FO Friday: Mere’s Lacy Cowl

The cowl is done! My second attempt is much improved and I’m much happier!

Pattern: Mere’s Lacy Cowl (my own improvisation)

Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun in a purple ombré

Needles: 10 1/2 US

Size: 14 inches by 12 inches 

I’ve put both of these in the mail and they are winging their way to the knit worthy recipient. The cowl is perfect and stretchy and squishy. Not to mention very close to her original. I didn’t expect the color shirt as the yarn in skein was deceiving. But I thinks it’s pretty!

One thing I’ve learned….. I don’t like Homespun as much as I used to. The loose wavy plies have a tendency to split and snag on the needles. I’m seriously considering de stashing the remainder from my stash. Now, don’t get wrong, I think it’s perfectly respectable workhorse yarn. It’s not great for my hands and knitting style. 

Happy Knitting!!

A Do-Over

I finished a cowl for my friend Mere last week. And I was less than pleased with my efforts to duplicate a years old project. I took it as a matter of pride. So what’s a knitter to do? I pulled some purple (her second color choice) and cast on again. This time I’m adding more stockinette in between the eyelets to better replicate the original.

I feel a bit more revived with this project but it’s still a little bit “the song remains the same”

 I’ll just have to keep knitting! 

 

FO Friday: Mere’s Eyelet Cowl

 I surrender, this project defeated me! It’s done and while it’s pretty….it’s not the fabric I was wanting to create.

  

Pattern: My own, Rav notes here

Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun in Black

Needles: US  10 1/2

Finished size: 19.5 inches long and 10 inches tall.
 

I had previously blogged about slogging through this. I should have realized that it was a slog because the fabric created did not match the original. I finally gave in and bound off just to be done. I used 70% of the skein or 129.5 yards. I am going to start another cowl in a deep purple in a stitch pattern that better matches the original. I will still probably gift this cowl to Mere as well. There is nothing wrong with it as it’s very soft and pretty. I’m just disappointed in myself for “forcing” the knit.

Oh well, I guess I have to knit more!

Slogging

I’ve been working on the last of my knitting requests. And boy I’m just not inspired….

  
I’m three inches done of 15 total. But this project is black (not my fav color), not my favorite yarn, and it’s keeping me from my Aeon vest. I dearly love my friend so I’m going to keep plugging along. This is why I don’t knit for craft fairs anymore or for other people much. I do best when I work on something that captures my mood rather than a to-do list. 

Does this mean I’m growing as a fiber artist or just that I have project ADD? 😜

Happy Knitting!

Knitting Requests

In all knitters lives there comes a time when you hear “can you knit (insert object here) for me?” Now I’m a pretty selfish knitter but there a few people who are knit worthy in my world. The first is my dearest friend from college, Mere. She texted me awhile back to let me know how much she loved a cowl I made her years ago and could she have another.

  
This is a cowl I free handed at least five years ago for craft fairs. It doesn’t even have a Ravelry page! I know it’s in Homespun but that’s about it. I had her send me some measurements and I pulled a skein of the requested black from my stash. Fingers crossed I can recreate this!

The next request came from my daycare provider. Whom I love and pretty sure Jellybean loves her more than me some days. Her 15 year old has been coveting Jellybean’s Dino Hat.

  
I pulled out the pattern and the hat and sat down to figure the mods. It shouldn’t be too bad to do and I still have the exact yarn colors in my stash. This one might require some ripping and redoing. But this 15 year old takes time out of her afternoon to play ukulele for Jellybean because he likes to help strum. So she pretty much has earned a Dino hat of her own!

Now I just need to find the time to knit all these things!

Happy Knitting  

Casu Cowl Rebooted

I managed to rip back my Casu Cowl blunder and start again with the correct pattern. 

  
I completed the set up and two pattern repeats. The patter is pretty straight forward and should be easy to memorize. The problem is that this yarn doesn’t sing to me. Therefore the project as a whole doesn’t get my mojo going. I don’t hate it….but given other options I always pick something else. I have a car trip coming up and the short back and forth rows should be good car knitting. I may just pack this project and only this project to get it off the needles.

This is definitely a case where I want the FO but I’m struggling with the actually knitting if it, lol.

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Oops I Forgot!

I had a craft fair about a week ago and though I don’t normally do custom orders around Christmas….I got suckered into one. The customer filled out the request sheet and I filed it into my purse….and promptly forgot!

I feel awful. I whipped out my needles and knit like my life depended on it. I did these two quick cowls in one evening. They are now safely in the mail to their recipients. And I now I can move on towards Christmas!

These are one of Soulemama’s Wavy Weather Cowls. Its a great easy pattern that is very well written. Perfect for a last minute Christmas gift!!

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FO Friday: Honey Cowl

Tah Dah! My Honey Cowl is done!!

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I cast on the intermediate size, or 160 stitches. And I used Patons Silk Bamboo blend on my new Knit Picks Options Interchangeable circular needles.

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The honey cowl is one of my go-to/easy cowls. It’s always beautiful and immensely easy to memorize. Great movie and tv knitting. I used size 8 US needles. I used 102 yards of each color and my FO weighs 130 grams. The finished cowl is 34 inches in circumference by 7 inches tall.

The silk blend has a lovely drape and sheen to it. It’s just baby butt soft against my neck. And the two colors blend well together. Even the WS has a unique beauty to it. This is Stashbustin’ Project #43 for anyone keeping score.

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I can just barely double it and wear it around my neck. This would not be a cowl for when I don’t want to mess up my hair. But on a blustery day this would certainly keep out the chill. I apologies for the model-less indoor photos. It’s winter and I’m at work during the daylight. So this is what I got, lol.

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TGIF and Happy Knitting!

WIP Wednesday: Honey Cowl

Honey Cowl update!!

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I’m almost there! I have just enough yarn to do a couple more color repeats then the rolled stockinette edge. This silk/bamboo blend is soooooo soft. I can’t wait to wear it!!!

The needles are also very nice. A little slippery for this project and my tension is a bit different. But it’s working so I’m rolling with it. All in all I love them….provided I use them for the right project and I swatch for gauge, lol!

Happy Wednesday!!!

FO Friday: Purl Ridge Scarf

This was such a quick knit!!! Just a few evenings this past week. So without further ado, I give you my Purl Ridge Scarf by Stephen West.

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I used Knit One Crochet Two Brea Tweed. This an amazingly soft yarn but the “tweed” bits got everywhere as I worked! I felt like I was pulling them off everything as I worked. I used 299.8 yards or 137 grams. I worked the pattern as written and had yarn left over. I probably could have done at least one more repeat of the purl ridge. But I didn’t want to run out of yarn!

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My finished object is 60 inches around (30 inches folded in half as shown above) and 7 inches tall. I can safely loop this around my neck twice for extra warmth or wear as a single loop for a more artistic approach. Blocking did wonders for this! It was a bit scrunched up coming off my needles.

Stephen West is a genius with design. This pattern is simple but gorgeous to look at!!

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This pattern would make a great quickly holiday knit and it’s free!! Christmas is almost here 🙂

Happy Knitting!