Design by Laura Bellows

8.5 x 11 inch format, full color, instructions on back

This scarf was inspired by the Murano glass so famous from the Murano of Venetian fame.  I was in Venice in 2012 after visiting Florence.  I met with much to inspire me on that trip.  I saw a wonderful performance of Vivaldi in an old, cold stone church (I was visiting in February).  It was fabulous.  I love Vivaldi.  I saw cases of beautiful relic-boxes in the San Marco cathedral, brilliantly tiled gold ceilings. I stood in the square in front of San Marco and was soon covered with pigeons looking for a perch and some seeds (I became a perch but had no seeds).  I walked the tiny hall-like corridors between buildings all day every day trying to get past the sense that I was in an open-air luxury shopping mall that was really old.  I did find some back canals where there appeared to be real people living, hanging out their laundry (always the indication to me that real life has been found).  I found a little print in an art shop that depicts buildings visible across the Grand Canal, including that famous villa, canary yellow with sunbursts decorating its round windows (it was covered with scaffolding when I tried to see it).  I bought my son a sculptural cheese grater in a very expensive kitchen-supply shop.  And I bought two tiny Murano glass pieces.  I hesitate to call them bowls.  I also hesitate to call them plates.  They are square in shape and vaguely concave.  They appear to be made up of a series of little squares inside of squares of contrast color.  They are tiny.  They are charming.  They are translucent.  I wanted to capture this sense of color and charm in these neckpieces with squares of color inside squares of color.

This pattern has instructions for two styles (neckwarmer and scarf/shawl) and takes roughly 410 (790) yards worsted weight yarn, worked in a rib in intarsia. 

Finished neckwarmer measures 27 inches by 23 inches

Finished scarf/shawl measures 51 inches by 23 inches

This pattern is uni-sex and is pictured on the reverse being worn by a young man, showing its versatility.

Shown in Yarn Hollow Tor Worsted