so, where is the free pattern?

I have this scarf almost finished in the weight and with the gauge they suggest.  I will have lots of yarn left and the scarf is NO were near the size it is suppose to be.   It is fun and easy to knit but very disappointing it is not the size it is suppose to be. 
The size is not even half of what is it suppose to be.  It is way easy and very pretty so I will do it again but will make many more rows of each color.  I think I can save this project (at least I hope) by knitting the mirror image of it down the other side.  I do wish Interweave would test drive these patterns or someone would check them out as this was not an inexpensive scarf to make and it is time consuming.

what is wrong with the date in these comments, today is 11/07/2009, 9:18 PST!

well I guess I will have to figure out how to divide each ball into 2 or 4, tedious, will have the food scale out and ball winder.  Can't remember if food scale will do grams, may have to convert.  You Tube can be very helpful, will take a look see.

Carole, Thanks so much for your comments.  I love this scarf, and have tried it three times and keep ripping it out thinking I am missing something really simple.  I have the beautiful yarn and was just about ready to give up.  I can't wait to get home and do the yO the way you said.  Thanks again.  Sue

Thank you Carole  -  the clarification of the stich was just what I needed!  I have 1 and a half scarves made  -  the first with 2 strands of mohair in a solid blue  -  it's great! airy and warm!   Now I am using left over self patterning sock yarn  - it is looking awesome too  -  very easy to make -  I knit it while communting to work  -  easy to pick up and put down, don't worry I am the passenger!

Pretty scarf but I doubt I will make it.  It says it's easy but from all these comments it sounds anything but easy.

I made this scarf in a stringy "yarn" called Hempathy. Its a bit heavy, but turned out beautifully.  It was fun seeing the colors blend & change.  However, I have about a million ends to weave in.

I found the instructions to be very clear.

Cecilia

Hi Carole,

Thank you for you clariification of YO's.  I could'nt figure this out since most YO's are in knit.  I tried it several times but the holes seemed too big.  I will try it again.  I love the pattern.

Katherine

Thanks for your post, Carole! I was also having trouble figuring out how to do the lace pattern. It's really simple once you explain it the way you did. I'm going back to try the pattern again!

I GOT IT.  Finally,  It IS a one row pattern.  The trick is in the yarn over.  You purl the first stitch.  The yarn is in front.  Do not pass the yarn to the back.  Insert the needle into the next two stitches as to knit and knit the two stitches together. The YO is formed by the yarn going over the working needle to knit the stitch.  So, when you are doing the row, it's really like you are purling one, and knitting two together.  The YO just comes naturally.  I agonized over this but, finally, it is coming out beautifully. Also, work yarn loosely.  Don't tighten it.  The looser the better and easier it is to pick up the stitches. I got help on a knitting blog from someone who really knows her knitting.  Good luck to you all.

It's me again.  I just had a thought!  In looking up yarn over stitch patterns, the next row (even rows) are  always a knit or a purl row.  Does anyone think they left this out of the pattern?  If anyone has done this pattern please help me?  Thanx

I split my yarn up.  That was the easy part.  If you use the yarn they recommend for this scarf when you unwind the yarn it divides equally into 4 parts.  When winding the yarn into balls wind 100 full circles of yarn.  It will turn out into 4 equal balls.  My problem is when I knit the lace pattern it doesn't look like what they show you.  And, I have such a hard problem knitting 2 together because one of those stitches is the yarn over stitch.  When I do a yarn over, I wrap the yarn around the needle from right back to left front. I don't know if I am doing it right.  Please help!!!  

The free instructions are at www.learntoknit.com  OR www.knittinghelp.com  OR www.bernat.com/learntocrochet.php   OR go to the LionBrand site for information.  There are SEVERAL sites available to get information to learn to KNIT OR CROCHET.  If you go to Yahoo and type 'learn to knit' or whatever, the sites will come up for your ready access.  And, Knitting Daily Also has a lot of information!!  The Web is LOADED with free information; and you can get old patterns at eBay; they are clasasics!! The linds stay for forever!!

does anyone know where I can find a site that shows me how to cast on???

I admit it, I am stitch guide impaired.  if anyone is up to it and has a whole of patience, you could help me on it.  Yes,it is simple for most of you guys...i am making it more complex. I'm sure. As I see it, from the k3, I would bring the yarn to the front, P1...and then I'm lost. Thanks,  Su

I am gonna use Commotion 2 by classic elite yarns, only cuz i have enough of it and it has been sitting here while i figured out what pattern would really set it off, this will work, it is already multicolored so I am not worried bout the color way of the spectrum.  I'm gonna panic about that on my next project when I will be doing it the right way.  hope this helps.

the updated file would be the one now showing as the download... I checked it and it was created June 3rd, 2008... Good Luck...Tilly

what update?

Where is the update to the file?

Yesterday I had another thought ... one of my vendors sent me samples of laceweight cotton and sport weight rayon put up like crochet thread.  I'm thinking of just purchasing the correct number of these small balls for an experimental Spectrum Scarf.  

I have the same thought as JenniferD.  I plan to wind the ball with a ball winder, then knit with the outside end and the inside end of two balls - 4 strands.  I really don't think it will seriously stress the yarn .

The  colors looks like the Kauni Effektgarn Wool. So lovely!

www.kauni.com/index.php

this scarf is awesome! i really like the color variation using different strands of yarn :D

I doubt this scarf uses up the entire 875 yds of each color. Just a thought, but I would try knitting the first section before the color change with only 1 strand. Then cut and unravel.

Measure twice this amount for the next strand and cut; 3 times this amount for the 3rd strand; and 4 times the length for the 4th strand.

Then with the other colors make 4 strands the same size as the above strands.

According to the pattern, start knitting with 4 strands of the same color. When it's time to drop one of the strands for another color, the dropped strand will already be used up and cut. When adding in a new color, use the longest strand of the new color you have. And so on.

Here's what I think I'm going to do, because it looks like a fun stitch pattern:  knit the whole thing in natural, and use the old rug-hooker's dip-dyeing technique:  dunk the wetted piece 1/4 of the way into the dye and leave it there a minute, then immerse the piece up to half way, etc, slooowly, til it is all dyed.  Simpler than these instructions to get a very similar effect.

I'm experiencing the same frustration as others regarding dividing the yarn into separate balls.  And I remember being told when I first started knitting lace that it is not a good idea to use laceweight from a center pull as this tends to "stress" the yarn and may cause it to break even if carefully and loosely wound.  

Does anyone at Interweave ever read and respond to these comments?

Well, in light of the above comments, I doubt that I will be making the Spectrum Scarf!  I really get frustrated with inadequate instructions.

I think it would be better to divide the yarn into two balls and use both the center strand and the exterior strand. You don't use equal amounts of each strand so if you divide by four you are more likely to need to make a join.  Hope this makes sense.  It would also help if we knew how much of each color the original required.

Maybe the best way to divide the skeins would be to weigh the Yarn i.e. 100g skein = 25gram balls. An ordinary food scale should do it.  Georgia

The stitch guide appears above the directions.

Anyone know what the lace stitch used is?  The directions say "see stitch guide".  There isn't any stitch guide. Huh?

RE:  divide and conquer.  I did this method w/ a Candice Esiner-Strick pattern.  Yes, had to divide skeins into 4 balls each.  bought a yardage gaude.  Too hard to use, so I ended up eye-balling the individual cakes.  It worked out welll.

Lyn

I had the same question!  Usually when I need multiple strands for a project, I use differnt balls of yarn... looks like you would need to cut up each skein into 4 balls to make this scarf.  Any suggestions on how to easily measure and divide them up, or if that is even the right technique?

Can someone explain the technique for multiple stranding necessary for the Spectrum Scarf?  It is so  pretty.  Also, does anyone have any suggestions for a substitute yarn?  Thank you.