Jan’s Isometric Scarf

In January I wrote about Rib Magazine, a magazine specifically created for men who knit or those who wish to knit for them. When we received issues 2 and 3 we – my husband Jan and me – were very excited about a number of patterns in the magazines. Jan knit Cecelia Campochiaro’s Revolution Watch Cap in no time, with Rosy Green’s Cheeky Merino Joy in the colour Cornish Slate. For his next project he decided on making Alice Caetano’s Isometric Scarf, in Rosy Green’s Big Merino Hug in Garden Pond, a deep green blue colour.

 

The pattern comes in two versions, a smaller and a larger scarf. Jan opted for the smaller version and decided to execute the pattern as is, without swatching and using a needle size 4 mm. A bit daring, but hey, it’s only a scarf!

The i-cord cast on proved a bit difficult at first, but once that hurdle was taken the Isometric Scarf was an easy and straightforward knit. The pattern is well written. The sequence smartly applies to both sizes given (and could actually apply to any width once the set up has been done).

Mind you, not having made a swatch we’ve ended up with a somewhat larger and much much longer scarf, but a gorgeous scarf it is. What’s more, thanks to the yarn from Rosy Green Wool it’s incredibly soft and squishy, it has a well-defined drape and on top of that it’s GOTS certified organic and machine washable!

 

This pattern requires blocking. Usually I use the ironing board, but that wasn’t possible with this length of scarf. As we’ve never needed to block something this big, we don’t have blocking wires or blocking mats. Wires aren’t necessary, without wires you just need a lot of pins. Blocking mats are something else though. I had already been looking for them, but the only ones I could find were those giant puzzle pieces in horrible synthetic materials. That’s not in our book, blocking organic yarn on plastic mats made in China! We’ve ended up using our beautiful two-colour yoga mat. It’s made from felt and it has been produced in Germany from the wool from local, Belgian sheep. We’ve bought it last year from Heid de Frenay at Valériane in Namur and it was perfect for the job.