Finding a Stitch Pattern : Neglected Post from January

I love how things lump together in life. They don't necessarily occur in threes, but if I read an article about sea turtles this week, a friend will mention a documentary or participation in a rescue next week, and maybe I'll find one in my bathtub, too. That happened this week with a stitch pattern.

When people talk about knitting, they tell you that you just need to learn two stitches-knit and purl. What they don't mention is that there seems to be an infinite way to put those together to form fabric that functions and looks different. I am knitting an infinity scarf from Noro Cash Iroha, a lovely yarn with the following fiber composition: 40% silk, 30% lamb's wool, 20% cashmere, and 10% nylon. While wool and nylon are fairly elastic fibers, the other two have very, very little. I don't want this scarf to be saggy-it needs to drape, but not hang flaccid-so I'm choosing a stitch pattern that will add its own elasticity. This is a custom order and I cannot spend an infinite time (an infinity scarf is knit in a ring so that it has no ends; the name doesn't come from how long it takes to knit) constructing it. Cabling is attractive, classic  and elastic, but takes pretty good time and effort, so I'm going to make faux cables. Faux cables have no real crossing but give the illusion of it. There is a faux cable I used once that I love. It has a pretty, rounded appearance with a little eyelet in the middle. I have looked on and off for this pattern without success. Yesterday I found something close to this in my handy stitch pattern book, but it wasn't exactly what I wanted and when I began to knit a swatch, the book instructions were wrong. I corrected the instructions and made a nice swatch, deciding this was an acceptable pattern to use.

That should be the end of the story. Today, a free pattern offer led me into the Tahki yarn website, and as I scanned several pages of freebies, a sweater appeared with the pattern of faux cables I love. I quickly downloaded the pattern, and it is working beautifully in the swatch I'm knitting.

It is rare that I reveal my true knitting geekiness, but there it is. Stitches matter.

I held onto this post with the intention of adding a photo of the finished product. My photo isn't great, but you see it.  The scarf is long since delivered, and I had forgotten this draft.

Peace.