Scarf Fail

Over the past couple of years, I have been working on using up my stash.  I have some aqua DK acrylic yarn that would make decent sized scarf, so I started a reversible cable pattern.  This project has been in progress for over a year because I only work on it when I am traveling or need a on-the-go project.  I got about 75% done when I decided it was a fail last week.  Why?

Weight – the scarf looks lovely but is much too warm for someone living in Georgia.  Many years, winter is more of a suggestion that an actual season.  I might wear it once every 6 years. 

2.   Comfort – the scarf is made of 3 16-stitch wide cables.  The resulting fabric was too stiff for my liking.  I prefer my scarfs to drape more.

3.   Yarn – I think a fingering weight yarn might have produced a fabric I like better. 

This project was an interesting fail because I did do a test swatch.  The weight and body of the swatch was good so I felt confident that I would be pleased with the finished product.  I’m trying to figure out how to spot a fail much sooner in the process.  I ripped out the entire scarf, making sure my husband was not around.  It makes him crazy when I frog huge sections of stitching.  I am using the yarn to design an afghan pattern (more about that in a future post).  This might just be a pattern that I love but never actually make.  Nordic sweaters fall into the same category.  I love them but I would rarely ever have a chance to wear it.