Chevron Cowl

I picked up several skeins of DK yarn in various places, and strangely, they are all blue! Or maybe that's not really so strange...

They range from 140 yards to 230 yards, so I was looking for some one-skein patterns to show off the yarns. After looking at some hat and cowl patterns, and chevron patterns, I found Zig from The Neighborhood Yarn Co. It used almost exactly the same number of yards as 3 skeins I had of DK weight yarn in similar textures. I had two other yarns, but their textures (twist, etc.) were not a good match.

The yarns:

• A = 2 Guys Yarn Company MCN DK (merino, cashmere, nylon) - 230 yards in Across the Bay
• B = Polka Dot Sheep Stumptown DK (100% merino) - 231 yards in Nightfall
• C = Swans Island Organic Washable DK (100% merino) - 140 yards in Verdigris

The pattern calls for 5 colors of Neighborhood Yarn Co. Studio DK (275 yards) which must mean that you could make two cowls with the yarn...

The stitch pattern in the cowl alternates between stockinette stitch and garter stitch, sometimes one of each in the same color...so I came up with this recipe:
A: 20 rows GC, then 20 rows StC
C: 20 rows GC
B: 20 rows StC, then 20 rows GC
A: 20 rows StC, then 20 rows GC
C: 20 rows StC
B: 20 rows GC, then 20 rows StC
A: 20 rows GC, then 20 rows StC
C: 20 rows GC
B: 20 rows StC, then 20 rows GC
A: 20 rows StC, then 20 rows GC
C: 20 rows StC
B: 20 rows GC, then 20 rows StC
:
continued until the cowl is approximately 49" long.

Chevrons

I always seem to have problems with chevrons...First, I made the Lila Cowl with the lovely cashmere collection from Pepperberry Knits. I loved the color selection for this cowl and the pattern - but it was the packaging that sold me.

8 colors on a binder ring with the pattern

I followed the directions, but found I needed to knit 5 stitches between increases and decreases. It all worked out in the end.

Now, I've started the Zig Cowl using a selection of DK yarns from Stitches West 2015 and my trip to Mendocino last year. While I still needed to use a provisional cast on and I'll need to kitchener at the end, this is a flat cowl. I ran into trouble because knitting 12 stitches between the decreases didn't work out...if I stick with the 72 stitches I cast on (and I will because what a pain to change that!), I need to change 12 to 10. Now I'm making some headway.

* I see on the Ravelry page for the Zig pattern that they have corrected it to cast on 82 stitches. But I feel that 72 stitches is wide enough.

And another project is wrapping up...

I started this cowl on February 13th and worked on it pretty steadily. It went quickly since it's just simple stockinette in the round. Two rows of the solid gray, then two rows of the ombre - repeat these four rows until nearly all the ombre is gone. One last row of ombre and then graft. Okay, yes, I still need to graft the ends together...but that's 84 stitches in the round.

How long does it take to block a project?

Well, it's finally complete! Blocking really helped make each section more uniform. I pleased with the way it turned out, but I wish it was a bit longer.

The Three-Color Cowl

Well, I didn't end up using all of Bird's Egg and Egret. I have about 10g of each leftover.

Section 1 in Egret using the grill stitch does curl along the edges because of the alternating knit and purl rows. This section is also the softest...maybe because Egret is not dyed?

Section 2 in Bird's Egg and Egret does not curl, and so it is my favorite section. It lies nice and flat because it is all knit. I did make a mistake, but didn't go back to fix it so it will just add some character.

Section 3 in all three colors doesn't curl exactly...it pulls a bit on the diagonal and the edges are wavy. I'm hoping that blocking with straighten it all out. This is the most nubbly of the stitch patterns.

Next up, vigorous blocking! Wet and steam to work out the kinks, then I'll sew the short edges together to make it into a loop. Let's see it's 3x18" long...that's...54"? Right? That should be long enough to twist once into two loops.

Pictures coming soon!

The Story of a Cowl

Once upon a time, I saw a cowl from Purl Soho. It combined 3 colors of a worsted weight yarn in three different stitch patterns. I really wanted to make this pattern, and spend several months looking for just the right yarn to make it.

On vacation in Pacific Grove, I found Quince Chickadee and really loved the colors and texture of it. Although Chickadee is a sport weight yarn, I figured I'd give it a try and the cowl would just be a little smaller. I selected Egret (white), Bird's Egg (blue), and Nasturtium (orange).

Then I read the pattern...the stitch patterns involve knitting stitches from the row below, which I have not done before. And taking a closer look at the stitch patterns, I didn't really like them. So what could I do? Find three slip stitch patterns that work with each other and with one, two, and three yarns.

Actually, it wasn't that difficult. The first is the Simple Grill Stitch. Usually, this is in two colors, but I decided that this would be the one I would use for the single color because it has a lot of texture. It is worked over a repeat of 3 stitches plus 3. Every third stitch is slipped and the wrong side is purled.

Using Egret, I cast on 51 stitches and started. Chickadee works up very soft and shows off the stitch definition beautifully. I used one full skein of yarn for the first section. I was hoping it would be 20" but it is about 18" long by 8". Things I would do differently: I would work through a row 2 instead of row 4, but it's not tragic.

The second section is a two-color slip stitch pattern that uses a repeat of 4 stitches plus 3. It is very similar to the grill stitch, but is knit stitch only and the slipped stitch is every 4th stitch (which also works on 51 stitches). So the second section is worked with Egret and Bird's Egg. This is when I discovered that the first section curls, but the second section lies nice and flat! I worked this section for 18".

The third section is a three-color slip stitch pattern called "Triple L Tweed." I found it on the Purl Soho site where it is used for linen dishtowels. As you slip stitches in the three colors, each color makes a little "L" shape. This stitch pattern is worked over a repeat of 3 stitches plus 1, so I'm incorporating the extra two stitches as selvedge stitches, one on each side. Working with three colors is slowing me down a little bit, but every row is knit and the wrong side is worked the same as the right side (just slipping the stitches to the front instead of the back).

Classic Elite Does It Again

I like Catawampus from Classic Elite #1406 "All Seasons." It is a very creative way to use several single skeins of fingering weight yarn in one statement-making project.

This week, the Classic Elite Web-Letter features another project (this time a free pattern) that uses several single skeins in different colors for a simple but dramatic cowl.

More Knitted Gifts

So once I started telling people about the boutique, more requests came in. So I made a red watch cap for my dad using Malabrigo Rios -- it's super soft and washable. I also modified the pattern a bit because I had problems with the side by side decreases leaving a hole between them. For this hat, I left one knit stitch between the decreases. More information on Ravelry.

I also made another glitzy cowl from the sequin yarn and Eco Duo for Frances because she's hard to buy for and she admired the one I made for the gift exchange. I picked a darker colorway of the alpaca yarn and black yarn with silver sequins. Details on Ravelry.

Sequin Cowls and the Gift Exchange

Jennifer & Debra wanted cowls made from some lovely gray sequined yarn (Universal Yarns Classic Shades Sequins Lite). I made the two cowls from one skein, with a little left over. Both pretty much look like the photo below. More about the pattern from Ravelry.

Of course, before all this boutique stuff, I had intended to make a sequined cowl for our group's gift exchange. I went ahead with it because it is quite different at least in appearance. I really like the Eco Duo; it is almost like angora. I'm not a fan of angora; it's a little prickly. Alpaca is so soft and non-allergenic. I almost didn't want to give it up. More information on Ravelry.

Quick Knits to Sell

So, I'm going to sell some knitted goods at a holiday boutique. I have a stockpile of things that I don't wear and haven't given as gifts. But I also have quite a stash of single skeins that could be made into simple accessories. Here's what I made:

Simple Garter Stitch Cowl

Ribbed Chunky Print Cowl

Illusion Cowl

Chunky Print Cowl

Coral Reef Cowl

Bewilder Cowl

Inspired by the simple but dramatic cowl at Knitterly, I made this cowl using Universal Yarns' Bewilder that I found on my visit to The Twisted Stitch. Knitted in the round, the finished cowl measures 24" around & 9" high. It takes just one skein, and only one evening. The yarn is very soft, and this would make a perfect gift, but it would need to be handwashed.

Another Alpaca Cowl

Did you know has a metallic sparkle? I didn't until I saw the yarn in person...so then I had to get some. It is very similar to Baby Alpaca Aire and Lima in color and construction, but that added glimmer...

So, I made the Canaletto Cowl that I'd been wanting to try for awhile. I'm not sure if I did something wrong or if it was a feature of the lattice lace stitch, but it does twist a bit. But overall, I'm very pleased with the result.

More information here on Ravelry.

Another Camel Cowl

I liked the cowl I made for a friend so much, that I wanted to make one for myself. On a trip to Carmel and Monterey, I picked up some Plymouth Baby Alpaca Aire which is very similar to Rowan Lima.

I struggled to find a pattern that I wanted to work with, so I improvised a simple cowl. It starts with a garter stitch border, then switches to a 3x3 mistake rib. The yarn is lovely to work with! It is so soft, which is my favorite thing about alpaca yarn.

I made it big enough to wear either like a scarf or twice around for a snug warm wrap. I like how it wraps around my neck when worn long.

Details on Ravelry.

Origami Cowl

This yarn has been hanging around in the yarn basket for awhile. I love ArtFibers yarns, and I would love to knit an entire sweater from one of their yarns. But so far, I've only tried out a couple of different yarns, sampling.

This time it's Origami, 100% nylon. This is another simple stockinette cowl, but a smaller loop. It can be folded and pinned to fill in a neck or just as an accessory. Approximately 35" around x 7".

Camel Cowl with a little Sparkle

After seeing how nicely the Knitterly Cowl turned out, I wanted to make another similar cowl. This time I used Rowan Lima and S. Charles Collezione Ristratto. I love the cable construction of Lima, although this pattern doesn't really show it off. The colors in Ristratto are lovely, but I would only wear this mohair blend over other clothing.

It's just a simple loop of stockinette, and I'm letting the edges roll. Approximately 35" around.

Petaluma Cowl

Took a small road trip to Petaluma to look at antique furniture, and stopped in at a yarn store, Knitterly. Lovely place full of yarn and antiques, both the shop and the town. We saw a shop sample knit from Lang Studio and Trendsetter Othello held together. Super-simple: cast on 72 stitches on US 15 needles, join and knit until there's just enough yarn to bind off. And quick! I finished it in an evening.

Very pleased with the result, which can be worn around the neck:

or shoulders:

Slip-Stitch Cowl

This is exactly what I had in mind when I picked up the yarn at Stitches West! I found the Post & Rail Cowl on Cascade Yarn's website, but it was for a heavier weight yarn. So I made a couple of modifications - gauge and circumference. The wider cowl can be worn long or wrapped twice.

The Cormo Sport from Sincere Sheep is lovely and soft, with a crispness that is reminiscent of silk. Can't wait to wear this!

Wrapped Twice

Textured Cowl

I picked up two balls of Lang Space last November especially to make a cowl. I chose this textured pattern. The yarn is a fluffy wool blend over a metallic core, so I hoped that the cables would stand out through the fuzziness.

I'm pleased with the way it turned out, although it is fairly large in diameter and height. It could be a poncho for a small framed person.

Cowl as Swatch

I've gone back to buying a skein here, ball there of yarn that looks interesting. It's a try before I commit to a large quantity of yarn after a couple of missteps. The problem is that I don't want to just knit a swatch, I'd rather make something useful. Which leads back to...what can you make with one ball of yarn?
Anyway, I picked up a ball of Rowan's Lenpur Linen because I liked the color and I love linen. It's not the easiest fiber to knit with, but it makes a beautiful fabric. Lenpur Linen is mostly rayon with 25% linen. It's soft and has a little sheen. I decided to make the Spiral Cowl because it was possible it might only take one ball of yarn. Well, it needed more. So I used Aslan Trends Glaciar Del Cielo because it is similar in weight and texture. Glaciar Del Cielo is 100% cotton, so it doesn't have the same sheen as the linen, and didn't soften up quite as much, but it blends nicely.

The cowl looked odd while I was working on it because of the contrast between the dark and light green, but on the model it takes on a different look. It's like two different cowls depending on whether you wear it with the lighter color on top or the darker color on top. It's more of a fashion accessory rather than something that would keep your neck warm.

Easy Bulky Cowl

Cowl, originally uploaded by toadncat.

I picked up this yarn (Nashua Handknits Sitar) on our trip to Ventura because its colors reminded me of the ocean and islands we had visited. I've been wanting a loose cowl to wear tucked inside the neck of a jacket or coat that I could pin up the excess. Sitar reminds me of CPY Musique in texture and sheen. I’ll have to take a look and compare.

Love the way the colors worked in this cowl! The yarn is very soft and I look forward to wearing it.