Knitting news

Look what my nice mail lady brought me today:


NORO!

I've been SOOO wanting to make a Booga Bag. I found an online source that sells it for a good price, and I ordered enough for 2 of the Booga Bags (colors 115 and 124), and one extra ball in 94, because it looked interesting, and they only had one left (I could probably make a small version for something). That one loner is wound different and the brand name is only listed in Japanese. Interesting. I also got some Berrocco Chinchilla so I could see how the keyhole scarf I've mentioned before worked up in the yarn it was designed with. It's a nice soft yarn, so it'll be fun to work with.

I was so excited to work on it that I cast on as soon as I had a chance. I thought I'd use the opportunity to learn a new cast on technique. I used the single cast on for the Optik scarf, as it was the only one I even knew about until recently. I tried to do the knitting on method, but I couldn't make it work. I couldn't do it loose enough to do more than 4 or 5 (stitches?), and it was taking me way too long, so I went back to single cast on. *sigh* I got about 10 rows done tonight.

I've also almost come to the end of the yarn for my Optik scarf. Big problem... it's nowhere near as long as I wanted it to be.


Optik scarf (progress?)

It's about 22" long and a little over 4" wide, which means this is about how much I can wrap it around my neck:


Optik scarf around my neck

I haven't come to the end of the yarn yet, but I'm close. The balls are pretty small now. I would prefer that it be about twice as long as it is (if I hold one end and the middle of the back of my neck, the other hangs to about where I wanted the scarf to land).

I was thinking, if I could just get it long enough to have decent ends (that would require at least 8 more inches in length, basically to make a square of the matterial on each end beyond where it overlaps), I could just pin it together with a great pin or button and magnetic clasp. I'm thinking I won't be able to make it that far, and I'm not sure with this yarn if blocking would make much difference (okay, so I've never blocked anything... I'm a complete novice).

I can see two other options:

1) I could buy a 3rd skein of the Optik, and just use that to lengthen the scarf. it would still be a short scarf, but it would be long enough for the pin/button option. I don't want it to cost half again as much, though.

2) I could rip it back out and instead of doubling it up on itself, pair it with another yarn. I bought some Lion brand Microspun in black that I could do it with. That way, it would end up the length I wanted, and the Microspun IS nice and soft. The colors in the fabric would likely be somewhat less striking than they are now, though. The idea of undoing all that I've done already makes me rather sad, though, and it would be extra frustrating, because this yarn is so delicate that ripping it out might end up causing problems. Maybe I should unroll one of the balls and use the other end of the Optik to swatch this option. I dunno.

So, what would you do? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.