daisy daisy give me an answer do

last night i had fun with photos. i realised that my camera is still at Rich's house after his trip to New York, but undeterred i managed to take some gems using my computer camera! it was fun to do some posing!

So now it is time for show and tell... Emily, what have you got?

This is the scarf i am knitting for my friend Robyn. It was her birthday on Sunday, but i missed the deadline due to bad planning. In my defence though, the scarf is knitted using daisy stitch which is very lovely (see here for some daisy stitch arm warmers http://www.purlbee.com/daisy-stitch-hand-warmers/ - the effect with three colours is really groovy (a bit seventies do you think?)) but very slow and a little like hard work...

Here i am knitting daisy stitch - can you see how hard i'm working! (rolled up my sleeves)

To make a daisy stitch, this is how you do it.

step 1, cast on a number of stitches which is a multiple of 4, plus one extra (for example 13, or 41 or 109)

step 2, knit a row

step 3, knit 1, purl 3together to create a new stitch on the right hand needle, but do not drop the three from the left, instead wrap the wool from front to back, clockwise around the right hand needle (through between the needles) and purl the same three stitches again, this time dropping the stitches when done. This should have made a new set of three on the right hand needle (one from the first purl, one from the wrapping and one from the second purl). the next stitch is a knit and then do the daisy again k1, daisy, k1, daisy, all the way along.

step 4. knit row! (welcome relief) on this row, be sure to keep the threes in the right order for ultimate grandness.

step 5.daisy row, but this time k1, p1,k1 at the start of the row. this will give the daisies a diagonal arrangement, otherwise they will all be lined up.

step 6, just follow steps 2 -5 until you have the right size!

There is a better description on the purlbee site (see link above) complete with pictures which is more helpful than i have been - although it looks like she is doing hers making the daisies on the knit row. Thinking about it now, that might have been easier!!

Here is a close up of my daisy stitches. it is a lovely texture. I would like to do a jacket, but maybe when the memories of this have faded.

It's getting long though. that is giving me the motivation to continue. (ps. i don't normally complain so much about knitting. i love it really!)

Here i am modelling to give you an idea of the finished product. I was worried the lilac border was too wide, but when it's wrapped around the neck, it all works out fine!

but then i got it stuck in my hair. hazards of knitting with long hair (there are some others too)

Anyway, i am nearly there, and it is going to be worth the effort for sure. I am really pleased with it. You can not tell from any of these pictures, but i'm knitting the ends to points and going to add a lilac pom-pom to each end. i was inspired by this lovely squidge of a scarf you can see on this page: http://knittingunderwater.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/fo-yellowberry-scarf/, although that one is quite a different effect. like a polar bear. She has used blueberry stitch on that one - i'm not sure how that's done, but i would like to find out!

Much love,

Daisy Duke. xx