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Sometimes I love a particular design so much that I make more than one of the same thing for myself. That is definitely the case with the Baktus scarf / shawl. It's a scarf that looks great whatever way you wear it. You can loosely drape it around your shoulders like a shawl or you can loop it around your neck a couple of times and tie it in the middle or off to one side. 

The scarf never feels bulky and the pretty lace pattern gives it some added visual interest. The original  non-lacy Baktus was designed by a knitter called Terhimon and the lacy version was designed by Strikkelise. The super simple pattern is free to download. It's also easy to memorise for beginner knitters like me because you just repeat 8 rows the whole way except that you are adding stitches one half and decreasing in the second half to create the large triangle that is the finished product. Another point in its favour is that it only takes one 50gm ball of four ply sock wool to knit, so you can splash out on the finest quality yarn. The scarf grows very quickly on the needles which is satisfying and prevents boredom from setting in. After seeing a beautiful green version knitted by Lies, I knitted one for my friend Katy that I blogged about here. I knitted the terracotta one for myself using a ball of divine Madelinetosh wool generously given to me by Lies and a third one from pale blue merino bought from a lovely wool shop in Devonport.

So what are you waiting for - GET KNITTING - you won't be disappointed.

ps: the background to the photos is a painting by Graham Fletcher from his Lounge Room Tribalism series. I posed the scarves in front of it while I was was waiting for staff from Wellington's City Gallery to collect it from me for a show in their Deane Gallery in July where it will feature along with other recent paintings by Graham. Make sure you drop in for a look if you happen to be in Wellington during that time.