Love you & your blog!!

Unfortunately we may too be wondering in the desert for 40 years......

Oh Laurie, I love you and your bumper stickers!

Hmm....what I'd do is cast on 200 or so, then knit a few rows and see if it looks long enough...LOL!

I guess just cast on till you fill the circular needle!

Sounds like a math equation is in order. Stitches per inch x 12 x 5. Ouch . . . too much math for a Tuesday morning!

I think you have to cast on about 200 stitiches, yuck! I hate casting on more than anything.

You'll really have to come up with a gauge swatch. And before you decide to use all the yarns held together, try the trick with a needle sizer where you take the yarn, folded over, and pass it through the Size 13 hole. Add a strand, fold, pass it through again. When it starts to get a wee bit snug, stop adding strands, and should do it. I'm willing to bet you'll get anywhere from3-4 stitches per inch, so if you want a 5 1/2 foot long scarf, cast on 264 stitches.

Not what you wanted to hear, eh?

Ok, ready for math? Make a gauge swatch out of the yarn you are starting with. Measure how many stitches you have over 2 inches. Multiply that by 30, and that will give you a 5 foot scarf. Multiply by 36 for a 6 footer. It will be wonky shaped unless you double up on the skinny yarn.

Have seen http://www.smallknits.com/ ? It's all knitting projects calling for small quantities of yarn.

Casting on 200 stitches might be enough - when you've cast on 200, eyeball the circ needle (maybe measure the length of the cast-on stitches?) and see if that's enough. If not, cast on more. I'm guessing that the upper limit will be 250 stitches.

You'll get some interesting textures out of this, with the thin (yes, they probably are sock-weight) yarns adding lacy patches to the scarf next to the chunky yarns. Pics, please! :)

I've only been knitting for a few months, but if you're using a thinner yarn, then I'd think you want to cast on more stitches. Either that or double up on the yarn and knit with two strands together.

Love the bumper sticker. I'm going to pass that on to everyone I know!

I've only been knitting for a few months, but if you're using a thinner yarn, then I'd think you want to cast on more stitches. Either that or double up on the yarn and knit with two strands together.

Love the bumper sticker. I'm going to pass that on to everyone I know!

I've done this brefore and I just cast on until it looked long enough - you can do this by stringing a thread through the loops of your cast on stitches and then it can come off the needle without dropping any stitches - jsut pick them off the thread when you're ready to start up with the next row. this is one project you shouldn't have to do a gauge swatch for.

As amusing as that bumper sticker is, I believe it was that listening to the burning bush got people out of slavery; deciding to build (and worship) the golden calf resulted in the 40 years of wandering. Or some such thing. I'm all for bush-bashing, but at least get the stories right, ya know?

And yes, there is sock weight yarn. Knitting socks is my latest obsession, mostly because it's such a wonderfully portable project. And a lot cheaper than, say, sweaters. You definitely should double (or even triple) the lighter weight yarns so they better match the thicker stuff, though. Unless you want the lacy thin stripes. Your call.

I've done this before and I just cast on until it looked long enough - you can do this by stringing a thread through the loops of your cast on stitches and then it can come off the needle without dropping any stitches - just pick the loops off the thread when you're ready to start up with the next row. this is one project you shouldn't have to do a gauge swatch for. I hope that made sense

DIY network had a pattern for a long skinny scarf using 10.5 needles. They cast on 400 stitches I think...

Here is the web page for that scarf pattern:

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_3520116,00.html

Lisa, I don't understand what you mean with the thread? Do I cast on to ... thread? Somehow?

Rachel...I'm not really that into bush-bashing, doesn't seem to make anyone happier with gas prices or the war or anything. But I just thought that car was too funny. I saw another one this morning that was HYSTERICAL... but the guy turned before I could get a picture. It said "TATTOOED TRAILER TRASH" and I was laughing so hard I spilled my coffee!

just done one using all thicknesses of colinette yarn and I cast on 208 stitches. I did one once before and it wasn't quite long enough so what I did was made a border:) I started with the thickest yarn and just randomly used the different ones as and when.
amber in england who really should be packing instead of reading ready for my move

Ha! Pinche Bush is the best bumper sticker ever.

I saw one last week that cracked me up, but alas I didn't have my camera with me. It said:

Zeus is God. Read the Iliad.

Favorite Bush bumper sticker (seen on a car in a gas line in the aftermath of hurricane Rita) "Buck Fush".

So, no dish on the Jamaican cricket player?

I knit a scarf in the method you suggested, and used size 13 needles. I used a worsted weight, I believe. I ended up casting on about 230 stitches, if I remember correctly. And when I cast off, I had the most gigantor scarf ever, lengthwise. It is HUGE. But it is skinny, and looks great wound up with long ends. Just be aware that you could end up with something much, much longer than you anticipated!

I always knit scarves at least as long as the person is tall.

A size 13 needle should give you 2 or 3 sts to the inch, I think (but I almost never work with needles that big... do you have a finished scarf you can measure?), so call it 2.5 times 66 (inches = 5.5 feet) gives you, um... 165 sts. Yes, by all means double or triple or whatever the real skinny ones, using the sizer-hole trick to figure out the whatever.

(Yes, there is sock-weight yarn. I worship it, even though with some of it I get 11 sts to the inch.)

I'm dying to know what happened to the mystery knitted cat thingamajig deal -

Err on the long side. I made one that ended up twice as long as anyone would ever want. They good thing though is you can just cut it in half, undo some of the stitches so that they become fringe, and then tie knots a the base of the fringes so they don't come undone. Voila.

re: the scarf. if your intended # of stitches don't fit on your one needle, you can cast on to 2 (or more) circs like they were dpn's (end to end to make a really long scarf)

"Somewhere in Texas a Village is Missing an Idiot."

I get so excited when I see bumper stickers like this in ORANGE COUNTY that it makes me want to go hump the bumper.

Am I the only one who doesn't know what "pinche" means?

I vote for 264. Estimate an average (fat yarn/skinny yarn) of 4 stitches per inch X 66 inches (5-1/2 feet) = 264. You can be our tester, because we've all got the odds and ends stash problem. Go Laurie!

I don't know what it means either Caroline. I thought I was the only one!

"pinche" is a slang word...not so much in the "Spanish" language..but more in "Mexican street slang." Basically it can be used for the "F'er" or F'ing" word.

Ok, I will be the pinche guinea pig ;) I'll cast on...um, some stitches and document (as ya'll know, in photos) the gypsy scarf. I thought it would be fun to mix 'n match textures and colors. Also, maybe a little wacky. I like me a wacky knit.

Caroline, I don't have a clue what "pinche" means either. I was just too embarrassed to ask. So, could someone explain please?

Can't wait to see the scarf...sounds very Olsen-twin like.

If you haven't heard pinche used before, it's pronounced like 'peeen-chay'.... It's very popular in Spanglish speaking areas of California where hueras like me have been picking up vulgar Mexi-slang since grade school. p.s. huera ('wher-ah') is slang for 'white girl' but it's not as derogatory as 'gringa'.

Pinche bendejo! I forgot to sign my post.
Brianne'the huera'

Just wanted to share something that's knitting related. Apparently the SF Giants have decided to try out a Stitch n Pitch day. Oh, and you get a totebag.

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/sf/ticketing/group_special_events.jsp

I learned about this through my local SnB. How cool is that?

I'm with Lisa - just cast on a bunch (200 or so?) and see if it's enough. What she meant by the thread was:

1) you cast on all your stitches onto your circ. They'll be all bunched up.
2) cut a big long (6') length of something thin (like sock yarn) and not fuzzy (like cotton). Thread it onto one of those ginormous plastic yarn needles
3) put the needle through all your cast-on stitches (like you were slip-stitching the whole row). You are transferring all your loops to the string. Take out the needle as you go along.

Now all your pretty cast-on stitches are hanging out on the thin cotton, instead of being on needles, and you can stretch out the stitches and see how long it's going to be without losing any loops. If it's not long enough, put the needle back in and cast on some more stitches. If it's too long, take some out.

Once it's the right length, I like to put the needle back through all the stitches before starting again, but Lisa meant that you can just knit each loop right from the string, pretending that the string is a just a really floppy needle.

If you guestimate 3 sts/ inch at 5 feet long - I'd CO 180 stitches. Which isn't *that* bad, you end up knitting that many for most sweaters, anyway ;)

Oh, there is such a thing as sock yarn - just double or triple it up with other yarns :D

I worked in a yarn shop, so if you said sock yarn to me, I would totally know what you meant. Sometimes I hear people call it baby yarn, or fingering weight.

You are going to get a crazy loopy fabric using sock yarn on a size 13 needle! I like to play around with yarns like that, and I am sure you will end up with a really wild scarf.

With some of your finer weight yarns - like the sock kind you mentioned - you could knit with two strands held together as one to help amplify the yarn, especially on the larger needles.

Laurie, I think after you block your gypsy scarf, the skinny yarn will add great lacey texture to the thicker stuff. Just a few rows in between the other yarn will look like two long strips sewn together (the sock yarn won't be noticeable, but the absence of thicker yarn will), and a lot of rows will add a lace panel.

Try the Vegas Scarf: http://www.jeloca.com/game.html

It's sounds perfect for what you want to do. :)

If you need any more of the yarn I sent you Gedifra and Katia) let me know. I have a lot more of both.

If you need any more of the yarn I sent you (Gedifra and Katia) let me know. I have a lot more of both.

And you probably already know this, you clever person, but when you start a new yarn just leave a really long tail at the beginning of the row and a really long tail at the end. Then, when you're done, just knot all the long ends and, viola! instant fringe!

Now you say, "Thank you for stating the obvious, Sarah."

Whoo...I don't know about knitting right from the string. Y'all are better knitters than I am. Also braver. :) But I have knit one of those funky lengthwise lots-of-different-yarn scarves... they're fun! I cast on 220 stitches when I did it, and it was nice and long. It came almost to my knees. I'd measure it for you, if I hadn't given it away as a gift. And I agree with Sarah R about the fringe!

you must learn to knit socks. MUST. i decree it. knitting socks is the sex of fun knit projects. the end.

Yeah, come on Laurie...come learn to knit socks with us! I just started a KAL based on the Knit Socks! book. :)

I've been trying to seduce Laurie over to the sock side for a while now. We must all send telepathic sock waves to weaken her will. Resistance is futile, Laurie: you will be assockimated.

Oh, Laurie, I wish you would learn socks, so you could be my guide to them, like you were with hats! (What, that doesn't motivate you?) You made the hatness sound so easy, I finally tried it, and now I'm out of control with the hats, but socks still scare me. Go Laurie!

Great minds think alike or are in the same gutter. Just yesterday, I was going through some surplus and leftovers and was thinking along the same lines. I just have to finish this lacy shrug thing that's making me crazy first. Love the bumper sticker!

ASSOCKLIMATED??? hahahahahaahaha

I have not laughed that hard (at work) in a looong time.

I may one day revisit the fuzzy foot (aka Big Sock). Perhaps ;)

Yes, thanks for the reminder on the fringe sarah! Also, I do love my fringe.

Nancy -- the Jamaican cricket player was way too young for me. After five minutes we ran out of stuff to say, and he wasn't fine enough to have a never-say-anything relationship with ;) LOL

Ya'll!! I have a lake in my backyard. The sprinklers are on the fritz. My house is like the house of horrors right now, I have seriously funky shui. My landlord is on his way over there, and apparently Francisco is floating on a raft or something back there. Is this Monday? It sure feels like Monday.

Ahh...the lovely shades of the Spanish language. From what I learned in South Texas/North Mexico the direct translation of "pinche" is "cheap" as in "After asking me on the date, the guy made me pay. The cheap jerk." However, the indirect translation is exactly as Tami said.

We did a scarf in the same way for a weekend knitting retreat. Everyone one brought a favorite yarn. All different fibres, colors and weights, and it is my favorite scarf. Everyone used a 6.5mm needle cast on 200ish stitches and knit until it was as wide as we wanted it. We did garter stitch and odd number of rows for each colour. Remember if you want fringe, just break yarn at the end of each row and secure them after. The cast on edge needs to be loose, I would use a larger needle. Good luck,love your blog.
Not a great picture of the scarf, but it is the scarf on the far right.
http://static.flickr.com/35/69503231_cb7db1f4a7_o.jpg

I am giggling over the Spanglish lessons. I have only heard "huera" from my fairer skinned Latina friends. That's what their families call them. "Huera" is appearance; "gringa" is attitude.

Also my mom would slap me silly if I cursed in English in front of her but I can get away with it in Spanish. And yes, she understands Spanish.

Laurie, I am also laughing at the picture in my mind of Francisco on a raft in your backyard. I hope the crops are not in danger.

Laurie - Do what my partially native American hubby does when his chi is outta whack. Get a sage stick and "smudge" the house. Smells like a burned skillet, but hey, I'm not messing with hubby's traditions, even if he does use native American ritual to fix an Asian malady. *shrug*

Sorry about the cricket player. But don't settle. The "vibe" must be there! Kudos to you for giving it a go, Mrs. Robinson ;-)

Nancy's got a point there. If you cannot stand the smell of burning sage, you can also use sweetgrass braid -- not as bad a smell.

Laurie, I am SO glad that I'm not the only knitter who has yet to accomplish the dreaded 'calcetines' (ha!, that's socks in espanol!)...Your Brangelina thread (complete with comments - thank all y'all) gave me the strength to attempt both circulars and a hat. I am currently trying to fair isle the 'we call them pirates' hat from Hello Yarn so you can claim rights for getting me started. But socks? until you post a 'socks aren't all that hard ya'll' pattern, complete with helpful pics and hilarious commentary, I'll stick to mostly flat things.

I just finished two scarves knit that way (by far my most favourite scarves actually - I just used kitchen cotton in fun colours)... For one I cast on a little over 200 stitches and the other one has around 300... These scarves are insanely long and require a double wrap so I dont trip on them (and I'm tall!)... If you don't want to double/triple wrap them I'd suggest 150 stitches or less... Another thing I found with these scarves is that you need to bind off reaaaaaaaally loosely otherwise one end is longer than the other (and it's a pain in the arse to wrap)... I knit the scarves on a size 10 needle and bound off with a size 15 and it worked perfectly :)

Good luck!

Bendejo??? Huera???? Brianne, don't you mean "pendeja"? And guera???

Poor dear - email me your address and I'll send you some sock yarn. Everybody needs sock yarn. :)

I bet you always wanted a lake home. Hopefully the square watermelons are on high ground.

I hear Francisco is on a raft and all I can think of is spaghetti o's - what is that about?

okay, I am normally a lurker but I had to delurk to tell you that one time I tried to make the same scarf you describe out of random scraps, knit lengthwise. The problem was that I didn't know how many to cast on, and even once I had cast on, there was no way to know how long the scarf would be in the end because it's all bunched up on the needles.

So, being the risk averse gal that I am, I decided to cast on AS MANY STITCHES AS POSSIBLE. I didn't want to risk a too short scarf. Well, you can probably tell where this is going, right? That damn thing took me FOREVER to finish, and when I finally did, it was 15 feet long. I am so not kidding.

I cut it in half and made two out of it, each with a good amount of pretty fringe. So at least there is a happy ending.

photographic proof!

on the needles: http://flickr.com/photos/jaynet03/58812584/ (looks innocent and harmless, huh?)

off the needles: http://flickr.com/photos/jaynet03/68131777/ (scarf eats girl for breakfast!)

I'm going to learn to knit socks tomorrow! Yeah, the yarn is skinny. I don't know how many stitches but you might want to double the skinny yarn. Thicker's better anyway!

hi Anonymous, so sorry to misspell the slang, I actually read that huera is an accepted alternate spelling of guera which originally meant 'rubia' or blonde (as I'm sure you know). My sincere apologies for misspelling 'pendejo' although I did mean to use the masculine form.

Laurie, stay away from the fuzzy foot for now. You'll just end up with something you want to let the cats play with.

Knit socks though. Lorna's Laces sock weight yarn in something delicious, and a simple pattern like the one from Knitting Pure and Simple. Settle in with a nice glass of wine and go for it.

Brianne, my friends have always used your spelling for "huera" so I saw nothing wrong with it.

hahahah Janet!!! That is so the scarf I will likely end up knitting. I once knit a bazillion-foot-long scarf and ended up foisting it on Drew last time he was here.

Drew is tall. The scarf was taller. Much, much taller.

Anyway! all my Latin friends call me huera too. Though I prefer to be a firme jaina. Or hayna. I think ghetto slang is all ways, kind of like some people still email me on a daily basis to inform me how to spell ya'll "y'all" and you know I am just stubborn enough that I will never change.

My favorite mexislang: Q-vo! it means what's up, hello, etc.

After reading the burning bush bumper sticker, I thought pinche was yiddish you know like mensch. Oy Vey.

I think the gypsy scarf will be beautiful. I have some friends who make them here and sell them at the pricey a resort gift shop on the mountain. Oh the $$$$$ tourist pay for Appalacian fine crafts.

I agree that socks can be strangely addictive to make: I tink I prefer using two circular needles for the calf and switching to double-pointed needles for the ankle and foot. Howeve, I recently ordered some European DPNs from Lacis that are hooked on one end and have a regular pointed tip on the other; you use the hooked end to "knit" with (WAY easier, esp with purling, you just hook the yarn as if to crochet or as if doing a crochet hook bind-off) and they are wonderful for socks.

WRT the bumper stickers, I like my neighbor's': "Like a Rock- only Dumber". When I was a kid on our station wagon had two bumper stickers on opposite sides of the rear bumper: "McGovern-Shriver" and "Nixon Now". Hmmm...After that car I don't think my parents ever did political bumper stickers again. Wonder why?

Sue, those bumper stickers are funny! I would like a Nixon Now sticker ;)

You know, I have those teensy circs I ordered a while back (they were japanese clover needles, very tiny) that I think would be good for sock-making. One day I'm sure I'll do some sock madness, those baby booties were fun to make once I ...uh, read the directions. Carefully. LOL

Stacey, if my scarf turns out OK, I will send it to you to sell to a tourist!! Unless I want to keep it. Of course.

I'm counting the minutes until I can leave and visit Lake Encino. Francisco is probably having a pool party.

Hi! One thing to take into account is that this type of scarf "grows" lengthwise. So whatever amount of stitches you decide on - cast on about 10-15% less. Also, if you can possibly do it without buying a new needle try casting on with a larger needle, too. As someone mentioned, if the bind on & off are too tight, well that will not look so hot. If you can get your hands on "Folk Shawls," check out the ruana formula. That pretty much sums up the concept. Good luck!

Don't forget a floating device for the pool (aka Lake Encino). Perhaps it is time to knit a sarong.
A favorite bumper sticker: Grow your own dope. Plant a man.

Where is Haji? I miss his humor and want to thank him for his service to our country.
Thank you Haji!!!!

Mmmm...socks. (There's something Homer never said. Ha!) I lurve socks. Wendy's toe-up pattern is the best. En francais, is sock "chausette" or "chausseure"? I know the other is shoe, but when I took French I was forever mixing them up. Looks like I still am. Sorry, Madame Sykes. :)

Cast on whatever you want. What I suggest is, if it's not long enough pick up stitches on the end and knit it longer. You have even more interest if you do this a few times. . as in, knit a long section, add on and knit another long section. Texture, colour and scarfy happiness!

Huera means unfertilized egg, or empty and vacuous. Guera means blonde hair.

Hey, you decide which fits the best for yourself.

It's slang. And here in the Bay, "huera" means "blonde". If you have an issue with it, take it up with David Gonzales, the creator of "Homies" and "Mijos". One of the Mijos is nicknamed "Huera." Perhaps where you're from folks use "guera" but in the Spanglish spoken here in the Bay it is "huera". There are several words in Spanish that have completely different meanings depending on where you are at the time.

That's the thing...these aren't slang words. They are actual words in Spanish that mean something.

No offense was intended...I'm just trying to educate y'all. :)

If you haven't already discovered it, there is a website where you can look up all manner of slang language and words and expressions that would otherwise remain mysterious to a lot of us.
www.urbandictionary.com
It's worth remembering. And pinche is there.

Laurie, I enjoy your writing so much. I look in every day to see what you've posted.

It sounds as though you may have managed a cure on two of your furbabies. I hope that's the case and that the other two get well SOON!!

My husband and I are in our 70's and not in very good health, but we have four dogs and an auxilliary cat. Thank heavens we haven't had to fight the kind of battle you are waging.

P.S. I think you resemble Rene Zellweiger (or however you spell her name).

I'd do about 300 or so? The longer, the merrier. And the different weights of yarn will look really nice mixed with the thicker ones (I have an entire blanket made of scraps!) You can always double-strand the thinner stuff if you want something sturdier.

they called me "machita" in Costa Rica- they *said* it meant blonde. who cares, it could have been worse. and the sage smells more like *weed* to me. I kinda like it. not that I would inhale, or whatever. ;) here is one answer to the scarf q- http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_dkng/episode/0,2046,DIY_18180_36325,00.html

Stella, thank you for the link to Urban Dictionary. "Huero" is in there as well. Surprise, surprise. The person who wrote the definition is from NorCal. If I used "guero" in a conversation around here, people would look at me like I'm nuts. It's kind of like using the future tense. Do you ever hear anyone using it in conversations other than those on las novelas?

I would suggest crocheting the scarf, then you can see exactly how long it will be, but you know what happened last time I tried that; it ate up enough yarn to be a sweater in disguise.

Hey Dagny,
I'll listen next time I watch "Amor en Custodia" ...like I always say: You can take the girl outtah the 'hood, but ya can't take the 'hood outtah the girl!"

Oh, Laurie, I think you resemble Julia Stiles...a lot!

Great bumper stickers. I don't know about the stitches. To date I have knitted only one scarf.
Mia

So is Spanglish a new slanguage?

To Julie from a few posts back: in French, chaussettes are socks and chaussures are shoes. :)

I say try crochet for the scarf. Just start out with making a chain as long as you want the scarf to go and get hooking.

Or you can totally use crochet to cheat... crochet a chain as long as you would like the project to be and tie off. Then using your knitting needles pick up one stitch in each little link of the chain and voila'. All you need to make sure is that your needle and hook are similar if not the same size and you'll have no problems. Then knit from the picked up stitches to half the width you'd want your scarf to be and BO, then on the other side of the chain pick up the stitches and get to knitting again.

I'd say 250 stitches ought to do it!

Don't count, just cast on 'till it seems long enough. Remember, though, that after you knit a couple of rows, that cast-on row will be a bit longer than it was at first. To make the cast-on row stretchier, cast on about 20 extra stitches, and as you work the first row, knit two together every 20 stitches or so. It ain't rocket science, for sure. The sock-weight you can either knit on the big needle for an open effect, or double it to make it heavier.
Have fun! Julie

...what I do with all the mismatched yarn is make a gazillion pom-poms and then give them to people to put on their suitcases so they can find them more easily at the Burbank airport....of course, I guess they could find them more easily no matter WHAT airport they are in!!

The phrase I picked up whilst living in Guadalajara that I still use a lot is "que pedo". It can have so many uses just by changing the intonation! I also use "no tengo ni pinche idea" quite often... and also "vete a la chingada", and "la tuya en vinagre". Of course when I was called a "pendejo" I would respond: "te dejo, panzon y viego, and con tu hermana me parejo"...

My mom would be so proud...

drew, what does que pedo mean?

Hey Laurie,

Here's a post: http://soulfulknittingministries.blogspot.com/2006/05/skm-signature-prayer-shawl.html from someone who made a shawl with the same idea - using scrap yarns.

I did a lengthwise scarf and cast on 175 stitches. If I did it again, I'd cast on more like 250. Sucks, yes...but will be longer!!! :)

you aren't going to want to hear this...but i think it's time. you are after all a knitter...

knit a swatch. cast on twenty stitches in one of your yarns. knit a few rows. measure your swatch. then divide the width of the swatch by the number of inches you want the scarf to be (66 inches?) then multiply that number by 20. ta-daa!

Re: Pinche: from the freedictionary.com -- "Noun 1. pinche - South American tamarin with a tufted head"

Hmmmm.