FO: Airy scarf

On the way up to Pittsburgh, I knit an Airy Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts for my aunt. She's been asking me to knit something for her ever since I started knitting. I chose the Airy Scarf pattern because it looked like something my aunt might wear, it seemed appropriate for spring, and I've been itching to try out Rowan Kidsilk Haze. It turned out to be a fairly mindless, relaxing knit, perfect for a road trip. I only had to count up to 10, which I can usually handle. (Anything higher than that and I start running into trouble!) While in Pittsburgh, I weaved the ends in, but decided to wait till I got home to block it.

Since this is my first finished lace project (I will finish Branching Out someday!), it was also my first attempt at blocking lace. I don't have a blocking board, and the dog sleeps on the bed, so the only appropriate surface I could come up with was our ironing board. I decided to more or less follow Yarn Harlot's lace blocking method. I threaded all four edges of the scarf with crochet cotton and pinned it down to the proper dimensions. Then I took a spray bottle and spritzed it till it was damp. The spray bottle I had on hand doesn't do a fine mist, just a rather powerful stream. I tried to angle it so I could hit a larger surface area with one spritz. Mostly I ended up with droplets on the surface of the scarf, which I patted with a towel. I suppose I could have soaked the scarf in the sink, but I was afraid to subject the delicate Kidsilk Haze to that kind of abuse. The next evening I freed the scarf from the pins, strings, and towels, and it retained its shape . . . for a little while at least. Before long though, the ends flared out again. I left it at is, since it's a birthday gift and there wasn't enough time to re-block it, plus I don't think it looks that bad, especially if it's going to be tied around a neck. At least the stitches look more even than they did before blocking.

Airy scarf
Started: Mar. 10
Finished: Mar. 10 (weaved in ends and blocked later)
Pattern: From Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze, half a skein, Heavenly
Needles: US 10 plastic needles (cast on and bound off with Grandma's US 11 plastic needles)