I wanted to make my friend Jenny a scarf and knew a couple of things about said scarf right from the start. First of all Jenny loves red, more specifically blue-red tones as opposed to yellow-reds. Second, she really likes great classic design with a little preppiness thrown in so I thought a cable-knit scarf would be perfect.
So DS and I made a pilgrimage to the LYS where I found an amazingly soft angora/merino wool blend - Elsebeth Lavold Angora in Cherry Red.
Next up was the pattern. I tried the Irish Hiking Scarf which I have made before but it just wasn't working for the yarn so I frogged. Then I tried the Reversible Cable-Knit Scarf from Lion Brand but again, a no go.
I finally found what I wanted while flipping through SnB Nation. I noticed the Warm Fuzzies scarf and the fact that the yarn used was very similar to my yarn so I cast on and it looked great!
The pattern is a mock-cable rib so you don't even use a cable needle, you just knit the 2nd stitch first and then the 1st stitch.
I also really liked that the pattern is reversible - the WS is a 2x1 rib. I used this as continental knitting practice time. I've read and heard that ribbing and seed stitch are WAY faster and easier if you knit continental so I gave it a shot. Those rows totally flew by, it was amazing. I knit them as fast as if I'd knit in my usual English way but without the frustration of moving the yarn back and forth.
Here's the finished product complete with fringe!
