Whistle While You Work

There's nothing like a chilly, rainy day to encourage a little relaxing and knitting! I'm working on the "Woven Scarf" by Vogue Knitting in their 2006 Holiday Patterns. The scarf is described as "From the base of a garter stitch band, six tubes are knit separately in the round to the desired length then braided to form a lattice and rejoined by a matching garter-stitch band."
The pattern calls for 6 skeins of Classic Elite Lush (angora/wool) and a set of U.S. 4 and U.S. 6 double-pointed needles.
I found this pattern quite ridiculous! It's an ingenious idea but written terribly ridiculous - you start with a garter-stitch band (knitted in the round on double pointed needles - I found circulars were much easier) and then it takes you through separating the stitches for the smaller tubes knitted with double pointed needles. I started following the pattern and found that it would take approximately until I was 100 years old to knit 9 little stitches on double pointed needles in the round for 90 inches (times 5 tubes, nonetheless!!!) So scratch that! I invested in a $5 nifty knitter and in no time I had finished 3 tubes!!! So I've decided to make my own pattern... I'm making 5 tubes with the nifty knitter and then I'm going to pick up the live stitches from both ends (I provisionally casted on the beginning of the tubes so I'll have live stitches there and I didn't cast off the end of the tubes but put them on stitch holders) with size U.S. 7 circular needles (or larger depending on how it looks) and work in the round in garter stitch like the pattern calls for and then I will Kitchener stitch the last row together. Much easier!!!! I should have some pictures to post of my progress soon. I think Vogue Knitting is the equivalent of Martha Stewart recipes (good finished products, but the process to make them are convoluted and roundabout...) I think this will turn out great with my provisions.