Illusory Roadblocks by Mary W Martin

Illusory Roadblocks

Knitting
Aran (8 wpi) ?
17 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches
in garter stitch
US 8 - 5.0 mm
400 - 600 yards (366 - 549 m)
length adjustable
English
This pattern is available for $7.00 USD buy it now

This fully reversible scarf uses a slipped stitch technique over 2 colour garter stitch. This technique creates a super squishy fabric with stripes that feel like double thick cables. It is knit with two colours of worsted weight yarns and produces stripes of one colour on one side and the other colour on the reverse.

The reversible slipped stitch technique creates an optical illusion where the garter stitch surrounding a reversible design element takes on the colour of that design element. It looks like there are thick diagonal dark bands on the scarf. The other side of the scarf has similar looking light-coloured bands. If you look closely at the scarf, you will see that the entire background of the scarf is worked in the same two-colour garter; it is only the colour of the reversible stripes that changes colour! The dark bands are an illusion.

The scarf is worked in a mosaic style of knitting.

This sample (knitted in worsted weight yarn) is quite long (7 ft 5 in/ 2.25m) and uses 300 yd/ 275m of each colour. Using two 200 yard/ 183 meter skeins of worsted weight yarn will make a 5 foot/ 1.50 m scarf -- perfect tucked into a coat. This design also works well in DK weight yarn.

A slipped stitch reversible line is a simple combination of 2 stitches. Please see the Just Lines e-book to explore different ways that this technique can be used.

Please see the Mary W Martin Knits forum for help in Choosing Your Colours.

Sample Shown:
Finished measurement: Width: 9.75 in/ 25 cm; Length: 7 ft 5 in/ 2.25m
Yarn: 2 colours of worsted weight yarn
Yarn Usage: 300 yd/ 275 m of each colour
Recommended Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Peru in Smoke on Water & Maroon Five; 1 skein each
Needles: 5mm/ US #8 circular needles 12 in/ 30cm or longer
Gauge: 17 sts/ 26 rows = 4in/ 10cm in garter stitch

Tech editor: Kate Atherley

Ways to learn about my designs and reversible knitting: