Color CHALLENGE!
by Ann Weaver
This recipe for a modular scarf was inspired by the stunning colors of The Fiberists’ yarn. I challenged myself to create a scarf that incorporated one of The Fiberists’ most saturated, vibrant colors. I called it the “adventure” color), pairing it with more muted colors from my stash to both make the vibrant main color sing and create a more versatile garment.
The center panel of the scarf was intended to be a garter stitch rectangle, but I was knitting it during my sister’s graduation from RISD, which involved some exceedingly boring speakers, so I started working short rows. The fun of working short rows in a garter stitch scarf is twofold: First, the garter stitch hides the wraps nicely, so no one will notice your mistakes, and second, you can make the short row sections as large or as small as you like because fit is unimportant. There are great resources available that teach you how to do short rows, and this project is a perfect way to learn! My favorite tutorial is from TECHknitting.
After creating the central panel, I dug through my sport weight stash, looking for good matches. My goal was to incorporate something neutral (the off-white), something dark (the pink/purple), and something cool (the gray/blue) to contrast with the main color. If your stash doesn’t yield the colors you want, look for neutrals or muted semisolids to pair with your “adventure” color.
My advice: Take The Fiberists’ inspiration and make it your own!
Supplies
- 1 skein/210 yds The Fiberists Audubon Sport (sport weight; 100% superwash merino wool; 210 yds/4 oz per skein) in Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood (A); 95 yards sport weight wool in B; 215 yards in C; 65 yards in D.
- Size 5 (3.75mm) 60-inch circular needle. Note: The rounds of the edging (“frames”) are very long. A 60-inch circular will be long enough; otherwise, work on two circulars at least 24 inches long.
- 8 stitch markers, 1 in a different color to mark the beginning of the round
- Yarn needle for weaving in ends
Pattern Information
Skills Used
Picking up stitches; short rows (optional); basic increases
Finished Measurements (approximate)
58″ long, 13″ wide
Gauge
22 sts and 44 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch.
Gauge is relatively unimportant in this pattern.
Instructions
Center
Using A, CO 40 sts.
Work in garter stitch, introducing short rows as desired, until 5 grams of A remain. Bind off.
Because the center of the scarf is in garter stitch, the RS and WS of the piece are unimportant. The side of the piece that is facing you when you pick up the first round of stitches will be the RS of the scarf from this point on.
Frame 1
Using B, starting at short edge (either CO or BO edge), *pick up and knit 1 st in every st, pm, pick up and knit 1 stitch in the corner, pm; turn work 90 degrees clockwise and pick up and knit 1 stitch in every other row along vertical edge (1 st in each purl “bump”), pm, pick up and knit 1 stitch in the corner, pm, turn work 90 degrees clockwise again, rep from *, placing the marker of the second color last to mark the beg of the rnd.
Set up increase pattern
Rnd 1: Knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, sm, p1, sm, kfb, rep from * 3 times—8 sts increased.
Rnd 2: Knit to marker, sm, p1, sm, rep from * 3 times.
Rep [Rnds 1 and 2] 3 times.
Cut B and join C.
Using C, rep [Rnds 1 and 2] 3 times, then work Rnd 1 once more.
Color Block 1
Join D and knit to next marker. Turn, leaving unworked sts on needle, and knit back to previous marker. Continue to work in garter stitch across the short edge of the scarf only for 50 rows, or until color block is desired length, ending with a WS row. Cut D.
Frame 2
*Rejoin C. Knit across color block sts, turn 90 degrees clockwise and pick up and knit 1 st in every other row along the edge of the color block. Knit around to beg of color block, then pick up and knit 1 st in every other row along the edge of the color block.*
Repeat [Rnds 1 and 2], above, 3 times, work Rnd 1 once more, then work Rnd 2 to marker 6.
Color Block 2
Join A and knit to next marker. Turn, leaving unworked sts on needle, and knit back to previous marker. Continue to work in garter stitch across the long edge of the scarf only for 6 rows, or until you run out of A, ending with a WS row. Cut A.
Frame 3
Work as for Frame 2 from * to *.
Rnd 1: Purl.
Rnd 2: Knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, sm, p1, sm, kfb, rep from * 3 times—8 sts increased.
Repeat [Rnds 1 and 2] 2 times. BO pwise.
Finishing
Weave in ends. Wet block to measurements.
Abbreviations Used
BO bind off
CO cast on
k knit
kfb knit into front and back of stitch
p purl
pm place marker
rep repeat
rnd(s) round(s)
RS right side
sm slip marker
st(s) stitch(es)
WS wrong side