I finished what I’m calling the “Cobweb” scarf. It had long deserved promoting from UFO to FO, having done great service as an easy diversion when I needed a break from a more complex project, especially during knit and natter sessions. It defeats the object somewhat if you can’t knit and natter at the same time!
I bought this as a kit in a gift shop in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. I’d already chosen a couple of very pretty locally hand-spun skeins when i noticed some brightly coloured little paper carrier bags. It turned out that someone had assembled the kits to sell and raise funds for the Aros Hall. This is a community-run venue in the centre of Tobermory and we’ve been to a very enjoyable ceilidh there. Each kit contained a simple pattern, needles and a ball of Rowan Kidsilk Haze, all wrapped in tissue paper inside the bag. There were several different patterns and colours to choose from but I went for this silver grey scarf.
Mull is one of my favourite parts of Scotland and we’ve had many holidays there – this trip was back in the summer of 2018. I’m normally fine with driving on Scottish single-track roads and I do find some parts of Mull quite challenging (there are some very steep blind hairpin bends) but the scenery is breathtaking and very varied. It’s great for wildlife and birdwatching. Both British eagle species (Golden Eagle and White-tailed or Sea Eagle) can be seen on Mull (sometimes at the same time!) and I saw my first otter there. We learnt an easy cheat on an early visit. If you see someone parked up with a seriously big telescope, it’s probably worth stopping (if it is safe to do so) and getting your binoculars out – I’ve always found the birdwatchers are happy to share their knowledge and point out what they are looking at.
The biggest town on the Island is Tobermory, characterised by a row of brightly coloured buildings along the bay. It’s quite a vibrant little place with several good places to eat, some interesting shops, an aquarium, a whisky distillery and more.
Back to the scarf: the kit included circular needles (10mm) , to be used on the straight, but I found it easier for this to use my own straight needles. The yarn is fabulous, so soft and fine – lace weight in 70% kid mohair and 30% silk. Using a fine yarn with big 10mm needles took some getting used to. The body of the scarf is knitted in garter stitch – you are creating a very open structure. I tended to pull it too tight. It was also very easy to catch a stitch and pull out a big loop. The haze of fine soft hairs that stand out from the yarn seems to support the open structure to give it a lovely bouncy feel.
I wanted to use the entire ball (you don’t really want to waste anything this luxurious). The finished scarf could probably benefit from blocking – it is very stretchy and I really struggled to measure it. It ended up about 14 by 55 inches. It is feather-light and drapes beautifully.
I’m looking forward to wearing it – a lovely reminder of a great holiday in beautiful Mull and the ceilidh at Aros Hall in Tobermory.
Now I have a quiz question for you (just for fun). Tobermory has two connections to UK Children’s TV. What are they?
Stitches by the Sea 