It’s Furious Balancing

Another Finished Object:

Pattern:  Noro Striped Scarf, by brooklyntweed.

Yarn:  Noro Silk Garden, 2 skeins each of colorways 264 and 279, with maybe 20 yards (total) left over.  I much prefer the Silk Garden for this scarf over the Kureyon.  It’s softer and has a nicer drape.

Needles:  Denise Interchangeable Needles, US size 8.  The Silk Garden is more slippery than the Kureyon, so a stickier needle was is order.

Size:  Before blocking, 72′ by 5 ½’.  After blocking, 78′ by 5½’ .  Long enough to wrap twice and tie in front.

I think I’ve got the Norovirus out of my system. I picked up the fuchsia cabled vest yesterday, having suddenly realized that I want to wear it this fall, which will be here soon (fingers crossed). Very soon.

This happens every year — the excessive heat, light, and humidity go away, and my mood and energy level increase a hundredfold.  I sleep better.  I don’t snarl as much.  My skin clears up.  I get to laugh at all the people who whine about winter coming.  I decide it would be Bad Form to stand on the corner and chant “Neener Neener Neener” at the kids on the school buses.  Life is very good.

So, do I read Cheney’s memoir when it comes out?  I’m certain it will have me frothing at the mouth, yelling obscenities, flinging it against the wall, and stomping on it until the pages fall out.  Then again, that would be the most exercise I’d have gotten for quite some time.  Aerobic Righteous Indignation.

Norovirus Scarf version 2.0, made with Noro Silk Garden.  Click here for the extra-big photo.

No, not the sort that causes gastroenteritis,  but the viral pattern for the Noro Striped Scarf.  I did a quick check on the stats over on Ravelry and, as of this writing, there were 3,947 finished scarves and 751 scarves in progress.  That’s a lot of scarves.

It’s one of the most popular patterns on Ravelry, right up there with the viral fingerless gloves, the viral Elizabeth Zimmerman baby sweater, and the viral scarf/shawl whose name sounds like a venereal disease.  I will admit to attempting the baby sweater and to making a pair of those fingerless gloves, but I will not knit something that sounds like it should be living in a petri dish.

I needed something with brighter colors so I could recover from the Soul-Sucking Socks of Despair, and I needed a simple traveling project to carry around with me.  Voilà! Two different colorways of Noro Kureyon and k1p1 ribbing.

Pattern:  Noro Striped Scarf, by brooklyntweed

Yarn:  Noro Kureyon, 1¾ skeins each of colorways 229 and 209

Needles:  Clover Bamboo, US size 8

Size:  Before blocking, 58′ by 5′.  After blocking, 66′ by 5′

Mods:  None.

These are not my usual colors.   While it did help me recover from the SSSoD, I can’t see wearing it myself.   I plan on donating this scarf to a local Catholic church that is starting a charity knitting ministry for families relying on the auto industry for their livelihoods.  I heard they were looking for winter items, so this will be my first contribution.

I must admit that I started a second Norovirus scarf before I was finished with this first one.   It’s much less, um, vibrant.  That one I’m keeping for me!

EDIT:  Ooooo…. I see that stripey scarves are THE fashionable fall accessory this year!