need help with plaid scarf design

brolie · 11-19-2010, 01:18 PM

so i have finally cured my stockinette rolling issue by making all my stockinette scarves in the round. it looks so much better. but my friend asked for a plaid (black gray white) scarf and i could do it in the round but im not all too familiar with plaid design and what would be easiest and fastest ... i cant do a straight needle scarf with so many color changes without it rolling since i would need to do it stockinette ... any advice or help or patterns would be extremely helpful!! thankies!!!

kmaclean · 11-19-2010, 09:12 PM

Here is a free pattern for a plaid scarf using worsted weight yarn ... you would just substitute your choice of colors.

It looks like a fabulous pattern idea, although it certainly looks like a lot of colorwork!

But then again, maybe you are much more experienced than I am when it comes to that sort of thing!

hyperactive · 11-20-2010, 07:56 PM

If you use that pattern, the color work is pretty manageble, because mostly it is one by one changes and then the big blocks. You will need to weave the back side, though, because long strands floating along will not make a nice scarf. (check my blog for how I do it, there are videos telling the exact way, if you knit Continental Style, and I did collect the links, as well, that are for both methods and English only.

But if I were you, I would work that scarf in the round, as well, since then you will not have an exposed backside with strands, floats or woven strings.

I have seen knitting (no pattern, though), where for the "mix-color" part, all stitches are done with both colors running together. If you do that, these sections will, of course, be a different gauge and thickness, but it may pay out. The bigger the needles are, that you use, the less this will actually show, as far as my thinking goes...)

If you work like that, intarsia might be your friend when working back and forth (intarsia just does not cut it in the round (unless you are insetting just very small pieces that you can "backtrack" on).

brolie · 11-21-2010, 02:27 AM

thanks to both of you! that first pattern gave me a good idea of the actual plaid pattern but i think i will probably to fair isle in the round (intarsia ends up wasting so much yarn and is such a pain in the butt!! i dislike intarsia and would rather do double to work in the round than do intarsia haha)

i actually do multiple colors in just about every last thing i have ever done haha. so i have plenty of experience with multiple colors, but i have never done plaid before... i found a free knitting pattern on the lion brand website too but i figured you guys would be a better source of info

he wants it to be almost 8 ft long *face palm* so this is gonna take a while.. might make a WIP thread for it :D

hyperactive · 11-22-2010, 11:44 AM

intasia wasting yarn? how so? Just curious.

If you work in the round, you might want to consider double knitting as well. The same amount of stitches but a reverse image on the other side, which might be nice with this pattern. And it makes a man-ly flat and solid scarf.

8 feet... you see me pass out at that idea.

Have fun, I will keep an eye on your project if you blog it here!
Put a link into this thread, so we find you.

brolie · 11-22-2010, 05:12 PM

well with having to weave in the ends and having tons of edges to get rid of... i guess it would be the same amount of yarn with the fair isle knitting but i guess it hurt my eyes more to have so many little strands of yarn to throw away haha.

i have to make a baby hat/mittens today (which should take me a whole.. i dunno.. hour.. haha) and then imma get started on this one :D once i get the pattern knit out a bit i will def start a thread :D

i actually havent tried double knitting yet.. might have to see how its done.. its the only color method i havent even glanced at since the others have worked so far...

trust me, when i got his text saying "could you make it 7 and a half or 8 feet long?" i felt my stomach take a turn for sure. and he was texting me about it cuz he is excited to get it.. im like "dude, with 8 feet and the plaid design... you're gonna have to wait more than a day bro..." haha

thanks for the support btw :D

hyperactive · 11-22-2010, 05:44 PM

that was why I said above: Do not usually do intarsia in the round. Intasia when knitting flat uses a lot less yarn than stranding, since you do not have any floats (so no extra yarn in the back). and that is mighty fine.

For double knitting there is a video in the free video section up top. There also is a great group (or maybe more) on Ravelry and youtube has its share to talk about

It will be a different technique but no more stitches than knitting in the round, the interesting effect of one side being the opposite of the other and the straight edges instead of some round nothingness.
Also no jogging stripes in this pattern. It might be worth a try.

But 8 feet? No, nay, never, no nay never no more... will I play the wild rover no never no more

brolie · 11-23-2010, 02:40 AM

ahh ahh yeah... i guess im just lazy with the extra weaving with intarsia then haha. i also hate dpns and garter stitch.. totally unrelated tho haha. im trying to invent a circular needle that is smaller than all the others so that you can make gloves and such on them instead of dpns.. and ive been having deep discussions with the existance of stockinette stitch, trying to convince it to stop rolling.. haha. it just looks so much nicer than garter..

you have officially convinced me to check out double knitting haha. i still have to make the baby gloves (i made the hat but spent way too much time making a pom pom for the top haha)

thanks :D:D:D

edit: wow. okay just watched that video.. im an english knitter but i think imma try to learn how to knit continental.. i do both when im switching back and forth without having to change form knit to purl that much.. i dont understand how it works but i understand how to do it.. so i may look up a simple double knitting pattern and see if i can pull it off because yeah-- that would be awesome for this plaid design and much easier for pot holders/hot pads in the round as well! haha. thanks for pushing me to look it up :D i was avoiding it lol

hyperactive · 11-24-2010, 12:17 PM

I have an unrelated hate for garter stitch as well.

Double knitting will cure some of those issues you have.

Stranding with woven back is my specialty, I guess. So that is my prefered method these days for any color work.

I am also (on and off) working on methods of stranding with big blank parts in between, where usually you would use intarsia. I will at some point take the time to make a true sample and work it out and then publish that idea (It will make the stranding easier and more stretchy). But some time.... that is the problem.

Have fun with the double knitting.

I do, by the way, own very short circs (the needle tips themselves are shorter and the cable is the minimum needed). But you know what: They are still too long for socks (I thought I had it right there). So they will be for gloves as well. But for legwarmers or sleeves or such... they might work great.

The problem is the needle that is not easy to handle if it is too short. And the cable needs to connect those needles and has to have a minimum length.

Some cure for your rolling issues might be this here:

http://hyperactiveknitting.blogspot....-knitting.html

It is in my blog there. I do not know if it existed previously but I think I kind of came up with it, using one-color double knitting or knitting in the round on straight needles with a twist of not doing it all the way across.... you'll get it if you see it!

brolie · 11-24-2010, 03:53 PM

yeah its been really hard learning how to keep track of the colors when im making the checkered pattern for one part of the plaid pattern.. i have a little swatch im making to make sure i can pull it off and make it look good before i officially start his.. plus i need money before i can get the yarn for his scarf. ive convinced him to not want 8 feet but he is also 6 ft 4 inches tall so having the scarf hang to his waist, it will still have to be about 6 feet long.. and thats just wrapped once haha. damn tall people

yeah i do a lot of stranding too .. i have done a lot of scarves with the word "CHEVELLE" in it and ive done one with intarsia in the rest with stranding http://brolieknits.angelfire.com/chevellescarfhome.html the second one (the black and red) was done with intarsia and the green and brown one (five down) i did with the stranding method but i did blocks of five switching between knitting and purling instead of stockinette stitch.. thats the only one that doesnt roll haha. the last one though on the very bottom is my very favorite though :D