Archives for October 2015

The pattern for my Crazed Scandinavian Cowl is now available for purchase, here in my Ravelry store.

The early bird price for the pattern is $3.00, and you can get it for that price through October 31, 2015. It will revert to the regular price of $5.00 on November 1, 2015.

Thank you for all the lovely comments about the cowl! I found it huge fun to knit and I hope you do too.

I’ve charted out another somewhat insane cowl, but have not started it yet. I decided to knit something else in between as a “palate cleanser.”

This is Claremont, a cardigan pattern by Laura Chau, designed for the Feel Good Yarn Company, which produces Silverspun yarn. You can read all about Silverspun yarn on their website, linked above.

Claremont takes Silverspun Sock, a fingering weight organic cotton that has a bit of lycra and a strand of silver spun into it. The resulting yarn is incredibly soft and when knit, creates a fabric with a slightly pebbly look. Although it is fingering weight, the pattern directs you to use a U.S. size 6 needle, and that’s the size I used to get gauge.

It’s somewhat slow going because the row gauge is somewhat compressed: the “before washing” row gauge is 9 rows/inch. (According to the website, the undyed fingering weight yarn will shrink during the first wash. The pattern takes this into account.) The body is knit in once piece to the armholes. The sleeves are worked separately in the round, then joined to the body and a yoke is knit from the bottom up.

I like that the front bands are knit at the same time as the body. I have three buttonholes done!

Here is Loki’s “it’s too early” face:

“Turn off the lights, Mommy!”

Last Wednesday I completed my Crazed Scandinavian Cowl.

This in knit from Elsa Wool Company Woolen-Spun Fingering Weight Cormo in medium grey and natural — two skeins of each color.

I used a U.S. size 3 (3.25mm) needle.

In my last blog entry, Marietta asked me several questions about the cowl:

1.  Do you have software that you use to plot your rows
2.  How long did plotting 600 rows take you
3.  How long will this cowl be at the end & when you join the ends will you twist it once?

I used Microsoft Excel to create my colorwork charts. I opened a blank spreadsheet and set the dimensions of the rows and columns to make squares so it resembled a piece of graph paper.

How long did it take me to create the charts — a good question. I did the first draft of it over 2 or 3 days, I think, and then went back periodically to tweak things. as I knit, I found things I wanted to tweak as well.

The cowl is approximately 80″ around so that it fits nicely around the neck when doubled. I did not twist it to make a mobius before grafting the ends,  though I certainly could have. I could also have grafted closed each end and made a scarf.

I am working on finishing up the pattern, so it will be available soon.

My model, hard at work!

And at home, Loki is demonstrating what a rough week he has had!

First of all, the winner of my review copy of  Unexpected Cables: Feminine Knitted Garments Featuring Modern Cable Knitting by Heather Zoppetti is Ruth, who has been emailed. Thank you to everyone who left a comment!

My Crazed Scandinavian Cowl is in the home stretch!

Here are a couple of close-ups:

And the other end:

I have worked 532 0f 604 rows of this baby, so it will be finished this week! The pattern will be available within a couple of weeks, I think. I will be sure to let you know when it is ready.

Loki is pleased that he got such a positive response to his last toe floof photo so is sharing another one:

Check this out!

This is Unexpected Cables: Feminine Knitted Garments Featuring Modern Cable Knitting by Heather Zoppetti (Interweave/F+W; $24.99), new this month. You can look at all eighteen patterns on Ravelry here.

The book is divided into three sections: Refined, Lace, and Abstract. The author says in her foreword:

Refined is the most traditional section. Projects in this chapter take the classic Aran and make it more modern by using lightweight yarns, delicate twisted stitches, and feminine shapes. The Lace chapter uses the unexpected pairing of cables and lace in delightful garments and accessories. Abstract focuses on unusual constructions, directions, and textures. Patterns in this chapter have a modern and edgy feel.

My favorite from the Refined section:

This is Maytown, a vest knit from sportweight yarn. I love the unique mesh look of the beautiful center cable.

From Lace:

I love the Safe Harbor cowl. Worked in worsted weight, it would be a lovely quick knit and would make a great holiday gift knit from a luxury yarn.

And from the Abstract section:

Penryn: a pullover worked in DK weight. I love the asymmetrical cable that is woven and then closed at the top.

The book has beautiful photos and nice big cable charts. The sweater designs are presented in a nice range of sizes and the instructions look clear and easy to follow. A glossary in the back of the book contains step-by-step illustrated instructions for some techniques used in the book.

Who’d like my copy?

To be entered in the drawing to win my review copy of Unexpected Cables: Feminine Knitted Garments Featuring Modern Cable Knitting leave a comment on this blog post by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, October 18, 2015. A winner will be chosen at random at that time.

Crazed Scandinavian Cowl

I am now more than two-thirds done with the knitting. Thank you for all your lovely comments about this design. I will make the pattern available, but first I have to finish my prototype, write up the pattern, and test it.

Loki

Loki has consented to have a photo of his paw floof posted.

This weekend I hit the halfway point on my Crazed Scandinavian Cowl. Here is a photo of it when it was a bit past halfway.

It is getting to be a bit large to carry around, so it is now delegated to at-home knitting only. I need to find something else for commuter knitting.

Meanwhile, I do believe Loki has started studying drama. Here he is, in the middle of rehearsals for the role of Camille:

“Woe is me.”