Kittens and Stripes is finished! Just in time for the weather to turn horrid and for me to have the nasty 3 week long cold that everyone seems to be getting.

<<Insert tiny violin here>>

I have really enjoyed making this scarf!

It was fun, colourful and easy enough to be able to get a row of cat heads done on each journey to work 🙂

BTW –  Yes they are kitten heads and not foxes. The designer says kittens and I knitted them as kitten heads…despite the fact that numerous people have said, “Oh cute scarf – it’s got foxes on it!!” I am toying with making a Fox version in browns, russets and white for an arctic fox. Hmmm – and maybe Kidsilk Haze used double for fuzzy foxes…..  <>

I am really glad I chose to knit this in the round. I can see why Martin Storey published the pattern flat though – making it in the round did complicate it. I had to bring in so more advanced knitterly techniques which would scare a beginner.This is an “Easy Fairisle” book after all. I had to use jogless stripe technique  and kitchener stitch and magic loop. It all made joining the two sections quite fiddley too.

Blocking was easy as it lays flat and Felted Tweed is a super yarn to use for fairisle too – just enough “stick” without being scratchy to wear – just a quick rub over with the iron made the stitches miraculously even up  like this 🙂

You know how I said, in my last post, I would just turn the pattern upside down when I got to the middle and not join the two sections (like the pattern said)? …

…I changed my mind….

I did a little upside down “test kitten” like this…

It was strange how much difference it made to the cat face – the eyes especially looked sad being and upside down “V” so I knit the two sections and, rather than doing a three needle bind off in the middle, I did Kitchener stitch – I think it worked OK!

The coloured ends from each row of heads were woven in as I went and the open ends of the scarf carefully oversewn – it looks like this…

So do you want to see me modelling?

Here I am – still a bit yuck with the cold….but swathed in Kittens which always makes me feel better 😀

And here’s how I like to wear it – with my lovely warm Duffle coat…

Now all that remains is to give you a completed knit report and get back to my fluffy Captivate…which is taking forever on tiny needles…

Completed Knit Report
Name:	Kittens and Stripes Scarf
Pattern:	by Martin Storey from Easy Fairisle Knits
Yarn:	Rowan Felted Tweed
Pattern Problems:	None but changed it – suspect the lack of a selvege stitch would have caused problems sewing up.
Pattern Modifications:	Knit in the round, (one needle magic loop) not flat over 58 stitches. Used jogless stripe method. Joined two sections with Kitchener stitch rather than 3 needle bind off.
Washing and Wearing:	Super warm as it’s a double layer of fairisle
Knit It Again???:	Yes – different colours, maybe with ~Kidsilk Have kittens and maybe as a cushion….
Difficulty:	Medium – lots of techniques but easy once you are off and running with it. Bulky carying 5 balls of yarn in my handbag!
Rating:	5/5
Other Postings Relating To This One:	Knitting Kittens of Bali