Lettuce Play

Here is a picture of "Sea Lettuce" - Ulva lactuca- The delicate fronds are only 40 microns (two cells) thick. A small green alga with a broad, crumpled frond that is tough, translucent and membranous, it is attached to rock via a small holdfast. I think it is quite lovely.

My friend Jennie came to the Borders Knit Group in the autumn wearing a lovely frilly scarf based on this wavy, rippling plant. I made one for myself and have worn it lots, and it always gets compliments. So I decided to make some more as gifts.

The pattern is incredibly simple, and I have just finished my fourth. Three shown here, as one went to sister-in-law Marion for her birthday. They look really attractive when worn, only take 2 balls of yarn - and if you plan to give them as a gift, you can roll them up prettily so they really do look lettuce-like! The recommended yarn is Twilleys 'Freedom Spirit' [which is what the orangey brown unrolled scarf is in] but the other two were both some Phildar DK I had in my stash.

100g DK wool, pair of 4mm needles [or a 4mm circular needle, which I use because it all rolls up neatly and fits in my handbag, and also because if I am knitting in the car, I feel safer with a shorter flexible needle] The pattern comes out as a strip with one side a strip of plain knitting, and the other half has a frill to it. Jennie's pattern had a bobble bit to the edging - but I missed that out, because it looked lumpy when I knitted it!

SEA LETTUCE SCARF

100g DK wool, 4mm needles [UK size 7]

Cast on 20stitches.

Row 1-4 knit

Row 5 Knit 9 stitches, turn work, knit back 9 Stitches

Row 6 Knit 6 stitches, turn work, knit back 6 stitches

Row 7 Knit 3 stitches, turn work, knit back 3 stitches.

Repeat till yarn almost used up, cast off.

That's it!!

If you live in Leicester, you can buy the Twilley's Yarn in Button Boutique.