Braided Scarves and Ice-Wine Martinis

Well friends, I was feeling crafty.  I can knit a scarf, it's actually the only thing I can knit.  While schlepping around on Pinterest over the holidays, I came upon some very cute braided scarves. I wish I had pinned the one I saw, because it was perfect and now it's MIA.  Let that be a lesson, pinners!!!!

I checked out a couple of how-to sites, and they had some great advice, but I still wasn't finding exactly what I wanted.  Basically, most of them were "accessory" type scarves and I live in Northern Ontario.  It's not that I don't like accessorising with scarves, it's just that in January, accessories need to be warm, too...
And so, I went to Wal-Mart (I know, I know) and bought two skeins of the softest, cherry-red yarn.  I got the thickest yarn I could, because I wanted a nice, thick scarf.

I then went on to "measure" a length that I thought would work.  If you are familiar with my work habits both in the kitchen and otherwise, you know that I don't really every measure anything...  Recipe ingredients, thread, yarn, etc.  I also don't tape when I paint and don't try things out before I do them.  Is it sad that this constitutes rebellion?  ANYWAY, I just looped a length of yarn around my neck about as loosely as I would like the scarf.  And then I let the ends hang down almost to my feet instead of about waist-length, the reasoning being that when I braid my hair it gets shorter.  I have a degree in Biology and Physics.  Seriously.  Just wanted to point that out since as I write this, I do not feel like I am exuding much intellect.  Then, I cut 59 strands of yarn to match the first, tied the middle together, and hung them on a hook in my living room to trim one end evenly.

Next, I moved the tie from the middle to the end, and divided the yarn into three, 20 strand sections and tied them off.

And then I braided them!  As I got closer to the little ties, I slid them down further.  This really helped keep the strands separate.

It was a this point that I suddenly got visions of Wendy from Wendy's, Pippi Longstocking, and Anne of Green Gables.  But it was simply too late to turn back.  To finish it off, I took some of the extra yarn and wrapped the ends, then trimmed them into little "puffs."  Some sites suggested tying the ends together to create an "Infinite Scarf" (which I like!) but for a cold-weather, not-to-be-worn-inside scarf, I felt it was a little more versatile to keep it "Finite(?)."

This was a simple, fun little project with a satisfying result in very little time. Apparently, some of these scarves retail for about $40, and this one cost me under $11.  Which is great, since Scott was gigging last night and I developed a crush on Ice Wine Martinis ($$$).  But my scarf looked great!

Sorry about the iPhone photo... Self-Portraits
are WAY easier with my iPhone ;)