It is perhaps a little odd to segue from Lifelong Incurable Disease Diagnosis to Dr. Who Scarf, but that is how things go.
Here is the situation: William would like to knit himself a Dr. Who scarf. We have not even WATCHED the fourth doctor (we started at the ninth), but he is acting a little rabid about it anyway. Not only is he currently interested in all Dr. Who stuff, but also a cool high school boy in his Dr. Who Fan Club has such a scarf. HE WANTS THE SCARF.
There are TONS of instructional thingies online, but as my mother (our knitting consultant) noted, the results seem….dissimilar to the original scarf. Like, first we see a picture of Dr. Who wearing a long, thin, woven-not-knit scarf, and then we see the tutorial-writer wearing what looks like a full-body blanket/shawl.
One issue, I think, is that the Doctor seems to wear his scarf doubled or even tripled over on itself: someone trying to duplicate the measurements of the actual scarf might make a 14-inch wide scarf, but then it doesn’t look the same because they’re wearing it flat open instead of almost rolled up.
Also, it seems that the scarf changes several times during the fourth Doctor’s tenure, so both knit and woven are represented.
Here are my questions:
1. Do you know, is one scarf considered more legitimate/representative than the others?
2. How…fervent…might a Doctor Who fan feel about the accuracy of a homemade version? That is, could a person capture the SPIRIT of the scarf by making it narrow in order to approximate the OVERALL LOOK of a scarf that is much wider but is of a different fabric and has been sort of rolled up? Must the scarf be the same number of feet long as the Doctor’s own scarf, or may it be made to work on the height of the person wearing it (while still being, of course, massively over-long)?
We could likely answer these questions ourselves by watching several seasons of the fourth Doctor, but we are a bit pressed for time as the urgent need for a scarf has overtaken someone to the point that he talks of almost nothing else. I could also research it online, but I’m worried about getting misinformation and not realizing it because I haven’t watched the fourth Doctor myself and so wouldn’t know the difference between actual information and someone’s mom who thinks she knows what she’s talking about but doesn’t. I’m hoping this is one of those Access the Hive Mind situations the internet is so good for.
[Edited to add: My mom found this one, and it’s our favorite so far: wittylittleknitter.com]
This website might help, it seems to be quite extensive:
http://www.doctorwhoscarf.com/s12.html
I’ve seen a lot of Doctor Who and I would say that William might want to change the dimensions of the scarf. If he knits the size appropriate for a grown man, it won’t look the same on him as it does on Tom Baker and he won’t get the “look” he’s going for. I think the most important part is that the stripes are the right colours and the scarf is obviously oversized.
There are always some people online (aka crazy superfans) who say that unless you make an EXACT copy its not worth it but I think that in this case, I think it’s okay to aim for a realistic interpretation. That’s what I would do. I mean, there’s no Doctor Who police who are going to measure the scarf.
*sniff* I used to be in that website’s gallery before he updated the site. My sister knitted me a 20-foot scarf when I was just a kid, and also a rabid Tom Baker fan. The colors are all wonky but the effect is just the same. Everyone who saw the scarf and knew the show knew what was up, so don’t worry about accuracy – go for effect. ;)
Consider it like cosplay. Match the colors, match the look as best you can, spend as little as possible (bragging rights, that), definitely adjust for his size (because it won’t look right full-size) – making accommodations for children is an accepted practice in cosplay. The main thing is for him to enjoy making/having/wearing it! Most fandoms and cosplayers are just happy for someone to be able to respresent… so unless he’s in a costume contest of some sort, whatever he does is fine, and long as it makes him happy! :-)
Hope this helps!
PS I’m the mom of a cosplayer… been doing this stuff for years! I totally get into helping with it! So much fun!!
Zooming in like crazy on these pictures makes me almost certain that the scarf is knitted in garter stitch (a nice easy all-knit, no-purl stitch) —
http://mindofthegeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FOURTHDOCTORSCARF01.jpg
http://cdn3.whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/tom-baker-doctor-who-scarf.jpg
I absolutely agree that as long as the colors are right and the length is insane, you’ve got the spirit of the scarf and that is what matters. I did make an authentic Harry Potter scarf once and now wish I hadn’t made it quite so thick because I hardly ever get to wear it!
Wow. I didn’t even know this was A Thing. It kind of makes me love the internet even more.
I have to say how very much I love this!
“The number of tassels changed as the scarf was damaged and repaired, but it started out with 12 (proven by a photo at last!). By Season 13, the now gold end of the scarf still had 12 tassels, but I haven’t quite nailed down the number for Season 14. The stunt duplicate has 11 tassels. ” There is a STUNT SCARF? I don’t even know how to react to that.
What they said. And also this: The Fourth Doctor had lots of DIFFERENT scarves. They were all the same colors and all over-sized, but some were more over-sized than others. Get the right colors, and just start knitting. When it’s ridiculously over-sized, knit another foot to 18 inches, and you’re done.
Yup, what others said… as long as it’s in the correct colors and long enough to be looped a couple of times, it will be recognized as a Fourth Doctor scarf.
I have been saying for years that I don’t love anybody enough to knit them an authentic Fourth Doc scarf. 12 feet of garter stitch? NOPE. But best of luck to others who want to go for it!
I am currently knitting a doctor who scarf for my husband who is an obsessive doctor who fan, although I am knitting the season 18 version (a more subtle mix of orange, red and purple). I am using the pattern from the website Katie linked to, which seems well researched with great attention to detail, and is a good resource for choosing yarn colours. However at my husband’s request I am making it narrower and possibly shorter, so it will be more wearable and less costumey.
I think as long as the colours are a good match and the scarf is long and oversized, it is fine for the scarf to be scaled down to a size suitable for the wearer. As others have said there were multiple scarves so I don’t think any one can be considered ‘the scarf’. In fact I would think you’d get bonus points for making an obscure version.
If one wished you could always check out Raverly.. https://www.ravelry.com/account/login
you need to set up a username.. but it’s free and full of lots of nice knitters.
Searching patterns will give you a wide range of Dr Who scarfs (clicking on the projects tab will let you see what everyone else has done), i’m sure you could find yarn suggestions for color.
I’m not positive, but i’m sure there is a group devoted to Dr Who and knitting his scarf.
Just depends how much time you want to spend looking?
It’s admirable that someone would want to tackle such a long scarf.. for me it would take forever!
Good Luck!
I think other commenters are right in saying that if you get the right colors and make it ridiculously long it won’t really matter the dimensions or accuracy because Whovians will still recognize it for what it is and appreciate it.
That being said, if I ever get around to making mine I really want it to be the correct length. (I plan to skimp on the width since I am a small person though.)
Is he still going to be this interested when it is not freezing outside? Maybe it’s not even cold where you live but in my state we’ve been breaking records all winter.
The world will recognize it. It’s a slog, evidently. That’s what the Yarn Harlot says: here http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2013/01/07/not_really_a_sprint.html and here http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2013/01/10/and_that_is_all_she_wrote.html
the end weaving will be no fun. the color changing and the garter stitch but it will be an accomplishment and a damn fine scarf.
I am making one for my daughter using what looks like (?) the original BBC pattern found here:
http://93fangshadow.deviantart.com/art/Tom-Baker-4th-Doctor-Who-Scarf-BBC-Instructions-286826980
Good luck!
I started one for myself in college but have no patience for 12 feet of knitting, props to William if he finishes it!
Like the others said, just get the colors & length and he’ll be fine. It’s instantly recognizable for what it is.
What wonderful timing! I just joined Ravelry in the hopes of boning up on my knitting after a many year hiatus, so my brain crammed with images of knitwear right now. I’ve know a lot of people who either knit or bought Dr. Who scarves, and the most effective ones aren’t necessarily exact replicas. I think so long as you fit it to him, achieve the necessary “oversized” look, and use a muted but colorful assortment of yarns you’ll wind up with someone really cool and recognizable.
I confess that in high school I went on a similar quest for a scarf like the one from “Joan of Arcadia” (that show really stood the test of time, lol!!)
What a great idea for WILLIAM to undertake.
I have a dear friend who is what I would call a knitting expert, she has been Head Master on Ravelry’s Harry Potter game for years, who knit the Doctor Who scarf. It took her forever and I think I remember her swearing she’d never do it again. Something about the boredom OH the boredom. Let me see if I can just find…
Yes here http://theycallmeyarn.blogspot.com/search/label/whoscarf Here are her notes on the actual project, 265 days apparently. :)
I made my Doctor Who scarf back in the 70’s when Baker was still filming new episodes; however, since my stitches were so loose my scarf stretched 20 over 36 feet. The scarf was still getting compliments 30 years later. Point is, if it is recognizable as a Who scarf (even if it is off) people will enjoy it. And, frankly, as far as I know, there is no Who god who you have to listen to if they don’t approve. Make it, enjoy it, and the people who are worth knowing will love it.