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Made it by a Whisker

Branching Out is finished and there is a story behind its ending.  Gauge, according to the designer, is not really an issue because one is merely knitting a scarf.  She goes on to say that using the Silky Wool yarn one should get 27 repeats of the 10 rows of the chart.  Last night as I finish this scarf yarn roulette was being played, again.  It was going to be close, very close.

Anxiety in the lowest of all levels sets in as I knit on.  As I finished repeat number 26 I looked closely at what yarn was left and decided to push on through the last repeat.  Once it was completed there were 5 rows of garter stitch as I continued on with hope there would be enough yarn.  The worst that could happen is I would have to rip out a 10-row of pattern and then redo with the garter edge, not much risk.  When I got to the bind off I was feeling pretty confident there would be enough, but binding off takes more yarn than any of the knit or purl rows.  Let me show you what I had left after the ends were shown in.


The scrap yarn, in total, from Branching Out

The tiny 1 inch/2.5 cm on the bottom of the photo is the amount left after the bind off.  The other 3 inches/7.5 cm at the top of the photo is the tail left when I first cast on.  That makes for a total of 4 inches/10 cm of extra yarn.  Talk about being thrifty with your yarn!  This is my own personal best in all the hundreds of projects done in my life time.  Kudos to Susan Lawrence, she had the pattern rather accurately measured.

And here's Branching Out happily cooling its heels as it dries.  (Now I know why so few knitters photograph this part of the business, it is so unphotogenic.  I don't own light coloured towels big enough for the job so the contrast between the yarn and towels is not good enough to get a great photo. These will have to suffice.)

All pinned and stretched in place


A closer look at the lace and the very subtle beads in the center


This little scarf, it measures 7 inches/18 cm wide and 5 feet/1.5 meters long, will be going to Minneapolis with me, and will be given as gift to a neighbor recovering from knee surgery.

On another note, the goldfinches have arrived.  As of yet the males are not in their brilliant gold plumage.  But I know it won't be long before those little yellow streakers will be flitting past my windows.

This one I believe is a female anyway, no visible black patch on the head

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