Gerda's Puzzle

Gerda’s Puzzle is a journey that doesn’t follow a straight line, but is made of steps, encounters, and small acts of courage. Each snowflake module is one stage of that journey: a fragment of the frozen world Gerda crosses, a piece of her determination turned into knitting. It’s also a mosaic of adventures, shaped one square at a time: like knitting itself, the progress is slow but unstoppable, and the path only makes sense once you’ve travelled it. <big>**Inspiration**</big> It all began in Denmark, among cobbled streets and sea winds, in the shadow of Andersen’s fairy tales. There, I thought of Gerda: the girl who walks through ice and fear, in search of her friend. While he stays still, lost in his frozen puzzle, she moves forward, piece by piece, building her own. Every step she takes is an act of love, every encounter another woman ready to help her, quietly, fiercely, as sisters do. Each snowflake in this scarf is a chapter of Gerda’s journey: unique, intricate, and beautiful. <big>**Construction**</big> You work the modules one by one, each telling a part of the story. The snowflakes sit on the bias, like drifting crystals in a winter wind, then their paths meet through the Joining Triangles, those small bridges of stitches that bring everything together. The triangles don’t just unite the modules; they steady the scarf, levelling the edges. <big>**The Planner**</big> Because every knitter, like Gerda, chooses her own route, you can design your own combination of snowflakes using the Puzzle Planner. Rearrange, duplicate, compose as you wish until you find your perfect puzzle or follow the path suggested in the pattern. Either way, you’ll find yourself tracing the same invisible thread of sisterhood that runs through Gerda’s story. <big>**(Optional) I-cord Finishing**</big> When the last triangle closes and your scarf is whole, you can add a soft i-cord to frame it like a final gesture, a border that says: this part of the story is complete. Or tie two knots at the ends, a simple reminder that the strongest bonds are the ones we make along the way. Gerda’s Puzzle begins as a collection of snowflakes but turns, little by little, into one continuous story of lines and light. The pattern includes full written instructions and complete charts. All charts are provided in two colour versions: dark snowflakes on a light background, and light snowflakes on a dark background. <hr/> **Sizes:** This scarf is modular, therefore you can make it longer or shorter just by working more or less modules. My sample was made using 6 modules and its finished measurements are: 1.85 cm/74” length; 27 cm/10.75 width. <big>**Yarn**</big> *Miss Babs Yummy 2-ply* (100% superwash Merino wool; 400 yards [365 m]/110 g) **MC**: Blue #4; approx 600 m/656 yds. **CC**: Dark Perseus; approx 600 m/656 yds. **Note:** *Choose two yarn colors with a good contrast between them. For the best result pick a solid or tonal CC and a solid or speckled MC.* <big>**Needles**</big> One 60 cm / 24” circular needle (or straight needles if preferred) in size needed to obtain gauge. **Suggested needle size:** 3.5 mm /US 4. <big>**Notions**</big> Tapestry needle to weave in ends. <big>**Gauge**</big> 26 stitches and 52 rows = 10x10 cm (4”) in garter stitch, measured after blocking. **Note:** *Gauge is not critical for this project, but can affect yardage and finished measurements.*