A Very Long Scarf

It's been a while since my last post. A lot has happened since: Barack Obama is our first African American president (yay)... but we're now in a recession riddled with lay-offs (boo)... the scandalous Atlantic Yards Project fiasco is has reached an end due to a bad economy (yay)... but as Forest City Ratner (the developer) lays off workmen FCR has left Prospect Heights in ruin (boo)... bush is forced to finally admits that we've been in a recession since last December (duh).

I had a flush of work after an odd drought, but at least I had time to re-plaster the water damage in my kitchen (yay). I haven't been writing much, though. I blame this on Epstein Bar (boo). Four blood tests and a $700 bill later, I found out that I have the late-80s chronic fatigue syndrome — I wonder if this classifies as a "retro virus". So now I'm catching up with knitting and Christmas presents (oi vey). This should prove to be an interesting new year 2009.



I finished this 9-foot long scarf for my friend Robert Malek Cole. He's a tall guy (6'3") so this should look like a normal scarf on him. Rob is a director/producer here in New York — and every director/producer needs a Truman Capote-length scarf. I asked my friend Bleu to sit for a prosperity photo before I pass this to Rob.

It looks Hobbit-ish on a smaller person, but Bleu makes it work. She wrapped it a few times around her neck and over her head to make a hood. Women know how to wear scarves. I like his portrait I took of Bleu sitting in Freddy's front window, the winter lighting reminds me of a Vermeer painting ("Black Girl with a Pearl Earring?").







I call this simple scarf "Malek". It's made from five skeins of bulky Berroco Cuzco using the Mistake Rib pattern. The result, a very deep, spongy rib. This alpaca/wool scarf weighs a bit but not as much as if it were 100% wool. 550 yards yeilds 9 feet on #8spn. This long scarf uses about half the yarn it would take to make a large man's sweater. I finished it off with four braids. I hate tassels.



Malek

Size: #8 spn

Yarn: 550 yds. bulky or worsted weight

Cast on 49 sts.
R1: k3, pm, k1, p1; k2, p2 until last 4; pm, k4.
R2: K4, sm k1, p2; k2 , p2 until last 6; k3, sm, K3.
R3: k3, sm, k1, p1; k2, p2 until lst 4; sm, k4.
Repeat R2 and R3 until you have completed a full row and have about 3 feet of yarn left. Bind off.