22.12.10

Chunky Cowl - How To Knit it!

 Isn't this cowl cute? Big chunky cowls and infinity scarves have been SO popular lately, that I really wanted to knit up my own version of one. 
Being that this cowl is knit straight, like one big very long scarf, and then seamed up the short ends, it is super simple to knit. This makes for a fast and gratifying knitting project, and it's perfect for those last minute gifts you still have to give. 
You could knit one of these up in about 3 hours or less, so you could definitely turn at least one cowl out before Christmas morning on Saturday!
On to the tutorial...
I should say that this pattern is not really completely mine. I modified a stitch pattern that I found on this Norwegian knitting site, Pickles. The original scarf, called an Icelandic Sunrise Shawl has increases built in to make a triangular scarf. I simply modified the stitch pattern so that the stitches wouldn't increase. 
The pattern was just too interesting to not use! The way the pattern is knit feels a little wrong to a seasoned knitter, like you're doing something wrong, but trust me, it's worth it in the end!
The pattern has a 2 row repeat, so it's super simple to remember. 


To make the cowl I knitted, you will need:
9mm or size 13 Straight knitting needles
2 skeins of of super bulky wight yarn


Note: For the cowl I'm wearing in the above pictures I used Rowan Big Wool Fusion in shade 06. 
This is discontinued now unfortunately, but you can still find some colors online.
Regular big wool is still available through Rowan Yarns, and #061 concrete is the closet color match.
For the rust colored cowl in the tutorial, I am using Cascade Yarns Lana Grande in color 6029.
Both yarns have about 87 yards in each ball.

The right side of the knitted fabric will look like this. See the loops that stretch across the bias?
The wrong side of the fabric is equally interesting and looks like this.
Because the loops are on the bias, the knitting will make a slight curve.
This will become helpful once you seam your cowl, so you get a nice drape. 
Right side curve.
Okay. Cast on. You will need to Cast on a multiple of 4 stitches.
Both cowls I made used 16 stitches.
The first row pattern is as follows.
Knit one, yarn over (YO) with 2 wraps.
Do this until you reach the last stitch. Just knit the very last stitch. You don't need to YO after it.
This is what your right needle will look like after you have knit 16 stitches with double wrap YO's in between.
Now comes the confusing part where you will think you are messing up.
You need 4 stitches to work with. So take your right needle and slip the first knit stitch on it purl wise.
Now release both wraps of the YO. Just let them fall. Things will not unravel. Just trust me for a second, okay?
Slip 3 more of the knit stitches purl wise on to the right needle, releasing the YO wraps until you have a total of 4 big lonely stitches sitting on your right needle. Put those 4 stitches back on to your left needle, because now we are going to work with them.
The four stitches should look like the 4 above, big and LOOSE!
Never fear. Now you are ready to knit the second row of the pattern.
Row 2: Insert your right needle through all 4 stitches, as if you were to knit them all together.
Make a knit stitch, but DO NOT slip the 4 stitches off the left needle.
So, this picture shows me making the first knit stitch.
There it is, a knit stitch with the 4 live stitches still on my left needle.
Now wrap the yarn tail in front and get ready to make a purl stitch.
Ppurl into the 4 stitches, as if to purl all four stitches together.
Again, DO NOT slip the 4 big stitches off the left needle yet.
Now knit once more through the 4 stitches.
And purl once more.
Now that you have 4 stitches on the right needle, you can slip the 4 big loopy stitches you just knit and purled through off the left needle.
Now repeat the releasing of the yarn overs to get your next 4 active stitches. You will do this 3 more times if you are knitting with 16 stitches, as I am above. You will create 4 little clusters of looped bumps.
Remember, you just want to pick up the knit stitches to work, the YO's just make slack between the stitches to make the bumps on the front of the work.

So, in review
Row 1: *Knit 1, YO with 2 wraps*. Do not YO after last Knit stitch.
Row 2: *Slip 4 stitches purl wise onto right needle, releasing YO between each Knit stitch.
K1, P1, K1, P1 through all 4 stitches.*

13.12.10

Snake Cables!

I've been knitting a lot lately. It's cold, so I guess it seems like a natural inclination.
I have a big cowl in the works, since I've been seeing fluffy knit cowls all over. 
I also knit Colin a hat, which I shared here before.

My latest finished project if this hat I knit for myself. 
It's the same yarn as Colin's hat, just in a lighter colorway. This is Brae Tweed #810 in Lichen.
I really like this yarn. It's merino and donegal wool, baby llama and bamboo. So it's fluffy, but has a nice drape.
My hat was knit with a pattern from tiny owl knits, called the Parseltongue hat
The cables look like snakes!
Snakes!

I bought the pattern on ravelry, and the only adjustment I made to the hat was to knit the band at the bottom of the hat about 2" wide rather than 1" like the pattern suggests. 
The pattern knitted up really well. The tiny owl instructions are written very well. 
The only awkwardness I ran into is that I used smaller needles than she suggested to get the gauge right. 
I used size 7's, but apparently other people on ravelry use 9's or 10's to get the proper gauge. Do I just knit really tight fabric?

It snowed last night, so I'll need a hat to keep my head toasty.
Especially with a high temperature today of 28 degrees!

I finished the couch upholstery and throw cushions today, pictures tomorrow when there is daylight!

8.12.10


Favorite Christmas song. Which is saying a lot, because I don't particularly like Christmas music.