Last-Minute, Sure-Fire Scarves in One Strand of 2/24

Here's the scene: Uncle Herman has just told your five first cousins all about your incredible machine knitting abilities. Then he calls you and tells you they're all coming over for a demonstration. Of course, Herman is your favorite uncle or you'd never do this, but for him you say you're just delighted they're coming as you look around in dismay.

As you run through the house, you kick the stacks of magazines and newspapers under the couch, slam closed doors of all the bedrooms (watch out for the cat!) and head for the kitchen.

!. Melt some chocolate. Melted chocolate poured over anything makes a wonderful "instant dessert."

2. Take a nibble of chocolate yourself. However, unless you are very stressed out, do not upend the can of chocolate syrup!

3. Get ready to knit a last-minute, sure-fire scarf out of 1 strand of 2/24.

Instructions: (These are Brother standard electronic machine instructions...please modify for your machine as necessary.

Cast on in full needle rib. How wide? 100 main bed stitches (that's just about as wide as you should go) down to 60 main bed stitches (that's getting pretty narrow). Tension? I usually like to work with a tension of 3/3 for this pattern, but experiment until you get a tension you like.

After finishing complete cast on, take the carriage assembly outside the turn mark and turn the KC knob on. Choose a tuck pattern. The machine comes with scads already built in, so just pick your favorite. This is not going to look like a regular tuck, but the texture is going to be fluffy and somewhat lacy. So even a fairly bland tuck pattern just may turn out to be your favorite. You will want some weights, especially side weights.

Do a reading row. Set the main bed buttons to tuck. Leave the ribber bed carriage on plain knitting. If you have a motor, set it for 800-900 rows and knit. (Of course, Uncle Herman's kids may see this as "cheating" and may even ask what do you do while "the machine knits." Try to stay calm at this point. Perhaps another nibble of chocolate will help?)

Transfer all stitches to the main bed and loosely bind off. Stretch the knitting vertically to pop the stitches in place. Put the ribber bed down and change the main bed carriage to the regular plate. Pull out needles L20-21-22 and R20-21-22. Using the three-prong tool, hang the first 3 stitches on one end on the Left 3 needles. E-wrap the 3 Right needles with 1 strand of 2/24 and thread carriage. Knit 6 rows. Hang 3 more stitches on the same Left needles and knit 6 more rows. Continue until you get to the last 3 stitches. Knit 4 rows. Transfer L20 and L22 to L21. Knit one row. Bind off.

Using a pair of sharp scissors, carefully trim off the edge made by needles on the right. The fringe you have left is now all the same length. Repeat this Wooly Worm trim on the other end of the scarf.

This scarf will need no blocking. It will be long enough to do a complete wrap around the neck and hang down nicely on front and back of one shoulder. It can also be used to completely cover the head and then wrap one end around the neck and still have enough length to drape down the shoulders. And it looks really spiffy, too!

This scarf also makes a great Holiday present, especially when Aunt Ethel calls.....but that's another story.

Click here for the Poncho Pattern!

PLUS: 

Here's a note Villie wrote on the Knitting Machines list on YahooGroups.  I think it's a great idea, so thanks! Villie and Joan Stiles.

   I just want every one to know how happy I am for making Cathie's last minute Scarf. I did about 10 with 1 strand of 2/24 as Cathie said in her pattern. I have a 970 machine and I picked Tuck pattern # 242 and went from  main bed left needle 47 to right 48 and on the ribber from left 47 to right 47, ten.3/3.Then my friends wanted me to make some heavier ones for up north, so I did Astracryl-3 ply with ten.6/5 and the came out great. But now came my problem. My friend wanted a scarf in Flash, because she saw that I had 1 cone, so I said SURE. I set my ten 9/8, but no matter what I did the stitches kept jumping off, I tried everything til  I got so discouraged. So before I quit I called Joan Stiles in Melbourne. I told her what was happening and she just calmed me down and told me, no problem. Leave your main bed as is, but change your ribber by putting the Lily Button on and both Part Buttons. I asked her what that would do and she said now your ribber will only knit every other needle on full bed. WALLA, it looks just like the other scarves and my friend didn't know the differance and I was sooooooo happy.
       I'm getting off my soap box and hope it will help someone else. Joan is my guru, God Bless her.
                              Villie in Florida