I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the Dr Who Tom Baker scarf I knitted for Caveman.  We met 2 years ago next month and I knitted it for our first Christmas together.  As you can imagine from the timescales of October to Christmas I started knitting it pretty soon after we met to get it finished in time!  In hindsight that was a pretty tall order and perhaps just a bit presumptuous in a new relationship!  But here we are still so I can tell the story with a smile!

Anyway, I wanted to share the pattern I developed for the scarf.  Caveman is a massive fan of Dr Who and Tom Baker was his favourite.  I did lots and lots of research, looking at pictures, colours, film etc and developed this pattern.  I used Sirdar Country Style yarn which I have found in the past to be a very standard double knit and stable and easy to knit with, using 4mm needles.  I also have a very standard and even tension, which does help.

Here are the colours and rows you will need to knit.  (Note that the inch / cm measurements vary slightly from each other just because of rounding)

Changing colour every few rows became a bit of a pain at times so I’d recommend you sew in ends as you go along.  Needless to say I didn’t!!

When all the knitting is done make tassels in each shade to finish about 6inches long each.

I have tried to find the ball bands from the yarn I used to give details of shades but just can’t track them down, although I am sure I kept them.  If they turn up I will blog details.  I’ve given the rough type of colour above and the pictures may help.

My final tip: if you are knitting this in secret for your beloved find a good excuse for the amount of time you will need to spend at home knitting.  They may become suspicious if you say you spent the evening knitting and have nothing to show for it until you present them with the fruits of your labour.

I’ve been to the most beautiful tea shop imaginable this week.  Caveman and I spent a few days in Cambridgeshire and I was desperate to go to the Orchard Tea Garden in Grantchester.  As a fan of Rupert Brooke and tea it was a joy!  Beautiful location, fascinating history, yummy cream tea, swarms of wasps… oh yes wait, that ain’t so good but the wasps are another story entirely! 

The Orchard also has the Rupert Brooke Museum with lots of mementos, cuttings and pictures of him and those around him, particularly from his time in Grantchester.  Although small, there is lots of information there, including his death in Greece.

And then there was the tea!  I have to admit I was rather influenced by the romance and history of the place so they could have served me tepid, dirty water and a rock and I would have been happy.  Despite that I can honestly say the cream tea was delicious.  Massive homemade scones, a big pot of tea, real butter and strawberry jam.  Ok, so I didn’t have honey but that’s a minor detail.  Until I have the chance to return, I shall dream happy dreams about Grantchester; unforgettable, unforgotten.