Excessive coverage of rather dull FOs PLUS a pattern-type thingy

It must be the media influence; since I'm always seeing stories covered over and above their ability to interest, I'm doing the same with a newly finished set of FOs! Actually, it's more to do with the shiny new porch furniture that makes such a nice backdrop :) I made a simple scarf (embellished with garter stitch tapered ends and Zs at either end (for the recipient's name) and with a bit of yarn left over, I decided to do an impromptu bag. With no plan and not much yarn to work with, this took a couple of false starts. I ended up with a flat garter-stitch bottom for a little more stability than your usual drawstring bag, then joined for stockinette in the round. I did an eyelet row, then about an inch of stockinette, bound off, and hoped I'd have enough yarn left for a sufficient length of i-cord. I did, although I would have preferred two lengths. Ah, well. Anyway, the pictures. The bag is open:

The bag is closed (this is exciting, isn't it?!):

The bag is near the scarf:

The scarf is alone on the porch swing:


Details: Scarf and drawstring bag
Yarn: Plassard Ceruse Silver in hot pink, every bit of 2 balls (240 yards)
Needles: Size 9 for scarf; Size 6 dpns for bag
Notes: It's a nice quick gift. I really dislike this yarn. It's an acrylic-cotton blend, so it's squeaky. Even with a 4-stitch garter edging, it curls like mad. The silver stuff flaked all over my black shirt while I was knitting, so I can't imagine it'll hold up that well. And it was something ridiculous like $10 a ball. That said, it was perfect for my purposes--I needed a quick gift for a pre-teen, and I think the sparkles and hot-pink-ness will make her happy. I was bored by the time I'd done the garter end of the scarf, so I added the Z in purl stitches. I think it's okay, if a little more elongated than what I really intended. I should have put a Z on the bag, too.

The pattern-type thing:

The scarf: Cast on three stitches. On the next row, k1f&b, k1, k1f&b. Knit the next row even (5 stitches).
Row 1: k1, k1f&b, k1, k1f&b, k1
Row 2: k
Repeat these two rows, increasing the number of middle knit stitches, until you have 21 stitches or desired width.
Row 1: k
Row 2: k4, p13, k4
Repeat these two rows until desired length (I did 5' for the middle 21-stitch-wide section)
Row 1: k1, k2tog, k15, ssk, k1
Row 2: k
Repeat these two rows, decreasing the number of middle knit stitches, until you have 3 stitches. Bind off.

I started the bottom of my Z 12 rows into the stockinette portion of the scarf. I did a quick chart to determine the location of the purl bumps to form the letter. My Z was 7 stitches wide and 16 rows tall.

Drawstring bag: Cast on 20 stitches onto one dpn. Knit every row, slipping the first stitch on every row (for easy picking-up of stitches later) until there are 10 selvedge stitches. On the next row, using a second dpn, pick up and knit 10 stitches on the short side, on a third dpn, 20 stitches on the cast-on row, and on a fourth dpn, 10 stitches on the final side. Join for working in the round. Knit all rows until desired length (I did 3 1/2 inches).

Eyelet row: yo, sl1, k2tog, psso (repeat until all stitches are worked (30 stitches remain). Continue in stockinette for another inch. Bind off all stitches and weave in ends. I should have done a matching Z on the bag, but I didn't think of it.

Knit a 3-stitch i-cord to desired length (do two if you have enough yarn). Weave in ends. Thread through eyelets.