Kent's Craft

Ever since I bought the pumpkin colored Cashmere (from the last post) and picked up some Kidsilk Haze, I’ve been searching like crazy for the perfect cowl pattern…

Searching for something that would:

Comfortably stretch over my head

Cover the back of my neck

Fit comfortably around a collared shirt

Retain its shape and structure

I found the Purl Bee’s Cashmere Cowl, a great design based on the simplest of elements - just 1x1 ribbing knit into a stretchy tube.

At first, I tried this pattern and was happy with the results - happy how stretchy the fabric was. But after knitting a few inches, I found that I wanted more stability in the fabric - more structure.


Utilizing the archives (all the ancient notes I had from a Lily Chin class in 2001 on reversible cables), I decided to employ the lessons learned 'way back when'....

I started with the basic Cashmere Cowl recipe, but then added substance with a simple reversible honeycomb cable. It was compact, simple, and didn’t require a large expanse of stitches to be crossed at the same time (this could restrict the ‘stretchiness’ of the cowl).


Since cables and 1x1 ribbing can really bunch up on the needles, Lily suggested going up to a larger needle size. I used size 6 circs for the 1x1 borders and size 8 for the honeycomb texture.



In order to add capacity for stretch, I began the cowl with the tubular cast on and then finished with a matching sewn bind off.



To frame the honeycomb and conserve yarn, I decided to knit the 1½ inch border of 1x1 ribbing before cabling.

When transitioning from 1x1 ribbing (or Stockinette) to a cabled fabric, it’s a good idea to increase the stitch count - keeping the width of the fabric intact. Otherwise, the fabric will pull in and distort.


I added about 20% or an additional 24 stitches before cabling, raising the stitch count to 144. The increases were made right into the portion of the cable that was passed to the back of the work (into the stitches that were placed on the cable needle and held behind the fabric).

I continued to knit 144sts in the reversible honeycomb pattern until I was satisfied with the length of the tube (9.5" in length).

Finally, I decreased out the 24sts on the last cable crossing (taking away the additional 20% from the cable segments that were held in back) and finished with another 1½ inch of 1x1 ribbed border (11" total length X 11" width folded).



Amazingly, this project only took 1 ball of Kidsilk Haze. If you had 2 in your stash, you could modify the pattern to make it both wider and longer:

Add more columns of reversible honeycomb for additional width

Add length, creating enough fabric to pull up & over your head (for a hood)

As some folks know, Kidsilk is EVIL to rip! I did most of my swatching for this project in some friendly sportweight Merino. It allowed me to see what was happening with the cables and let me practice the tubular cast on before starting this project.

Unfortunately, the wool didn’t have the same 'light and airy' feel as the Mohair. Instead it was rigid, lacked drape, and felt like a wall of fabric around your neck (maybe a wall isn’t so great for your neck, but it would be perfect for the cuff of a sock).


It's versatile :)

Since it's fully reversible, you can 'turn down the heat' by folding it in half. Or, you can turn it up and wear it fully extended (all the way up to your ears if you want).


Is the color overpowering?

It needs to be!

It's just the right shade of crazy to turn the dull days of Winter right again.


By the way...

For the first time, I am planning to attend the Men’s Fall 09 Knitting Retreat!

I just couldn’t pass up this opportunity to go, since it’s very close to my home (about 10 minutes away) and because James is coming all the way from New Zealand to attend :)

Hope to see you there in a couple of weeks!

~

Since Gary took his mom to San Diego for Mother’s Day, I had the whole weekend free to plan adventures.

So, I decided to spend Saturday with my best knitting friend Jennifer! Jennifer and I met a little while back on Ravelry and ever since she moved from California, we’ve been spending time together:

Knitting

Planning projects

Shopping

Going to Japanese Restaurants

Discussing (yarn, patterns, tea, food, fashion, knitting culture, pets...)

We planned an all day knitting extravaganza, including exotic shopping destinations.

Since the weather was absolute perfection that day (except for the wind that continued to wreak havoc on hairstyles), we decided to traverse the beautiful blue-green waters of Puget Sound and visit Churchmouse Yarns & Teas.

We had to wait a few minutes to board the ferry, so Jennifer broke out her beautiful mohair dress and started knitting in the terminal:


And I took a couple random photos:



After climbing aboard, we headed right upstairs for the best seats on the vessel – the sun drenched / salt-spray-infused fresh air deck.

Just like a mini knitting vacation / cruise, we worked on our tans and our knitting:



It’s the only time I wish that the trip was longer, it took us a mere 30 minutes to arrive at the Bainbridge Island terminal.

After calling the yarn shop and getting our bearings in town:


We walked down the main drag Winslow Way and grabbed a bite to eat at the cash only Blackbird bakery (I know it’s a small island, but really, a busy bakery in the middle of town that DOESN’T take a frickin’ credit card? Hello!)

I devoured both a fresh lemon curd & delicious quiche (with an amazing buttery crust) while Jennifer had the richest - most substantial chocolate truffle cake I’ve sampled in a long while (it was too rich for her to finish, it was like gorging yourself with fistfuls of truffles) To quench our thirsts, we both ordered the nettle-infused lemonade.

Right around the corner from the bakery, in a perfectly landscaped shopping ‘alcove’, we found the quaint entrance to Churchmouse:


As I entered the store, I was taken aback by the variety of yarn – yarn that I actually wanted to possess and beautiful displays throughout. There were generous cabinets overflowing with Habu Textiles, Rowan, Socks that Rock, Blue Sky Alpacas, Plucky Knitter, Malabrigo - the list goes on & on:


I’ve been to lots of stores, but none have had this level of selection and have taken the time to display the products so perfectly. Each area was lit from above with a beam of white halogen - all carefully placed above the hand knit samples and artfully styled yarn, resting inside or above the clean white cabinets:




Are you like me? Do you get inspired to buy yarn after seeing it knit up into a something tangible - something in which you can get a real sense of the drape, weight, texture or ‘hand’ of the fabric? Someone smart picked all the right projects to display as samples; a generous assortment of scarves, Habu jackets & satchels, COCO Knits & Rowan Kidsilk Haze sweaters, Plucky Knitter cashmere accessories, etcetera:



It’s not too often that you walk right into a store and feel so welcome – instantly at home. The staff was so friendly and helpful, especially John (don’t let his stern posture fool you, this guy is really friendly):


Plus, they we’re fine with me taking a million pictures of everything and everyone. Try and imagine me, running around the store, in all directions pointing a large camera, “Click…....Click…....Click” and “click-click-click-click (rapid fire shutter clicks!)” I’m sure they thought I was a tad odd or queer (Jennifer likes that word – she’s queer like that):


This is a knitting class in progress:


Patrons relaxing in the cozy armchairs:

~

All in all, it was an amazing trip that I will never forget!

In order to immortalize the day, capture the moment - remember our trip forever, we made yarn purchases!

This is a cuddly / warm colored cashmere that’s going to become a Purl Bee cowl (Jennifer also got 2 skeins of the 2 Ply Plucky Knitter cashmere in a vibrant green, to make a scarf with):


And, 2 more skeins of Alchemy Haiku in 'India' so that I can make a really giant scarf or a couple stockinette cowls (isn’t India a beautifully diverse & magic colorway?):



Cute knitting button:

~

By now, you’re probably asking me where all the knitting is?

I’ve finished my green Elsbeth Lavold Torgier sweater, but I'm still waiting on just the right photo opportunity to take pictures for you (perhaps I can get Gary to model it for me, now that we are the same size!)

The EZ Saddle Shoulder Aran Cardigan is about to be blocked, that’s after I finish about 6 more rows of garter stitch border and then complete the attached I-cord all around the edges (that might take another week.)

If you haven’t seen Gary’s scarf yet, here it is (it’s my re-interpretation of the Labyrinth Scarf from Knitter’s magazine):



This is Gary modeling it with his favorite jacket:


Thanks for continuing to visit me here, even after the incredibly long absence!

Until next time!

Yes...

Seeking the path of perfection can lead you right into a trap.

I'm sure you know what I mean...

I've been trapped trying to complete my cardigan over and over again - that certain brown Aran that refuses to be completed (3 seems to be a magic number for this sweater - 3 times reworking the arms, 3 times reworking the shoulders AND NOW the third reworking of the border).

Someday, I will live that dream and complete - no - conquer it!

Someday…

~

Instead of talking about my someday and chasing that illusive joy, I wanted to post about a more accessible kind of joy - the joy that is attained by just the right combination of elements...

A brilliantly designed hat paired with the warmth and softness of Merino & Alpaca:


And the excitement that comes with completing a small project - that 'charge' of instant gratification:


This project is exactly what I needed to refresh my spirits again.

I can't tell you how wonderful it was to work on something that I didn't want to re-design or alter. In fact, I didn't feel the need to change anything. The Habitat pattern is perfection from beginning to end (well written, easy to follow, beautiful charts / fonts / photography & presentation).

And if you happened to be stuck in a difficult knitting 'patch' or dilemma like me, I would prescribe this pattern as the antidote immediately!

However, I did change something minor - the recommended needle size for both the cast on and ribbing. Since I chose a yarn that was an alpaca / merino blend and not 100% wool, I wanted to ensure the ribbing was going to have enough memory (I cast on with size 6 DPNS and went down to size 4s for the ribbing).

What more can I say?

I love the style of this hat, how it fits perfectly in all the right places and the luxurious warmth it's going to provide in the dead of Winter:

~

In case anyone was wondering where I've been all these months or how I spent my Summer, I've been going to the gym with Gary non-stop, trying to get back into shape.

Ever since we moved to Seattle many years ago, the pounds having just been piling & piling on. I'm not sure if it's the weather that caused it (that perfect nesting weather that makes you want to eat lots of comfort food, cuddle up on the sofa with your knitting and fall deeply into hibernation)?

Hopefully you can forgive my blog absence. I haven't had as much time to knit, blog or fuss with the camera as I would have liked. I'm just happy to complete a small project and share it with you.

I guess it's back to that cardigan border for me :) :(