Tuesday Night Cowl

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted, Chocolate 36ns, 1 skein
Pattern: Tuesday Night Cowl (Ravelry link)
Size: Worsted weight version
Needles: US #8
Thoughts: This is a very straightforward pattern and I really like the look of the cables. I also learned how to do a provisional crochet cast on because of this project. I was surprised that I managed to finish the entire cowl with just one skein of Shepherd Worsted — it must be because I knit tight. I definitely recommend this pattern if you are looking for a cowl that looks a little more interesting than plain stockinette.

Crazy for Cowls

Thanks to everyone who chimed in on my last post about blogging. I think generally the feeling is that blogging is a more personal way of communicating about our crafts with those who share our interests, and that we like the stories that go along with the projects. I agree — to me, writing blog posts is certainly more fun than simply entering information on Ravelry!

Back to my knitting FOs…the socks shown in my last post were done in September and were only my second finished project of 2009. And it took me seven months to knit them. Which means I really lost my knitting mojo last year. But I managed to pick up the pace a bit and knit three simple cowls between October and November.

Gloria Cowl for me

Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn, Graphite, 1 skein
Pattern: Gloria Cowl
Needles: US #8 / 16″
Mods: Cast on 81 stitches (instead of 99). Knit 5 rows of seed stitch (instead of 3). Knit until about 10.5 inches, and then back to 5 rows of seed stitch.
Thoughts: I had been hoarding this colorway of Sundara yarn in my stash for at least a year, and when I decided I wanted a gray cowl I thought this would be the perfect yarn. It knit up beautifully, but I hadn’t anticipated that the gray would look purple-ish in certain lighting. It’s hard to find a true gray yarn! Other than that, I like it a lot. The 81 stitches around provides a snug fit (i.e., it doesn’t flop around) and the simple style of the Gloria Cowl goes with any top.

Gloria Cowl for my friend Ruth C. for Christmas:

Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn, Pure Indulgence, 1 skein
Pattern: Gloria Cowl
Needles: US #8 / 16″
Mods: Cast on 85 stitches for a slighter looser fit than the one above. Other than that, same specs as above.
Thoughts: Not much else to add about this one.

Cowl of Kindness for my mom for Christmas

Back in August, I showed my mom my Cowl of Kindness and she liked it. I told her I would knit her one and she picked the yarn from my stash. When she opened the package at Christmas, she was surprised because she had forgotten about it completely!

Yarn: Madelinetosh Sock Yarn, Ginger, 1 skein
Pattern: Cowl of Kindness (Ravelry link)
Needles: US #8 / 16″
Thoughts: It was hard to part with this one, because this yarn showcased the pattern beautifully and orange is one of my favorite colors! I think I need to go pick up some more Madtosh sock yarn soon…

Monkey Cowl

I was inspired to knit the Monkey Cowl after seeing Maritza’s gorgeous versions here and here. Sadly, I didn’t particularly enjoy the process of knitting this one — it seemed to take forever and it wasn’t exactly mindless knitting for me. On the upside, though, I love the end product! Hand Maiden Casbah is super soft, so the cowl feels wonderful against my neck. I also like the texture of the pattern. I only wish I could have captured the color accurately, but I just couldn’t get it. The color is deeper in person.

Yarn: Hand Maiden Casbah Sock yarn, Topaz, less than 1 skein
Pattern: Based on the Monkey sock pattern with modifications by Maritza
Needles: US #4/16 inch

Dolores Park Cowl

Pattern: Dolores Park Cowl
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted, Colorway 179 Black Forest, less than 1 skein
Needles: US #8 / 16″
Modifications: Followed the mods found here to use Malabrigo Worsted instead of Chunky.

Believe it or not, this was my first time knitting with Malabrigo. I’ve had it in my stash before, but for some reason or another I always destashed it. Apparently I’ve been missing out, because it is super soft and I loved knitting with it! I’ve used Manos del Uruguay a few times, and now I know that I like Malabrigo much, much more. The Black Forest colorway isn’t one that I would have selected if Parikha hadn’t used it in her pattern, but I’m glad I went with it because I like the various shades of brown.

Gloria Cowl

Pattern: Gloria Cowl
Yarn: Hand Maiden Casbah Sock in Peridot (held double)
Needles: US #9 / 16″
Modifications: 81 stitches around instead of 99. 5 rounds of seed stitch instead of 3.

I don’t think cowls get much easier than this! A few rounds of seed stitch at the beginning and end with nothing but stockinette in the middle. Perfect for social knitting. Simple yet elegant, and a great way to use luxurious sock yarn. Thanks for the pattern, Orinda! This was my first experience with Hand Maiden Casbah Sock, and it knits up very well. I had to fight with the hank for awhile because of tangles, but the end result was well worth the effort.

I already have another Gloria Cowl on the needles, but some other patterns I’m looking at are Sherbrooke, Dolores Park Cowl, and Ilean (all Rav links). If you have other cowl pattern suggestions, please send them my way!

Birthday Cowl

Pattern: Birthday Cowl
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy, In Vino Veritas, less than 1 skein
Needles: US #8 / 16″
Thoughts: The Birthday Cowl is a great (and easy!) pattern. This was my first experience using Dream in Color, and I really like that it has slight variegation without pooling.

Expect to see some more cowls in the weeks ahead! I have already completed a third cowl (yet to be photographed) and I am planning to start a fourth one this weekend…can you tell that I am going cowl crazy over here? And in the midst of 95 degree weather, too!

Cowl of Kindness

Pattern: Cowl of Kindness (Ravelry Link)
Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted Fingering, Crushed Velvet, 2 skeins (doubled)
Needles: US #8 / 16″
Thoughts: Love this quick and fun knit! I definitely see more cowls in the future.

A Clapotis for Carolyn

Happy Birthday, Carolyn! I hope you enjoy a special day.

Pattern: Clapotis (scarf size)
Yarn: Sundara Yarn Aran Silky Merino, 2 skeins, Grey Over Pink
Needles: US #8

Huckleberry Ascot

Have you ever finished a knitting project and then realized that the item does not suit your style whatsoever? That’s how I feel about my Huckleberry Ascot.

There isn’t anything wrong with the pattern itself. The scarf was a quick, simple project that I finished in just over a week. But I am not pleased with the way it looks because it reminds me of tucking a dinner napkin into my shirt. It appears quite flattering on the model in the pattern photo, but not so much on me. Also, it doesn’t cover enough of my neck to keep it warm. So, this is definitely not a keeper and will be going to a new home.

There were still some positive aspects of the project. I learned how to make bobbles, and they were much easier than I expected. While the yarn sheds a bit, it is incredibly soft and drapey and I would use it again.

Pattern: Huckleberry Ascot from Interweave Knits Gifts, Winter 2007
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Melange, Color #812 Blue Cheese, 2 skeins
Needles: US #7

Chevron Scarf

Yarn: Socks That Rock Mediumweight in Puck’s Mischief and Downpour
Pattern: Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Needles: US #5
Size: 5.5 inches by 70 inches after blocking