(a blog that has nothing to do with squirrels)

The geekiest scarf ever.

Posted by craftyangie on January 11th, 2009 in crafts, geeky, knitting

While I never make New Year’s resolutions -I believe ideas/learning/projects/resolutions should be a year round thing-, this year I have a resolution to make. I would like to finish my DNA double helix scarf.

I started the DNA Scarf about 2 or 3 years ago, but has become an UFO (knitter speak for UnFinished Object). Every time I re-start, I knit a few rows, get distracted and stop. The project only gets re-started when I have a few moments away from busy daily life and the knitting bag is close by, which isn’t very often.

I first came upon the DNA double helix scarf in the Fall of 2003 Interweave Knits magazine, where the pattern was featured. According to the article, June Oshiro was in the middle of a lecture when the idea came to her. She turned on her voice recorder (obviously to not miss the rest of her class, in bio classes we tend to get tested in things that are mentioned for 2 mins in class) and she started to draw the now famous pattern. This pattern isn’t just famous around knitters, it has even appeared in Nature Genetics!

For this scarf I chose a beautiful yarn I found while perusing the yarn at Iron Horse Farm, a farm in Sherborn, MA. I had gone there to purchased some of their llama yarn (they grow llamas and make yarn!) which was to become a scarf for Boombadeus…but that’s a different blog post.

While looking for that yarn, I happened to touch this one. I liked that the reddish yarn had bits of color here and there; from white to yellow, pinks and even a beautiful blue. It claimed to be 50% “soy silk” (I had never heard yarn made from soy) which I thought was weird but interesting, so I thought “why not try?”.

So the yarn was purchased and the scarf started. And re-started…and re-started.

Yes, the other reason this scarf has taken so long is that I’ve I started this pattern at least three times. I’d be about 10 inches done, only to undo it because I didn’t like the border. After searching and searching, I finally found my answer in the same Interweaves Issue: Why not try a linen stitch border?

So that is where I am now…I’m about 2 thirds done; and since now I’m done with Boombadeus’ scarf, I can focus on this one and finally say it is done in my Ravelry projects

I guess I should get back to my knitting, I can’t wait to finish it and wear it to the lab every day!

  1. 7 Responses to “The geekiest scarf ever.”

  2. By debbie on Jan 16, 2009

    The scarf came out beautiful! I love the linen stitch border also.

  3. By craftyangie on Jan 16, 2009

    Thanks Debbie! Can’t wait to get started on something using the pink Shetland yarn I picked from your store too!

  4. By Leslie on Jan 28, 2009

    Hey Angie!
    It’s Leslie. I see that you do indeed have an awesome camera to take pictures of your beautiful projects. This scarf may be sciency(I use that word a lot) at heart but it really is a lovely design to look at.

  5. By craftyangie on Jan 28, 2009

    Hi Leslie! Yeah, I love that camera! I’m glad Thad insists that I should use it more often on my projects (I often just grab the point and shoot that I carry all the time)..

    And you’re right…i wonder if that’s why not many people have noticed it? It’s a beautiful cable pattern!

    BTW was that you on Ravelry?

  6. By Leslie on Jan 28, 2009

    Your pics make yarn look edible. Yummm. Yeah that was me. That’s how I snooped down your blog :) Is Jennette here somewhere?

  7. By craftyangie on Jan 28, 2009

    Cool! Just added you :-) Not sure about Jennette…I saw a Jennette in Ravelry, but without a location I’m not sure if it could be her. We’ll ask her next week.

    Can’t wait to see your projects on Ravelry! :-)

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