2.) Yarn Color and Weight

Yarn comes in different types of fibers and weights.  There are great charts in the internet so I won't repeat them here; here's a link to a good one:  http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/weight.html

The Doctor Who Scarf website indicated the use of US Needle size 6, so lacking corresponding weight information I used the chart above, and I figured I would practice on 3 weight yarn.  Not much luck in finding this stuff in many colors at JoAnn or Michaels.  For some reason they have a good color selection in weights 1 and 4+, but hardly any in size 3.   Why is this?  Is everyone is knitting heavy, warm, fluffy stuff in Orlando, FL?  I don't get it.

I did find some close colors though in 3 weight (the middle three skeins), and 4 weight (outer skeins):

The 4 weight actually appear to be very close to the 3 weight, so I'm hoping it's just a difference in fabricators.  These are just for practice, relatively cheap, and if they don't work out very well I won't be too disappointed in my choice, and I could use them for something else.  Eventually I'll need to purchase the recommended skein colors/manufacturers as indicated in the Doctor Who Scarf website (http://www.doctorwhoscarf.com/season16.php).  Which should be soon as the clock is ticking till Halloween.

I bought size US5 and size US6 needles to start with this yarn.  I also bought some thicker yarn in weight 4 (heavier than that above) and weight 5, and some heavier needles in US9 and US13 for practice as well.

Needles shown are from left to right, US5 (circular), US6 (two pair), US9 (two pair).  These are all from the same name brand and are crafted from aluminum ("Silvalume").  Why are there slightly different shades within the same size needle, is it intentional?  Seems like someone needs to check this out this in their manufacturing Quality Control department.  At least explain it on the product packaging as a benefit or something.  To me it's confusing.

Next post will discuss casting on using the Long-Tail Cast On method.

1.) Introduction

The purpose of this blog is to document my adventure in learning how to hand knit and make a scarf... a la the Fourth Dr. Who of the British Sci-Fi TV Series Dr. Who.  Its supposed to be made using the most basic knit, appropriately called a "knit stitch", made successfully over and over again, which in turn then creates the "garter stitch".  Simple.  Here's an example of what the finished product may look like:

The Fourth Dr. Who was played by Tom Baker, and you can read up on him here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Doctor.

My favorite Dr is the Tenth one played by David Tennant.  His costume is nice, but  I'll probably save it for a rainy day (or year).

I used to watch Dr Who in the early evening every day when I was in 3rd-6th grade.  He would come on at 6:00 PM on PBS in the mid 80s, right after Sesame Street and some shorter programming (Reading Rainbow with Lavar Burton, and Mr Rogers' Neighborhood etc.), and before News Hour.  I don't know if it was the most current episodes that I was watching as I was pretty young and not aware that BBC was from a different country.

In any event, I've recently been watching the 10th and 11th Dr Who streaming on my Netflix account.  Catching up and watching over 70 episodes in a matter of months (and re-watching several of them), convinced me to make and wear a Dr Who costume for this upcoming Halloween Party at Michael G's, always a fun and tastefully themed and decorated event.  In 2009 I sewed a Dr. Horrible costume, and in 2010 I sewed a traditional Scottish kilt, sporran and cap:

2010 Halloween

2009 Halloween

The scarf will require more discipline than the kilt or lab coat, and this is why I'm thinking about it in mid July.   It's striped in several colors and several feet long (14 feet or so).  It's approximately 11"-12" wide (about 44 stitches).  That, along with it's length (I think 12" of length will also be 44 stitches), should require over 27,000 stitches.  So, until Halloween, (which is about 105 days away) I have to stitch 257 per day every day until then....hmm... maybe I picked the wrong beginner project.  I still have to work during the day to afford to do this.  I'm projecting the yarn will cost about $150.

Thanks to this website, I have some guidance:  http://www.doctorwhoscarf.com/

Here's my goal (I like this one because it's most colorful:

  

  

The next post will discuss the yarn color and weight