My first project on the block to be finished also happened to be one of the most infamous accessories in the sci-fi world. Of course, I started this project in the dead of a bitter Connecticut winter, and finished just about when the weather is turning 90. Figures.
Confession time: I am a huge, gigantic, ridiculous geek. In that vein, I decided to try my hand at knitting the lovely, longer-than-necessary Doctor Who scarf. When I first started this project, I was somewhat embarrassed about the incredible dorkiness of it. I dreaded people who didn't know me well asking what I was making, and usually just replied with a simple, 'Oh, a really long scarf.' Later, I admitted and usually explained what it was, and insisted it was "for a friend" who asked for it. Lies, damn lies, all of it. To the ladies at work, and the fellows on the bus, my apologies. It's a Doctor Who scarf, all for me, which I shall gleefully wear next winter in full geek pride.
Tom Baker sported this look for a number of years on the show, in some incarnation or another. Much like The Doctor himself, this poor old scarf has been re-done a few times over. The version I chose was the original, which looked something like this...
Being a hip chick, though, and being frugal at that, I chose not to match the colors exactly. I am sure that some purists of the show would hang me with my freshly finished scarf for such a heinous crime, but I'm choosing not to concern myself with that for now. Instead of the rather masculine colors the real scarf is, I matched as best I could with some brighter, perkier shades, from the Carron Simply Soft line.
I am a big fan of this yarn, and not just because it is kind to my budget. It's sturdy, silky, and has a pleasing sheen to it. It also does not knot badly, likely due to the silkiness of it, and doesn't get stringy or fuzzy when being knitted. Plus, as it's name suggests, it is lovely and soft to the touch.
To anger the purists further, or in truth, for the sake of time, I did not use as tight a weave as the real scarf. I used some excellent US 10 needles, and it came out fine, in my opinion. It breathes a bit, but holds shape quite well. It ended up being around 15 feet long, which means it has to be wrapped quite a few times about the neck so it doesn't drag on the ground. It was worked in a simple garter stitch the whole way.
Honestly, the hardest part was remmbering which colors came next so I brough the right balls of yarn to work with me for the day. I am lucky enough to have a job that affords me some time now and again to get some crafting done, and I have accrued a few lovely knitting lady companions there, to my joy. It was somewhat frustrating to think I had grabbed the brown yarn from my knitting box only to find it was the green I took. At six in the morning, when the dog is running in circles to go out, it's easy to get them mixed up!
In all, I am quite happy with how my Doctor Who scarf came out.
While this was a large and time-consuming project, it was not actually difficult. The stitch was simple and was something I had already mastered. Now I just have to figure out what to do with the yarn left over from the project! If anyone out there is interested in one of these beauties for themself, I would be happy to help a fellow crafter and fan! There are some great resources out there for patterns and specific details!
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