Selvedge that edge, Mister!

With Christmas bearing down upon us, exhaling its cold breath on our sweaty necks, I had the sudden realisation that I had damn well better get the rest of my presents knitted up and in the mail, or some people won't be waking up to knitted goodness on Christmas morn. Of course, it's already too late for the goods that are winging their way to Canada, but there's always Boxing Day, right?

To gain some respite from the Christmas madness (yes, yes, I know, I have to finish that hat and sew in all the loose ends on that scarf! I think I need a martini -- Sam, better make it a double), I started a scarf for a friend of mine. She picked up some Noro Silk Garden and we found a pattern that we liked, brooklyn tweed's noro scarf. I have to admit I've never been a big fan of Noro yarns. While the colourways are gorgeous, invariably the yarn breaks somewhere in the middle. While they attach a new yarn, in the same colourway, to the end, it is always a jarring change, not the gentle misting from one colour to the next. It has happened in every single ball of Noro I've knitted, and though it hasn't happened yet, I do not doubt that it will before I come to the end of this scarf. However, this is knitting up right pretty, and while the colour changes are not quite as dramatic as the one in brooklyn tweed's photo (go ahead, click the link: you know you want to!), it is still quite pretty and subtle. Of course, I've only knit up about eight inches of it so far, and the colours haven't really changed all that much, but I'm including a photo of this work in progress. I'll try to take more as the scarf lengthens.

Heather's scarf, in progress

Notice that there is a selvedge edge on this scarf. I've never done a selvedge edge before! I knew the theory, of course, but not the praxis. I'm so excited! And the edge is coming out cleaner than any thing I've ever knit before. Why did I wait so long to try this technique? I think it's going to become a regular part of everything I make. Well, at least for scarves.

If you click on the link, you can see the pattern, but if you choose not to click (and poorer will you be if you don't), the pattern is thus:

Cast on 39 stitches on US 7 needles (I'm using US 6)

Knit 1, Purl 1 across two rows.

On the second row of each stripe, slip the first and the last stitches purlwise.

Knit two rows with yarn 1, then two rows with yarn 2, alternating up the scarf.

Please note that this is not my pattern, and that it is by brooklyn tweed. And really, go take a look at his blog. I promise you that you will be very glad that you did.