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“Hello ladies and gentlemen. Don’t I just look dashing in my new scarf”

This scarf was knit for my stepdad’s Christmas present. The criteria that was given to me for a good scarf by my stepdad was a good color, not too busy or flashy, not top long, warm, and heavy enough to hug the back of the neck and keep the warmth in. I grappled with what to knit and finally settled on Shifting Sands. It has been a project on my list for some time and I am glad I made it because it is a very, very good pattern. I can’t wait to make one for myself :)

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease in Forest Heather Green
Inspiration: Grumperina’s Shifting Sands
Needles: Size 7
Yardage: about 1.5 balls
Modifications: Cast on 37 sts and knit until it was long enough to just hang on neck
Enjoyment Factor: 9
Knit Time: 2 weeks in between holiday knitting and crafting

The Good:

  • I love all the cables. Mainly because they were so darn simple and yet created such a complicated look. I was originally intimidated by all those cables but when I finally got started I felt like the queen of the world by conquering my fears.
  • This pattern also works up pretty fast because of the simplicity of the repeating cable pattern.

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  • I like the fringe that I added to the scarf. Originally I was just going to leave it be, but I saw the slight curling on the edges and it started to bother me. Once the fringe was on I felt much better and it gave the entire thing some added weight.
  • The scarf is just long enough to hang on the neck but still long enough to wrap if desired. My stepdad normally only drapes it around his neck so I did not go for a super long length.

The Bad:

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  • The yarn. I can’t really say it was a bad because I love the heathered color and it will be easy to take care of. But I cannot say that I am in love with the Lion Brand Wool Ease yarn. It felt quite soft in the ball but was squeaky when I finally knit with it. A little like fingernails on a blackboard. And for some reason this yarn did not feel as warm as wool.

The Ugly:

  • No uglies on this pattern. It knit like a dream and produced a wonderful wonderful scarf. I can’t wait to do it again…and again…and again :D