I knit this ultra-thin scarf on my Knitking Compuknit 5 (Brother KH-965) knitting machine using a combination of copper tencel/rayon and navy cotton thread. I started by prototyping the fabric, testing numerous thread lace patterns with multiple materials until I found a combination and tension (one notch above 4) that worked well.
I choose a “wavy lace” pattern (Brother Stitchworld #413) and the plainer #420. Then I hooked up my motor drive and knit about 100 rows of #420, followed by about 200 rows of #413, before switching back and finishing up with #420.
Here’s how to make your own:
1. Cast on 100 needles (needles 50 to 50). I used a closed, crochet, or chain, cast on, it makes the seaming easy when it’s time to join the scarf edges.
2. Knit a row at tension 4, then hang your weights.
2. With the K carriage knob set at “NL” for plain knitting, knit two or three rows in stockinette, ending with the K carriage past the left turn mark.
3. With your K carriage positioned outside the left turn mark, set your K carriage to “KC II” for pattern knitting with end needle selection.
4. Move the K carriage across the needle bed once, and the needles will pattern.
5. With the K carriage on the right side of the bed, push in both center buttons, “MC” and “L”.
6. Load up your second color thread into your secondary tension mast and through K carriage yarn feeder B.
7. Knit the scarf. I typically knit then measure as I go. This scarf measured 94 inches.
8. Bind off either by hand, or with a linking accessory.
9. After binding off, wash the scarf and while wet, steam block the it within an inch of its life with a steam iron, to discourage curling edges.
For my scarf, the steam attempt to uncurl was marginally successful, but worked well overall. The edges still curled, but the bulk of the fabric unwound and draped nicely.
10. Join up the edges by hand or with a Hague linker (shown in blue below), and the scarf is ready to wear.
11. Optional: add tucks to the linked edge of the scarf so it has a more streamlined drape with less fabric bulk around the back wearer’s neck
