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Meet Gallatin

Before we meet Gallatin let's take one final look at Branching Out.  Here she is all blocked and ready to go.  Ignore the camera string on the scarf as I wear it.  This illustrates just why a photographer needs a second set of eyes.  I was so fixated on other things, that detail was completely missed, until it was way too late to redo.

Around my neck

Here it is happily hanging out on the banister.
After blocking Branching Out is a full 5 feet/1.5 meters long and 7 inches/18 cm wide.  The lace design really shows up well against these white backgrounds and looks much more complicated than it is.  The Silky Wood yarn was perfect for this project (thank you Ravelry.)

Now, on to Gallatin.  It is another scarf but it has the curved or tapered type of design I have been looking for, for a long time.  Here's the designer's version, Kris Basta.

The Gallatin Scarf in the Gallatin Valley of Montana

It has a tapered edge which is achieved by casting on stitches at the start of each row and is a double lace pattern, meaning the lace is worked on both the front and back of the scarf.   Laura Nelkin talked about double lace knitting in her class so I thought I'd give it a whirl with this very simple lace element.   BTW my yarn is a lighter weight, (a sports weight rather than the worsted weight used by the designer) Laura Harding Willow Tweed yarn in the colour, Denim with 40% alpaca, 40% merino and 20% silk.  This lighter weight yarn means I am using smaller needles, will need to work more lace rows to get the right size all leading to using more yarn than the designer did in her version.  It is OK though, I have four skeins of it and will more than likely use less than two.

A closeup of the design element (YO, K2tog, k2)


Far from done, but you do get a glimpse of how it tapers from front to back
Since my yarn has a bit of white thicker pieces of yarn twisted along with the light blue denim, the lace design will not compete with the yarn.  And my Gallatin is rather light weight which should make it a scarf that can be worn year round except for the hottest of times.

Gallatin makes me remember a wonderful trip our family took to this place back in the day.  Gallatin Valley has a river of the same name running through it.  It is a beautiful, tranquil place.  And there was plenty of outdoor stuff going on to keep everyone entertained.



I will reminisce about that trip as I knit this project.  It was one of the best we did when my sons were young.   Designer Kris Basta, thanks for the pattern and for the walk down memory lane.







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