I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things…
I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind.
[Leo F. Buscaglia]
Here it is—finished. The first part of this project is at this LINK (two posts ago).
I was a busy bee this week trying to get this done. On Thursday, I took my friend to the hospital at 6:30 a.m. for outpatient surgery. I was working down the point by the time she was in recovery, and did the last decrease as the nurse said we could go home.
The first post for this project ended with the pattern for the neck shaping. The right tail has 4 increases that are a mirror image of the ones shown on the left-tail chart.
The first chart below starts on a right-side row—read from right to left. To create the join at the back of the neck, work in pattern across the right long tail, cast on 25 stitches, then continue on across the left tail.
On the wrong side, follow the chart from left to right, purling the stitches above the 25 cast on stitches. This row finishes the trees on the long tails.
The second chart below (also read from bottom to top) shows the shaping of the back collar. Work two decreases on each right-side row—inside the border texture stitches on each side. The trees are centered on the 13th stitch of the 25 stitches that were cast on for the back of the neck. It might help to use a stitch marker.
The third chart (read from bottom to top) continues on to show the rest of the collar. The point is formed with 3-stitch decreases once there are only border stitches left. These two collar charts are divided only because I was putting them on the internet and needed to keep the image sizes small.
Select this LINK to download a printable PDF file of this pattern.
JOIN at BACK of NECK
SHAPING the BACK COLLAR
FINISHING the BACK COLLAR
Knitting, writing and other joys 
Hi – An update on my project. I finally decided to just dive in. I did a crochet cast on, and did short rows adding about 3 stiches with each repeat of the four row pattern ( I think its called a wave from one of the Barbar Walker books. Anyway, I have one side of the back done, will do a complete waver repeat at the center back, and then do the reverse on the other side. It’s been very intuitive as I’ve knit it, but I don’t think I could have written it down before actually doing it. Thanks for the suggestion on the book. Regards, Nancy
I’m delighted that you folks like the scarf. I’m working on the PDF file and will have it online soon. About the lace stole for a minister — the placement of the decreases depends upon the lace pattern. It is an interesting challenge. Here is a LINK to one of my favorite lace books, Second Book of Modern Lace Knitting by Marianne Kinzel. She uses a little background pattern to adjust to increases and decreases.
Hi – I am trying to think through how to take a scarf and turn it into a stole for a minister by creating a pointed back. I googled “shaping a pointed collar and found your entry. It certainly is an approach that would work, although I’m trying to figure out how to join the lace up the center using short rows to make it symetric down the center line. In any case, your approach is definitely a way I could do it! The scarf is beatiful, thanks for sharing it and the detailed directions. Regards, Nancy
That’s beautiful! What a neat idea, too.
Wow, checking back, it turned out lovely.
Oh wow, it’s gorgeous!