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Knitspiration
𧣠5 Wonderful Winter Scarf Knitting Patterns
Like many knitters, my first project was a sampler scarf made from different stitch patterns.
It wasn't pretty, but I used it to discover and practice new techniques.
That being said I think scarves play an important part in the development of a knitter.
I just don't think they should be your first project...
King Louis the XIV sporting a silk cravat, a precursor to the modern scarf
A brief history of knitted scarves
There are references to scarves reaching back to the times of the ancient Egyptians. While there is evidence of knitted items from that period, they were most likely made from woven cotton.
Our modern conception of a scarf as something you wear around the neck most likely dates back to the mid 1600s. At the time Croatian soldiers wore small knitted neck ties which became known as the cravat (from the French word cravate, meaning "Croat").
It was the French who adopted the scarf as a fashion statement, used to express political affiliations during their revolution. Napoleon is said to have bought more than 400 Egyptian scarves for his wife,
But it was Queen Victoria who made the scarf a fashion staple, when she wore a silk scarf to her coronation. On a side note, it's surprising how much of American culture can be traced back to the Victorian era.β
With the coming of WW1, knitting scarves for the troops became a point of civic pride in both America and Great Britain. This carried on through WW2 along with socks, hats, gloves, and other knitted items.
After the war "space age" synthetic materials made it easy to mass produce scarves cheaply. But the scarf has remained a fashion staple to this day, especially for hand knitters.
Mistake rib is a classic stitch pattern, but when you alternate colors each row, subtle shifts of color seem to create a patina over the underlying ribbed fabricβ¦ And thatβs when the real magic happens!
Join our 4-Day Online Sweater Knitting Event, designed to teach you everything you need to start your next project with confidence.
Whether you're a total beginner or have some knitting experience, this guided online event will walk you through every step, helping you craft a handmade sweater you can be proud of.
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