling out my wool sweaters and cardigans. I love the season premieres of new TV shows. I love planning holiday gifts. I love harvesting the last of our garden vegetables. I love planning warm stews and soups to warm my belly and my soul. I love the cycles of nature.
…and I love wearing scarves!
If you have looked through my gallery (new and improved!), you have seen that I love to make scarves. Since my first Wool Ease Chunky scarf–not pictured in the gallery due to its hideousness–I have made countless scarves for family and friends, charities, and myself.
Here are some of my favorites from recent years.
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From left to right, top to bottom: Colinette Giotto in Gaughin, Colinette Point 5 in Jay, Ironstone Mohair (colorway unknown), and Patons Divine in Floral Fantasy.
All scarves are my own design–never underestimate a simple design in a lovely yarn! The Colinette Giotto scarf is probably my favorite FO so far. I wear this scarf any chance I can get. One hank of yarn (that is all I could afford at $25 a skein!), simple stockinette on size 15. It curls, and I love it that way!
I have my eye on several other scarf patterns that have come out in books, on Knitty and MagKnits, and some designs that live in my head.
A few months ago, Heather gave me a great book, Vogue Knitting Scarves. I already know the first one I am going to make:
Not sure about what color yet (although that pink is nice!) but it will be a perfect way to stash bust, and have a pretty FO in return.
Others scarves I have my eye on? Branching Out, Edgar, Short Rows Multidirectional Scarf, Clapotis, Teva Durham’s Leaf Cravat, and for the Weasley knitalong, the HiP scarf. (Heather and I are doing this one together) I also have a great stitch dictionary (stitchinary?) that has some lovely cables, ribs and lace, that I want to experiment with… stay tuned.
What are your favorite scarf patterns?
We just picked the concord grapes we have growing on our back deck. Oh man, we have two big Igloo coolers full of them! Of course, ours are not the sweet kind, but they make great jelly. My parents are venturing into trying to make wine this year!
Favorite scarf pattern, hmmm, well the one that I really love and I’ve made quite a few times is out of the Vogue scarf book (those mini-books that Vogue puts out). It has cables up the middle and the sides and it’s made in chunky yarn. I think I have a picture of it on my blog in the sidebar where all the sweaters are.
I tried that geometric pink vogue scarf. It’s since been frogged. It’s an interesting knit, but I found it tedious, and since I’m not a scarf person, it couldn’t hold my interest. Small needles too.
How’s that for encouragement!
That top picture just makes me sad, our grapes were destroyed last year by Japaneese Bettles, rotten beasts.
My favorite scraf pattern, well it was one I made on my own from some wool yarn from Bartlett Yarns, I picked a cable pattern from Viking Patterns by Elsebeth Lavold, and it literally wraps around my neck and both ends hang to my knees! I love it, I made a matching purse to go with it last year for my trip to Ireland.
Oooh scarves! I can’t wait until it’s cool enough here to start wearing them again. My Wavy from last year has been calling to me from the top shelf of the closet. Only problem? It’s 109 degrees in Austin today. We have a little ways to go. Wear a scarf for me, darlin’!
I’d have to say my favorite scarves tend to be simple stockinette in a bulky yarn. Though I like Branching Out right now too
I love the two you have up there in Colinette! Such beautiful colors
Teva’s Leaf Cravat is a fun knit. I used Cascade 220 and it was yummy!
I made that pink scarf from the vogue book - it turned out very pretty, but all that ribbing was a bit tedious - I like lace scarves the best.
Wendy has a nice scarf pattern: http://wendyknits.net/knit/lanternscarf.htm
This is the pattern being used in the recycled silk knit along:
http://crazyfiberlady.typepad.com/sarialong/
I love that pink scarf though — looks so cozy!
I would have to say Ruffles from Scarf Style.
I wish you could send some fall weather my way. The high here in Houston is 105!!
Amy
Home-grown grapes- what a treat! Love the pic. That Vogue geometric design is beautiful. Can’t wait to see how that turns out. Sorry I’m no help in the scarf department; “chilly” here would be anything below 80 degrees.
But I could probably point you toward some great tank tops!
Oooh, yummy grapes. Scarves - hmmm. I think I’d like to try the ruffle scarf from Scarf Style - if I ever find time to knit something for myself. Maybe a quick scarf - I should be able to squeeze that in.
I love the leaf scarf from Vogue Knitting Summer 2005. The one that Grumperina had knit for her in the SYNO swap and that Carolyn from So Much Yarn, So Little Time is currently knitting.
I’m actually wearing a scarf I knit using the “Cozy” pattern from Knitty. I used cotton angora and made it much narrower than the pattern. I love it.
Your scarves are divine and I always like to see a return of past knitted items.
I love Autumn too! All those rich colours, the preparations for the long months of winter… I do like this pink scarf!
yummy grapes-this must’ve been a good summer for them, we had lots for the first time!
scarves: right now i’m liking the drop stitch situation. i also like to stash bust by holding 2 random yarns together and just plan old garter stitch…
That vogue scarf is really cool looking! You’ll have to describe how that one works when you make it. One of my favorite scarfs is my Morehouse one that can be found here : http://www.morehousefarm.com/KnittingKits/Scarves/2/
Love all those scarves! For scarf patterns, I personally love feather and fan with verigated yarn. OH - also that basket weave looking stich pattern (the real name escapes me)…and noodle/ruffles scarves. And lace. Damn - I really love scarves.
Other great things about autumn…football season, apple cider, and the first scent of a fireplace in the night air.
Favorite scarves? Hmmm…I haven’t made it yet, but I’m really enamored of the braided aran scarf(not sure if that’s its real name) in Scarf Style. I really loved Clapotis as well.
Hi Lauren! What a cool new gallery! (I just checked it out - for some reason my bloglines is acting up, again!) I still really love that stole you made your mom. V. pretty. I haven’t made that many scarves (believe it or not), but I am really taken by that reversible scarf from Scarf Style. I think it’s called Midwest Moonlight or something like that. Anyway, hope you are well and not studying *too* hard.
that self portrait is awesome. it is so simple, yet so creative. hopefully i’ll be down your way again soon and we can hang out!!
Branching Out & Edgar are spiffy patterns!! I’m knitting a multi-directional scarf too, but I haven’t gotten very far with it yet.
Wow, you have a lot of great scarves! I really like the Colinette Giotto in Gaughin. It’s lovely!! What pattern is that? I love the way it loops through …
Love the scarves! Jealous of the grapes! You are growing those yourself? However do you have the time? I am a grape fanatic. I buy (yes I have to buy) the big ol humongo container from Costco and eat it up in just a couple of days! So I bet that handful would last me a few minutes. Also, love the yarn for your honey you picked out!
Yay! for the grape harvest! I love your scarf gallery, you can never have too many…
Oooh, I really like your scarves!!! And your upcoming project from VK Scarves is awesome!
I’m loving your self-portraits. There is a great basketweave scarf designed by Ann Budd in last winter’s Interweave Knits — in the subscriber section. I did it in Louet Gems merino and love it!
I’ve been making scarves alot lately for Christmas. I love cable scarves the most right now. This is the one I’m most liking:
http://wolfandturtle.net/Yarnpath/index.php/Yarnpath/comments/open_cable_scarf/
and I love http://yummyyarn.indus3ous.com/patterns/MJG_Liesel.pdf
Wow, you made grapes! That’s so neat, and I’d LOVE to have a garden someday.
You know, my Chris said the same thing about that sweater–no orange zipper please. The yarn you chose actually looks a lot like Manos, very nice.
I love how positive your posts are
Tere
oooh that is right we’re doing our potter scarves. We need to find our yarn for them!
love the season too…I love fall and winter…share them recipes for soup with me!! mmmmmm
harvest time, thanksgiving…all these are accompanied by handknits! mmmm!
X/O!
I’m working on branching out right now…I can’t quite memorize the lace pattern…but it’s my first try at anything lacy-like… it’s turning out pretty well! It will be fun to do in LOTS of different yarns! I’ve got some vintage Angora/Wool/Acrylic from France someone gave me and it’s soft and fluffy…
Try the branching out!
Oh I love fall too and scarves! I have so many to wear, I can’t wait until it gets colder!
I love that pink scarf pattern. Really cool! Have you seen Amy Boogie’s ongoing love affair with scarf patterns over the last week or so. She’s killing me with the links to all of these great patterns. I’m trying to resist but its not easy.
Tanya
I really love that leaf scarf from Scarf style, it gives you hope for spring when the weather is cold! I’m also planning to make this traveling vines scarf with that Dale yarn I got a while back. It’s a lovely lace pattern. http://dogsstealyarn.com/vines.htm The pink mock cable one from Stitch n bitch nation is also nice.
Don’t go too crazy with all these scarf patterns!
Did you save me a grape? Here is the link for a pattern that I love. It is made with baby alpaca and has a lace pattern. I usually make the border smaller. http://yarn.com/patterns/freepats/PlymF106.html
xo Donna
Your grapes look great Lauren - I love concords! You’ve inspired me to get going on some scarves…I need to get my butt in gear and finish the other projects I’ve got going first!
That is a gorgeous scarf from vogue knits! I’d love to see it knitted up.
Hmm, favorite scarf pattern, I love ene’s scarf and just a simple dropstitch scarf pattern. Oh! And morehouse merino’s diagonal scarf pattern…that turned out really pretty!
I’m with Samantha - I love that Giotto scarf and would like to know the pattern :::skipping off to woolneedlework.com to see if they have it in Gaughin:::::
One of my favorite patterns is the multidirectional diagonal scarf
http://douma.net/Karen/knitting/Accessory-Scarves/Multidirectional_Diagonal_Scarf.htm
I love making scarves, too! I have bunches of them planned for this fall. I love that one that you have planned from Vogue Knitting Scarves!
I made the pink Vogue scarf (only in blue) and loved it. It was a gift thatI almost didn’t give away because I was so fond of it. Only quibble I had was that it was a bit short for me–I think it calls for 3 skeins of Koigu? I would raise that to about 3.5. But then, I’m tall–it might be just right for a shorter person.
I am so happy that auntumn is finally here! After I’m done with my holiday gift knitting, I’m looking forward to tackling the Hanging Vines stole. Might make a quick scarf first, though! (thanks for stopping my to comment, by the way).
I love that Point 5 colorway… I made a jacket from Point 5 last year in “Venetian.” I just wish it didn’t pill so quickly.
I’ve got a skein of Brooks farm waiting to become Clapotis for my mom for the holidays. I haven’t knit that pattern before - but I do like the way it looks and I think my mom will really love it.
Mmmmm, grapes.
You mentioned two of my two favorite scarves… the Multidirectional scarf [made mine in kureon and with a crochet trim - there is a pic in my finished projects page] and the Teva Durham scarf.
I have two skeins of Point 5 and your pic’s are giving me ideas of what to use them for… hmmmm… Thanks!! [that giotto scarf is mighty perty!]
i think my favorite scarf/wrap thingie so far has been the clapotis. i’ve made the leaf cravat, the backyard leaves and the ruffles from scarf style, the backyard leaves and just simple knit and purl basketweave patterns.. but i always pick up the clap when i leave the house. i throw it around my shoulders like a wrap when it’s a little chilly out, and wear it around my neck for the extra warmth. the other scarves were all sent out as gifts, so i’ve not gotten much feedback in terms of the frequency of wear. BUT, they’re all fun to make though!
First off, love the scarves. I’m a total scarve junkie too - I do buy (gasp!!) a lot too though.
I just canned a bunch of concord grapes for juice - a whole half bushell from the farmer’s market. Delish! I have a GREAT grape pie recipie if anyone is interested. It only takes four cups of concord grapes and you’ll die at how tasty it is. Any who… I just ordered dye-able sock yarn from Knit Picks. I’m using my canned grapes for yarn dye! Doesn’t that sound like quite the purple adventure?!?! My fingers will be stained for months, but can’t wait for the outcome! When your harvest comes in full bore, you’ll have to try (or just cheat and go to the farmer’s market!!!).
Lolly, I made the pink scarf from the Vogue book (in purple) (that was my first knitting book!) (purchasing the yarn was my first yarn-store trip!) (oh the memories) and I have gotten lots of comments on it. I’d say GO FOR IT! I made tassels and put them at the corners, and I love them!
Hello Lolly, the sweater pattern is from the November issue of “get creative” … I think it’s quite a new magazine. I have put the link to the magazine on the updated post on my blog.
The grapes looked so delicious! I like the Ironstone Mohair scarf … love the colours. Is the mohair soft? I guess if you used it for scarf, it must be, right? LOL!
Hi Lolly! Love your scarves! I also would like to make Clapotis, Backyard Leaves, and Branching Out. And I have one skein of Colinette Giotto (I think the color is called Monet) that I can’t decide what to do with, or even whether to keep it. I may have to copy your Giotto scarf, it really shows off the yarn!
Hey lolly!
Have you gotten your handknit holidays book yet? haha–check out the manos tree skirt. Its GORGEOUS but 21 skeins of manos for a tree skirt? I about died when i saw it. its a pretty good book though!
Love the scarves, babe!
Hi Lauren,
I am stuck in the middle of the geometric scarf from the Vogue Scarf book. I love the pattern, love the yarn (Schoeller & Stahl - Limbo), love the color (ice blue), but last February I lost my way with it about 3/4 of the way through, totally lost my patience and gave up. But it is back on the list, it is just going to take some brain power. Love your scarves, they are a great accessory in a cold climate.
Sarah
Wow, I got a hank of Giotto on ebay for 11.00, and I didn’t even realised that it’s such a bargain until I read this.
Anyway, I’ve got Backyard leaves, ruffles, clapotis and forbes forest on my scarf-to-knit list ;D