“Stochastic” [stuh-kas-tik] is nerdy statistics lingo for random. Knitting is normally very orderly and predictable – quite un-stochastic. But on a recent backpacking trip, it occurred to me to design a pattern that could emulate the chaotic beauty of nature. Trees in a forest, ripples on a lake, snowflakes...
And the way to do that is not so much by designing a pattern as by not designing a pattern. So, for this project, chance will guide your scarf gradually from plain stockinette stitch to a field of flowers. Rolling a die to determine your pattern, every single person's creation will be unique. Pump up the go-with-the-flow mood by knitting on the bias and, if you want, using a fuzzy or single-ply yarn.
Thanks go to Barbara Walker for the inspiration for the flower motif and to my dad (an economics professor, and my backpacking buddy) for the name of the pattern. Photos by the incomparable Vivian Aubrey.
Delivery
PDF Download - By ordering this product you will receive a PDF of this pattern. A download link will appear on the order confirmation page after checkout and will also be sent to the email address attached to your order. The email is sent automatically immediately after checkout. If you don't see it be sure to check your spam folder. You will have at least 7 days to access the file a maximum of 3 times.
Alternative: Ravelry - Instead of ordering from Twisted, you can instead download this pattern directly from Ravelry. Ravelry is a separate website with separate checkout. The benefit is that the pattern can be stored in your Ravelry library.
Yarn
Approximately 230-270 yards/210-250 meters of a yarn or combination of yarns that yields a fabric you like at the specified gauge. Mohair and alpaca blends and single-ply yarns offer a pleasingly organic, variable texture. Yardage may vary based on yarn weight and row gauge.
Suggestions: lace-weight mohair (or similarly fuzzy yarn) OR worsted OR fingering held along with lace-weight (using two yarns held together requires the full yardage of both)
Lime green scarf shown in Schulana Kid Seta (70% kid mohair, 30% silk), color 06 Kiwi. We no longer carry this yarn, but it is VERY similar to our current favorite mohair Lang Mohair Luxe.
Width: 6"/15 cm (measured perpendicular to edges) Width of row: about 7"/18 cm Length: 54”/137 cm (or desired length) Measured after blocking
Construction
This scarf is knit flat on the bias. It begins with plain stockinette stitch, then more and more flowers are gradually added. Flower placement is determined by rolling a die, so every person's creation will be unique.
Gauge
20 stitches = 4”/10 cm in stockinette Measured after blocking. Biased fabric is extra-stretchy, as is mohair worked at an open gauge as it is shown here. Gauge is not crucial, but will affect finished size and yardage.
Skill Level
Intermediate: lace, non-traditional instructions
Versions
2/2011 - published
3/2013
11/2013
3/2022 - Updates include:
New layout
Gauge adjusted from 6 to 5 stitches per inch. This makes the finished object slightly larger, creates a more open fabric that shows off the flowers better, and allows more flexibility in yarn substitutions and combinations.
