Henry Fool

Ok, you poor sods that googled Henry Fool hoping to find perhaps a synopsis or the cast list for Hal Hartley's -by then sadly hackneyed- film of the same title*
Surprise! you follwed the wrong link here buddy. Sorry 'bout that.
However if you film students/1990s indie existential arty movie buffs also happen to be interested in fine handcrafted neckwear, well keep reading because we may be able to interest you in this:


Pattern: Henry by Marieke Sattler
Yarn: Sublime Yarns cashmere merino silk DK ravelry link
Mods: adapted for a DK yarn. See post.

The title Henry Fool kept springing relentlessly to mind as I tried to finish this taskmaster as a birthday gift. Mainly because you would have to be ever so slightly on the foolish side to attempt it.
That or extremely patient. As patient as the fabled turtle.
This scarf is knit sideways (between this and the Woolly Wormhead hats I'm currently obsessed with this sideways is the New True Paradigm for me).
Adapting the pattern for a DK yarn, I cast on 180 stitches.
That.
Is a long row.
And while I'm very pleased with the fine herringbone patterning, the cast on and cast off? Oy, don't get me started. If you do want to make this, I'd recommend your regular cast on and the K2tbl cast-off. I spent an entire afternoon unpicking 10 centimetres of Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn cast-off which I'd tried as an alternative to the pattern. The yarn? Well she is a delicate delicate thing and does not take kindly to that sort of maltreatment.
Silent gnashings of teeth towards the end I tell you.
Blocking: Henry was subjected to the Patent Needle's Edge Flatten-Out-You-Bastard-Thing! System TM (with which I'm generous: if you want to trial this at home take one (by now empty after unpicking 10 cms of sewn casting-off) bottle of wine. I recommend a nice Sauvignon Blanc but if pressed then any dry white will do, and one thick beach towel. Wrap thoroughly damp scarf and beach towel layers very tightly around bottle sushi roll style in a commanding 'take-charge' manner. This will really show the scarf who's boss.
I have to admit though that even after this punishing Treatment TM, Henry stills curls at the sides.
Worn doubled, however it's less of a problem I think.


And I have to say looks pretty swell teamed with this Ted Baker coat.



*Outraged Hartley fans, I am more than happy to engage in a learned discourse vis a vis the conceptual devolution of his filmic career, you know how to contact me!!