The Pirate's Secret Scarf

video The Pirate's Secret Scarf

My wife knitted this as a gift for our eldest son.

The pattern is created as a combination of knits and purls (she says), and revealed by using alternating bands of contrasting shades (in this case, two rows of white and two rows of black). The knits and purls raise and lower the surface to hide or reveal the colours behind.

My wife is overly modest about these things, but I got 'twixt mother and child to make this quick video and show off her skills. All credit goes to her - knitting is a mystery to me, but I will pass on any comments and questions you have.

She found the pattern at Ysolda.com, but used it backwards to turn the skull over at the other end of the scarf (otherwise only one image would have been upright when the scarf is worn)

canderson5 says: Nov 13, 2011. 11:16 PM

i am so excited! when i found this i had no idea that something like that could be done with knitting, this is actually my first project. i am almost done with the first skull (15 rows to go) and i was wondering if you could tell me about how many rows were knitted between the 2 skulls, i have never made a scarf nor have i ever owned one so i wasn't sure about the length.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to canderson5Nov 13, 2011. 11:45 PM

Kitewife is out at work right now, but I know that her main criteria for the length of a scarf is "when it feels right" - keep knitting and trying on every so often until the length feels right. It really depends on how you like to wear it (wrapped round several times? Knotted?).

In the case of this scarf, keep going until it feels almost long enough, and then add the other pattern.

canderson5 in reply to KitemanNov 17, 2011. 8:31 PM

thanks, for the tip, it is about 4 feet now, and it feels a little over half way now, hope i have enough yarn to finish it though

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Kiteman (author) in reply to canderson5Nov 18, 2011. 9:17 AM

Good luck!

Cooldeal says: Jul 10, 2011. 1:47 PM

I'm ordering some Alpaca wool and getting my mom to make it.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to CooldealJul 10, 2011. 2:09 PM

Cool - maybe you could post images of the finished scarf?

ashbirdlady says: Oct 29, 2008. 7:10 AM

Nice scarf! I went to look at the web page for the pattern. Neither link works. Great little video. love it! Christa

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Kiteman (author) in reply to ashbirdladyOct 29, 2008. 7:30 AM

Er... Oh! Sorry, they're broken for me as well, and I don't think she kept a copy of the pattern.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to KitemanOct 29, 2008. 7:32 AM

You can make a start here, though.

ashbirdlady in reply to KitemanOct 29, 2008. 9:28 AM

Thank you! Christa

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Kiteman (author) in reply to ashbirdladyNov 3, 2008. 1:02 PM

The link appears to be working now:

http://ysolda.com//wordpress/skull-illusion-knit-scarf/

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Kiteman (author) in reply to KitemanNov 3, 2008. 1:16 PM

Just in case it breaks, I've knocked up a quick PDF file. Please remember that Ysolda.com holds all copyright, though.

Skull Illusion Scarf.pdf(595x842) 84 KB

Lithium Rain in reply to KitemanNov 3, 2008. 1:48 PM

*Cringes* No matter how many times I hear you say it, it still sounds so very wrong...

Typogoddess in reply to Lithium RainJun 18, 2009. 11:12 AM

lol i know.... poor pdf......

Capt. Fat says: Feb 20, 2009. 3:54 PM

nice! Was it hard to do?I might get some one to make me one

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Kiteman (author) in reply to Capt. FatFeb 20, 2009. 4:11 PM

Personally, knitting is about as simple as writing Mandarin Chinese. With no brush. Or ink. Or paper.

However, it is apparently quite simple as long as you pay attention to the pattern.

___ says: Feb 7, 2009. 6:52 AM

Cool!

bezoard says: Mar 24, 2008. 2:46 PM

Woooow! Thank you!

luvsgr8danes says: Feb 4, 2008. 3:58 AM

I love it! I am going to make one for my biker boyfriend...can't wait to get started.

Michelej7 says: Jan 24, 2008. 8:29 PM

I have to hand it to you that is pretty clever. My son would really like that.

brainspater says: Jan 22, 2008. 5:20 PM

Damn dude that is clever.... You could sell the idea to thous goth teen close corps. that how you take a good idea into cash.... Oooooooh a penny!

wolfsingleton says: Jan 17, 2008. 8:10 PM

Wonderful work on this scarf. One question however: I usually weave things out of mason's twine (just sort of a habit), any advice on modifying to work with that?

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Kiteman (author) in reply to wolfsingletonJan 18, 2008. 5:34 AM

It's knitted, not woven. Either way, you need two colours of whatever you create it from.

GorillazMiko says: Jan 13, 2008. 12:32 PM

Great job Kiteman! Actually, Kitewife. :-) Oh yeah, check out my newest Instructable if you want, it's about how to woodburn Instructables Robot onto your desired choice! Check it out! :-)

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Kiteman (author) in reply to GorillazMikoJan 14, 2008. 9:16 AM

What's this? Spam? On my Instructable??

Already did, G. Nice job.

GorillazMiko in reply to KitemanJan 14, 2008. 3:20 PM

Nope, not spam. It's called tinned meat. Just kidding.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to GorillazMikoJan 15, 2008. 2:23 AM

I hope you realised I was as well?

nerfer192 says: Jan 14, 2008. 8:38 AM

hey thats pretty cool! its sort of like a hologrammywhosawhatits made out of wool. lucky son......WAIT A SECOND my mom knits too!

Robyntheslug says: Jan 13, 2008. 9:13 PM

Guessing you didn't know about it, but you probably want to credit the source of the free pattern:
http://ysolda.com//wordpress/skull-illusion-knit-scarf/

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Kiteman (author) in reply to RobyntheslugJan 14, 2008. 1:25 AM

! There's always something, isn't there?

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Kiteman (author) in reply to KitemanJan 14, 2008. 1:41 AM

Sorted now, thanks for reminding me Robyn.

Robyntheslug in reply to KitemanJan 14, 2008. 8:36 AM

^_ thanks for posting that! Now anyone can make one!