OK knitters please look at this and tell me how it is done, and thusly save me £30

[fillyjonk]

here is scarf

YES ticky has already linked to it. But I am Intrigued.

I can't work out how to do those bumpy bits, except by using some form of slip stitching and it doesn't look like that. Am wondering if its an increase situation but have a fear of such things, I don't do bobbles or similar.

So please give me your thoughts. Am consulting with Ms Walker (vols 1 and 2) as we speak but am having no joy.

Some sort of step by step instruction would be best ;-).

have also emailed them to see if they will do a downloadable or paper pattern

patterns here but no dragon or aligator

god ds has been angling for a bloody dragon scarf for ages (also likes aligators and that one looks more interesting to knit ;-) )

Filly, I don't have much time at the moment- will have a look through books later, but I suspect if you could find an old tea cosy pattern where the stitches are carried across at the back that might be the kind of stitch you want. Nicky Epstein's books might have something. I know I have done it when I was a child, so it can't be that hard

I think you do this.

Knit one plain row.

To make bobbles: Knit into back of stitch, knit stitch, knit into front of stitch. (This now makes 3 stitiches) Next row knit into front of stitch, knit 2, knit into back of stitch. Next row, knit into front of stitch, knit 3 knit into back of stitch. Carry on increasing like this until bobble is width you want. Then do normal knitting until bobble is length you want. Then decrease in same manner.

I think........

But is it knitted in the round? I can't see how it would lie flat otherwise.

Is it done in garter stitch? (can't find my glasses so can't really tell from the pic) That doesn't roll at the edges like stocking stitch does it?

That is a really fab scarf btw

fillyjonk - you're not the only one wondering about how to do the bumpy bits - it's being discussed here:

www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/forum/showthread.php?t=63860&page=2

and it seems someone has come up with a solution.

Yes it is done in garter stitch. I think those bobbles have just increased at bottom,so they are like a v shape. It looks like they have been done on a cable needle to me.

In fact I'm sure a cable needle has been used, otherwise they wouldn't stand up so much

I initially thought a cable needle might be involved - but if it was wouldn't you would then have to sew the sides of the bumps down so there was no gap rather than them already being attached to the fabric of the scarf which is how they seem in the original photo .

There's another picture here of something similar:

www.flickr.com/photos/reunitegondwana/1218386447/

where it looks as if two of the lumps aren't attached and are just loops knitted on cable needles. They don't have the triangular shape and stick up rather than seeming to be a triangle along the fabric . I think to get that they probably need to be knitted in with the fabric which means doing some sort of graded increase/decrease as you go along.

I'll have another think later!

I don't know if you would have to sew edges down if using a cable needle

You don't sew blackberry stitch down, but I guess these are bigger.Perhaps you knit first and last stitch onto cable and normal needle (ie twice through same stitch)to stop gaps.

Only guessing though.....

fizzbuzz and fillyjonk - having blown the original picture up as big as I can on the screen while still being able to sort of see the stitches, the bumps seem to be at least five "rows" long - using a cable needle or even the normal bobble technique wouldn't allow a "long" raised bit like this which appears to be attached to the main fabric all the way along the sides (at least not anyway I can think of)! I remember seeing a cardigan pattern a long time ago which had raised bumps - if I have time over the weekend I'll see if I can find that.

god you guys are fabulous!

ok am going to read posts now

I do have an email from morehouse, they will have the critter patterns online later in the year. But I dunno if that means downloadable or not...

til then suggest best to hack pattern

ok ta all, have read, thanks for all this.

right comments

1. This is an utter long shot. What would happen if you DID attatch a cable, possibly untwisted, on repeated sucessive rounds? When I've accidentally attacted too soon I have noticed it get bunched up. Might try that. Prob is I don't want it twisted...what I could pos do is put 2 x stitches on the cable needle, then increase 3 on the needle on the first row, then knit 5 rows in this way (but with about 600 cable needles on the knitting? hmm) and then after 5 rows just incorporate the extra. Anyone following? Does this make sense?

2. ticky are you scared of knitting in the round? If I make it to this thing on saturday I will bring knitting, (this is NO hardship) - 9/10 I am knitting in the round atm. I will show you. I am sure with 6.4 kids between us we will have PLENTY of time to sit and knit

I do this because it is EASY. I mean, like easier than normal knitting. All purling is voluntary. I shall show you also.

I showed my mum yesterday. Between us we made a crown for ds's 4th b'day, which I am now dying pink (yup, instructions from ds clear) and felting. She has requested many pairs of addis for her bday.

now must go rescue pink crown

fillyjonk - what you say about trying the cable would work if when you were about to start you knitted into the stitches twice putting one on the cable needle and leaving one on the main needle behind - if you then had two lots of yarn going at the same time you could knit both the cable bit and the main bit (cable bits would thus have extra thickness behind which would help sticking up). If you had an extra stitch at each end on the cable needle (i.e. two more than you need for the bump you could knit this stitch in with the main bit as you went and the bump would be attached. Hope this makes sense! Good luck anyway - haven't found bumpy cardigan pattern but haven't given up yet!

By the way I agree knitting in the round isn't scary at all - sounds much worse than it is!

My goodness, you are all so knowledgeable! I am such a novice and it all sounds so desperately complicated.
Yes Filly, I am indeed scared of knitting in the round. Aren't 2 needles enough to worry about? I am a natural crocheter I think.
Mind you, naalbinding looks interesting - has anyone done that?

TooTicky - if you can crochet then knitting in the round won't phase you at all! Just think of it as knitting without ever having to go back! Thanks for mentioning naalbinding - I'd never heard of it. It looks fascinating. I must get my daughter to have a go at it - she's very into crafts of all kinds.

Hmm, I didn't say I was GOOD at crochet - I just like it. And I haven't really done much of the round stuff.

oh thats an idea re the two stitches

I will say, I'd envisaged it as a bunching of material, not a solid thick thing.

so was going to use 2 x balls of wool

but am not sure how to keep joining them, ex by continually knitting 2 together at each edge and then inc 2 at centre

what about this dragon one
Not a knitter - just liked the cute scarf

Fillyjonk, wouldn't you twiat yarn round each other with 2 balls, like intarsia or fair isle?

However have noticed no mater how much care I spend doing the twisting thing, I always end up with some holes that I have to sew up.

fillyjonk - when I said about the knitting behind I meant as well as increasing the stitches to get the bunching - it would avoid there being any holes or whatever, and as fizzbuzz says twisting the yarns would reduce any tendency to holes further (I agree it's hard to avoid any!).

I am starting to think this project is way beyond my capabilities

Too Ticky - if you don't want the hassle of working the bumps by increasing, etc. you could always do it by using another more textured stitch to make the bumps stand out - or even swiss embroider them on with very thick wool afterwards. Don't give up yet!