Western Bay Infinity Scarf
This week I am 'jumping' - metaphorically, since it's not all that possible for me to actually jump in my current, flu like state - on the Caron Cake bandwagon. Let me introduce to you my very own Caron Cake Design ...
The Western Bay Infinity Scarf is named for the Western Bay of Plenty of New Zealand, where most days from my home, I am treated to a visual feast outside my window, of colours very similar to those in this item. I made a special trip to the USA in November 2016 just to purchase this Lemon Lime cake, as well as one other colour variation. If you didn't really believe that, then you would be right not to! I had however, done my research prior to going, and was very kindly taken to a Michaels Store by my Orange County friend not long after I arrived!
The love of Caron Cakes seems to have reached (dare I say it?) cult status in the USA, and in 2017 some of the range has also appeared in New Zealand. Therefore I have made it my mission to design some ONE CAKE ONLY items - and contribute to the Caron Cake Mania, simply because I can! I have another design almost ready to be published - and one currently on the needles taking shape. While I seem to be on a roll, it would just be wrong not to make this my focus until the supply runs out.
The Western Bay Infinity Scarf measures approximately 23cm (9") Wide x 190cm (75") in circumference. I am 165cm tall and this item may be wound around my neck three times for an extra cosy fit, but is actually rather long on me when wound twice. To tell the truth, if I knitted it for myself I would probably leave out the first stitch pattern, which would possibly also give me enough left over to knit a simple adult beanie. If you do this at my recommendation however, please note that you will probably not be able to do the 'three wind technique' with the scarf, without strangling yourself!
This design is knitted straight up and then seamed. There is no change in the stitch count. The sequence of stitches worked in the photographed sample coincide with the colour changes in my cake. There are notes in the pattern about what to do if your cake works out to be slightly different. The nature of this yarn, as a gradient, is that you kind of take your chances. If you are a perfectionist, this may not suit you - but you can still knit this design if you refer to the last paragraph for other suitable options.
There are 5 pages to the download and there are 6 different stitch patterns to this knit. If you count the very simple edging then that makes 7. The edging is a simple repeating stitch at the beginning and end of every row. This is a great pattern for practising different stitches, whilst keeping your interest at the same time. I would class it as a pattern for the intermediate knitter. Although if you have mastered knit and purl as a beginner, and have also experimented with eyelet lace knitting and slipped stitches successfully, then you should have no trouble with this pattern. I used a 6 mm (USA 10) needle in this design. (Recommended size is 5 mm /USA 8)
I also thoroughly recommend this pattern for using up stash yarns. Either by using single solids to create the same multi coloured effect, or even by using one solid colour (350m/383 yds total), which I believe would be a really attractive, alternative option. If using single, solid colours and knitting the design as set, I would allow at least 60m (66yds) per shade/stitch sequence. And in a yarn that has the same recommended tension and needle size.
If I get my second Caron Cake design released soon, as I hope to, then I will talk about that next time. So keep watching - in eager anticipation! By the way, did you know, those of you who shop at Lincraft - that Lincraft Cakes are exactly the same composition and length? Which means, of course, that you can use Caron Cake Patterns for them also.
(Purchase Options for all my designs are available here).