The Magic Of A Plain Garter Scarf

What a week! I promise not to stray too far from the scope of this blog, but I'm so excited to tell my lovely and gentle readers about my trip to NYC to promote KNITFreedom to the media.

Today, we'll talk yarn. And gorgeous men.

I left at the crack of dawn on Monday, and flew to Chicago, where I phoned with my web-mistress about my newly-updated website and published the quick iPhone cozy pattern.

On the plane to New York City, the most gorgeous guy walked onto the plane. Then he sat next to me! "Be awesome. Be awesome. Be awesome" the helpful voice inside my head said. As I asked him about the mini-guitar he had brought on the plane, and where he had flown from, I took out my Magical Beginner Scarf and began to knit.

When he asked, "What are you knitting?" I explained that this was a beginner scarf I was using to show that anyone can learn to knit. It took him about five minutes until he said, "Okay, so show me."

Men really are fantastic at learning to knit! They're not afraid to make mistakes, and they don't get scared when they mess up. Nico was a great student, and I came away with a wonderful appreciation for Argentinian air-traffic controllers, and the power of a garter-stitch scarf.

 

A garter-stitch scarf (where you knit every stitch, on every row) is like vanilla ice-cream: the ingredients must be sublime for the product to shine. For my trip to NYC, I really wanted to turn heads, with a plain ol' garter-stitch scarf. I chose a bulky-weight, 100% alpaca, handpainted yarn from MistiAlpaca: their Hand Paint Chunky. Normally I don't prefer to knit with 100% alpaca, because it is almost too warm, a little fuzzy, and doesn't hold its shape as well as wool.

But for a garter-stitch scarf, the handpainted colors really shone, and the stitch pattern had plenty of structure on its own. Here it is!

To make your own Magical MistiAlpaca scarf, buy 3 skeins on Hand Paint Chunky, cast on 20 stitches, and knit until you drop.

If you'd like me to teach you to knit, just download your free video e-book! In it, I show you step-by-step how to start from the right end of your ball of yarn, cast on, get comfortable with your needles, and knit your very own scarf.

Looking for something more intermediate? Check out the Bulky Cabled Legwarmers with Buttons - now in video tutorial form!

Up next: Regis and Kelly's policy on knitting...

The Best Needles For Magic Loop

Ready to try Magic Loop? Here's what you'll need.

Just kidding. You really only need one piece of equipment to start learning Magic Loop: a 40- to 47-inch-long circular needle in a medium size, say, US size 7 or 8. You'll also need about 50 yards of worsted-weight yarn, but you probably have some already.

If you don’t already own a circular needle and you need to buy one, purchase a 47-inch-long needle, as you will be able to use this length for any project, including two-at-a-time, which I promise you will want to try as soon as you get the hang of this technique. 36 inches is the shortest length of needle that can be used for Magic Loop, so if you already have this length at home, that’s fine, but if you are buying new needles, the longer, the better.

What brand of needles?
Local shopping

You have a few choices when shopping for needles. Common brands you will find at your local yarn store will be Clover bamboo needles for about $9.00, as well as Addi Turbo and Lace needles. You can also find Clover circulars at Michael’s and JoAnn Fabrics, but I don’t recommend them. You may be used to knitting on bamboo needles, but bamboo circulars can have an inflexible cable and can have a rough join, the place where the cable is connected to the needle tips, causing snags and frustration as you try to move your knitting along.

If you like the security of a bamboo needle (bamboo needles are less slippery than the metal Addi Tubos), I recommend you try a pair of Addi Lace needles, which cost about $14.

 

Addi Lace needles have a slightly rougher surface than the super-slick Addi Turbos, and they also have a pointier tip. This means more dexterity while you are knitting, and the ability to knit complicated stitches with ease. Ask any LYS employee and they will rave about Addi Lace.

Once you’ve gotten the hang of the techniques, Addi Turbos, also about $14, are a great choice for making quick progress on your projects. They have a blunt tip and a smooth finish, helping you speed along like a Knitting Superstar. You can watch my video on Using Your Fingers to Help You to prevent the stitches from popping off your needles as you whiz along, and watch my video on Fixing a Dropped Knit Stitch in case one does.

 

Addi also has a fun option, called Addi Click, a set of interchangeable needles and cables. With one purchase, you’ll have most of the needles you’ll ever need. You can buy other cables and needle-tips separately. As of this writing, the Clicks are only available in the Turbo style, but they are working hard on a Lace version. The set of Addi Clicks is pricey, but compared to buying each needle individually, it’s a steal.

Online Shopping
KnitPicks, an online knit shop, has a popular and inexpensive set of interchangeable circular needles as well. They come in wood ($85) and metal ($70), and the gorgeous multicolored wooden ones have a nice sharp point similar to the Addi Lace. The cables are very flexible (and purple!), and the price is the lowest available for this type of product. A set of these makes a great gift for any knitter.

This list wouldn’t be complete without the cream of the crop, Signature NeedleArts, the finest knitting tools money can buy. Made in a factory that machines airline parts, these precision aluminum needles have long, tapered points without being painfully sharp, and silky-smooth joins. At $40 per pair of needles, these are a real treat for any Magic Looper in your life. Good thing they have a wishlist on their site!

 

My opinion
If you want me to pick for you, support your LYS and buy a pair of 47” Addi Lace in size 7. For $14, you can start your Magic Loop project with a needle that you'll continue to use for years.

Curious about learning Magic Loop? Click here to learn more!

The Top 5 Knitting Books Of All Time

Books are my favorite knitting resource. Books are how I learned to knit, how I learned Magic Loop, and how I learned to design and knit my own patterns. However, I learned through my years of teaching classes that many knitters don’t like to learn from books - looking at diagrams and reading about knitting just doesn’t translate for them.

I’ve tried to shape my entire video e-book series with this in mind: combining written explanations with videos and illustrated handouts, in the hope that some combination of these methods would communicate the technique to you in the way that makes the most sense.

But, for those of you who like knitting books and like learning from them, I’ve compiled this list of the very best knitting resources I’ve found throughout the years. Each book is enjoyable to read, beautiful to look at, and guaranteed to teach you something new. Counting down from my absolute favorite...

#1 The Knitter’s Book of Yarn, by Clara Parkes (pictured above)

This book will teach you to become what Clara Parkes, of Knitter's Review, calls a yarn whisperer. After reading this book and trying one of the 40 gorgeous pattens, you’ll have a deep understanding of what yarn to choose for which project, and why. What’s more, you’ll gain an appreciation for the varied industries that work together to provide us all with beautiful yarn. My favorite projects are the Norwegian Snail Mittens and this so so soft Classic Washcloth.

#2 Stitch ‘N Bitch Nation, by Debbie Stoller

Stitch ‘N Bitch Nation compiles 52 really original and wearable intermediate knitting projects from designers across America. My favorite projects are the Later Gator Mitts and Jesse’s Flames.

#3 Custom Knits, by Wendy Bernard
Wendy Bernard opened my eyes when it came to sweaters. Now, no matter what your shape, you can design or modify a sweater pattern that will fit every inch of you perfectly. I especially found the basic sweater guides in the back helpful when striking out on my own.

#4 Handknit Holidays, by Melanie Falick
This is a timeless book, absolutely filled with beautiful, winter-holiday-inspired knits. The photography is gorgeous, the patterns feature some of the most beautiful and interesting yarns available, and the range of techniques introduced is much broader than your average pattern book. Learn to knit with wire, double-knit, do Entrelac, Fair-Isle, mosaic knitting, not to mention knit projects with cables and lace.

#5 A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, by Barbara Walker
Barbara Walker is the most creative mind of the century when it comes to inventing stitch patterns and designs. Any of her four Knitting Pattern Treasuries are a worthwhile investment for when you are designing something on your own.

I’ve given you links to these books on Amazon.com, but remember to support your local yarn store when buying knitting books! Our patronage helps keep them in business.

This blog post is a small excerpt from the soon-to-be published Secrets to Becoming a Knitting Superstar video e-book series. Sign up for my newsletter to stay tuned for the big announcement!

If you enjoyed this product review, you might also like:

• "Are You Buying The Right Needles For Your Project?”
• Three Reasons You've Got To Know How To Read A Knitting Pattern
• “Speed Up Your Knitting! Avoid These Top Ten Mistakes That Will Slow You Down”