yarnthoughts

like it’s just plain stockinette and i know i’m supposed to use mattress stitch but i don’t know how

it looks great! and you can’t even tell i used purple yarn to seam the gray section

You know that bit at the beginning of Marvel productions when the pflt-pflt-pflt noise starts and you’re going through the pages of a comic book and it turns into the logo. Yeah, I love that bit. I love it so much I knitted a very self indulgent scarf to remind me of it. Specifically an Avengers scarf because there are too many Marvel heroes to fit onto a single piece of knitwear. Designs are mostly taken from the cinematic version of the characters, but I’ve thrown in a couple of comic book references too.

The technique I used was double knitting which means the image on the front of the scarf is mirrored in reverse colours on the back. If I was a professional art person I would probably write something about the negative image representing the transition of comic book panels to film. Luckily I’m only a humble crafts person and don’t have to do that.

This pattern was originally written for 8ply yarn and 3.5mm hook.

Photos are of Moda Vera Starlight and another glitter yarn which is 4ply. I would recommend using a 2.5mm or 3mm hook. I’m using 3.5mm because it’s the one in my bag this morning.

You will need three colours of your choice:

• Top shell

• Tummy shell

• Head and fins

And now for the pattern!

Tummy

1. Magic circle

2. SC 6 (6)

3. Inc 6 (12)

4. *SC,Inc*6 (18)

5. *SC2,inc*6 (24)

6. *Sc3, Inc*6 (30)

7. Tie off

Shell

1. Magic circle

2. SC 6 (6)

3. Inc 6 (12)

4. *SC,Inc*6 (18)

5. *SC2,inc*6 (24)

6. SC around (24)

7. *Sc3, Inc*6 (30)

8. SC around (30

9. SC around (30)

10. Line up tummy with shell, SC around the edges together to join them. Once 4/5 around stuff the Shell then continue around.

11. Tie off and sew in ends

Head

1. Magic circle

2. SC 6 (6)

3. Inc 6 (12)

4. Sc around (12)

5. SC around (12)

a. I recommend sewing starting thread here as things get tight after this.

6. Dec 6 (6)

7. Tie off - keep end long enough to see head on to save sewing in end and attaching new thread

Fins

Make x4

1. Magic circle

2. SC 6 (6)

3. Inc 6 (12)

a. Fold in half

4. Along the edges: SC,Inc,SC,Inc,SC,Inc (9)

5. Tie off – keep tail long enough to attach fin to body later to save sewing in end and attaching new thread

a. I also recommend not sewing in the start tail and instead knot it with the end tail and sew in at the end

Joining

Stuff head lightly

Attach over the tie off point on the shell to hide the knot

Attach the legs evenly to the body. I found using the loose thread to attach the last row to the shell, down about half the fin.

Finished

Time to chill on the train.

Nearly finished in-progress photo of my sweater!

I finished the sleeves over a month ago and then this project took a backseat to Christmas projects so it’s really nice to see it nearly done.

Pattern: Xylocopa Sweater by Chenoa Wilcox