New pattern: Mithrandir

Just in time to go and see The Hobbit, I've finished my very own Gandalf-inspired scarf! Gandalf the Grey (alias Mithrandir) has been my favourite literary wizard since childhood - I even had a poster of him on my wall, in addition to my Middle Earth map. Gandalf is described in The Hobbit as wearing a silver scarf, and so I created my own version of a wizardly scarf: lightweight yet practical, with an interesting textured pattern, and a rune tucked secretly in a corner.

The meandering stitch pattern represents a journey through winding roads and rivers, and tangled forests. Instead of using cables to create the texture, I used a non-lacy lace technique: simple decreases, plus yarn-overs which are twisted shut on the wrong-side rows. Sections of plain ribbing give the knitter (and the eye) a rest along the way.

My old map in the background. :)

Gandalf's rune, hiding in the bottom corner.

The scarf is lovely and long (two metres), and because it's knit from laceweight yarn, it's very light and airy. I used a skein of Vintage Purls Lace in the colourway 'Dragica' - a semi-solid mid-grey.

 The pattern, Mithrandir, is now available on Ravelry.