I’ve been eyeing up Schafer Anne for quite some time. When I came across a table of it at Stitches I just couldn’t resist.
This yarn is really something special. It’s quite fine, but the addition of the mohair gives it such a luster. It is really lovely to touch.
I’ve decided to give the Pooling Colors Scarf a try from the Fall 04 IK*. I’ve read many people’s struggles in getting the Anne to pool properly. I suspect some hanks of Anne may be better than others for the pooling. I had probably opened 20 hanks of Anne at the show before deciding on the one I brought home.
Here is it laid out the way you can test your Anne yarn. See how the colors stack nicely? Some hanks don’t stack so nicely. The colors on each side of the oval are represented by different percentages. That’s a problem because the way the pooling works, you knit RS rows with one side and WS rows with the other. If they don’t stack up you cannot get them to pool.
Just thought I’d mention that in case it helps any of you out there.
Having said that, it still took me 4 tries before I got it to pool.
I am a bit bothered by the contrast of the cast on row. In retrospect I should have used a cable or knit-on cast on, and I may even pull it out later. But for now I’m just happy that it’s pooling!
* speaking of IK, did you know the Winter 04 preview is up?
Your Pooling Scarf looks great – it took me more times then I would like to admit to get mine to line up!! I’ve yet to see a colorway like you have picked out, very original!
You’ve chosen a beautiful colorway. A lace or knit-on cast-on is the best way to line the bottom edge. i did a modified version of this scarf using Blossom (http://tangledup.typepad.com/tangledup/blossom_scarf/index.html)and found that occasionally despite my best efforts at easing the tension to make the colors line up, I had to loop off a length of the yarn to keep it lined up. over the course of the scarf this happened about 8 times — keep it in mind as an alternative as you go. Barbara at http://fiberphile.typepad.com/fiberphile/2004/08/index.html had some tips that were very helpful to me…
thanks for the heads up on the IK preview. i didn’t even know there was such a thing. laurie
I love the colorway – haven’t seen that one!
hmmmm that’s a new idea for me. thx
I absolutely love schaefer yarns. Your choice is looking very good so far, but I see what you mean about the cast on…