Pattern Spotlight: Disrupt Scarf
I knew Anzula had gorgeous colors and scrumptious bases before I sent my submission for the summer 2017 issue of Cast On magazine; as I had met Anzula fibers at the very first STITCHES South market in Atlanta in 2009. My magazine submission was fairly straightforward. I've spent the last year and a half exploring a technique for working stockinette-based laces reversibly from extant patterns and stitch dictionaries. I was eager to share this technique with a larger audience. Since The Knitting Guild Association focuses on teaching good technique, I thought Cast On would be the perfect venue. It was editor Arenda Holladay who decided the project should be in a large-gauge yarn.
I was skeptical, although I had successfully experimented with a variety of yarn types and gauges in reversible lace. Arenda pointed out that super bulky yarns are very much on trend. And working in a larger yarn would make it easier to learn a new technique, as it would be very easy to see the stitches. Of course, Arenda chose Burly for the scarf. I picked the Petunia color, as hot pink is becoming one of the colors of 2017. The color, scale, technique, and pattern all seemed to be disruptive.
Reversible lace involves working lace patterning across a ground of 1×1 ribbing, rather than garter or stockinette. As with all magic, it comes with a price — twice as many stitches, so twice as much yarn. In Burly this produces a thick, incredibly squishy fabric. The Disrupt scarf is substantial, weighing over 400 grams. It is long enough to wrap around your head to keep your ears warm on a cold day. As typical of Anzula's bases, the hand of this yarn is next-to-skin soft. When you wear this scarf, it feels like a big comforting hug. It is the sort of big, warm, cushy scarf that boldly vows, "As your bodyguard, I will protect you from whatever foul weather comes your way."
The Disrupt scarf pattern is available in Cast-On Magazine, the online knitting magazine of The Knitting Guild Associate, and is available to all members.
You can find more from Jolie on her blog and Ravelry.com.