Tag Archives: cowl

Inspiration: On the road again

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I’m on the road again.  Somewhere between the Shell gas station and the Wendy’s on the side of the freeway.  I’m having a great time hanging out with my extended family and I’m getting tons of time for knitting. Win-win!

I can’t stop at any yarn stores (which is probably good, since my suitcase is already full), but all the hours in the car have made me think about all the other road trip knitting I could be doing.

This beanie is just too perfect for words, after all it’s a “Road Trip Hat.”  I love the interesting, minimalist use of cables  I could see this becoming a favorite for years and years.

Road Trip Hat by Emily Williams

Roadtrip-cover-rev-600px_medium[1]Of course, my perennial favorite, the Hitchhiker Shawl, would be perfect for knitting on a road trip.  A simple, easily memorized pattern and acres and acres of garter.  I can’t think of a more perfect pattern to work on while staring out the window, watching the scenery go by.

Hitchhiker by Martina BehmCIMG7885And, if you’re looking for something a little more practical… maybe a pair of driving gloves?  You could wear them to keep your hands warm while the A/C is blasting.

Men’s Driving Gloves or Fingerless Gloves by Tara Smolinski

IMG_0163_medium2[1]But, really, if you want the perfect road trip project, it doesn’t get any better than this adorable road cowl.  Cute!

Road Trip Cowl by Ping Woodvalleypat550.550.zoom.1_medium[1]What do you work on when you go on a road trip?

Pattern: Snoqualmie Cowl

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New pattern day!  I’m excited about this one. (Though, I suppose I’m always excited about a new pattern.)

It’s a super simple cabled cowl in the most luxurious yarn have left in your stash.  (I don’t know about you, but I have a bunch of little balls of bulky wool and alpaca that I can’t bring myself to throw away.)OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERACovered in tons of simple cables, the Snoqualmie Cowl looks way more complicated than it is.  It’s a great way to practice cable knitting and play with colors.  And because it’s knit in super-thick yarn on great big needles, it works up in about fifteen minutes (OK, that’s an exaggeration, but it does go really fast)!OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIf you want to give this cowl a shot, grab a copy of the free pattern here:

Snoqualmie Cowl

Inspiration: All at Sea

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So! My soda saga keeps going.  I sat down to start prising off the keys from my keyboard (to get the dried soda out from underneath them.  (A task I’ve done on many other laptop keyboards without problems, I might add.  (And don’t give me that look.  Like you’ve never spilled anything on a keyboard.))

And do you know what was the first thing I did?  I broke one of my keys.  I bet you will be able to figure it out- it’s a letter that I haven’t typed in this entire post (other than the pattern names), and it’s a letter that is useful when talking about knitwear.

Hint 1: It’s the first letter of this lovely knit garment- a loose and lovely sweater split down the front (it’s not a pullover, it’s a ________).

caramel by Isabell KraemerP1060509_medium2[1]Hint 2:  This final outerwear layer isn’t a sweater, it’s a big, bulky __________.

Big Old Coat by Joji Locatelli5H2A9740_medium2[1]Hint 3:  And this bright and happy tube of knitting isn’t a shawl or a wrap, it’s a ________.

3 Color Cashmere Cowl by Joji Locatelli003_medium2[1]Did you figure out what letter is missing from my keyboard?  It’s the one that follows B in the alphabet.  It also turns out to be a very useful letter when talking about shades and hues of yarn (_olors) and various knitted garments (_ardigans, _oats, and _owls).  Sigh.

Unfortunately, without this letter, if I work up any of these patterns I won’t be able to write about them on my blog!  Oh no!

(Or, I suppose I might go visit the laptop store and see if they are able to fix my keyboard…  But that would make a lot of sense.  Ugh!)

 

(OK, real talk time.  I’m being a little dramatic. I actually can use the ‘c’ key, but only about half the time. But it is frustrating, because I know exactly what happened (I broke off a tiny little piece of plastic).  And, once I make it to the computer store, I bet they’ll be able to fix it.  Keep your fingers crossed!)

Inspiration: Lopez Island

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This weekend, my husband, my pup and I went on an impromptu trip up to the islands, and it was amazing!

We visited Lopez Island, which sounds like it should be in the Carribean, off the coast of Mexico, but is actually a tiny farming and fishing community in the Straight of Juan de Fuca, north of the Olympic Peninsula and just south of Canada.

11855703_10105373881011190_512339032138616691_n[1]We took the ferry early Saturday morning and got thoroughly windblown.

11892211_10105373886694800_5031709288030769796_n[1]But I think Ollie enjoyed himself.  So many new smells for him to sniff!  He’s actually still recovering.

11899871_10105373918605850_8950944109210116740_n[1]We hiked along beaches and clambered over rocks.  We saw seals and schools of tiny silver fish and jumping Pink Salmon.

It was a lovely break from the city.  Cool, overcast and perfect PNW weather.

It makes me want to get out my needles and make some island-appropriate gear for when I move up to the islands.   Which definitely is going to happen.  Someday.

Island Wools Swirl Hat by Julie Packard

swirlhat_medium2[1]Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho6235518543_46ba4d5d58_z[1]Fiona Coat by Justyna Lorkowska

Swans Island yarn Fair Isle hand knits

Where is your favorite place to visit on a day trip?

Help me! I think I have a problem!

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And that problem is that I’m now obsessed with lace shawls.  I can’t stop looking at patterns.  I’ve even gone digging through my stash and found a bunch of yarn I could use .

Sock yarn!

I’ve been collecting sock yarn over the years, and I have a big box of it next to my desk.  Sometimes I open it up and dig around in it just for fun.  But now I think I want to make a lace shawl with some of my sock yarn (despite having absolutely zero time for “fun” knitting right now.)

So here’s your task: talk me out of knitting one of these shawls.

I love the garter stitch body on this one, with the big openwork edge and the chunky braided cable.  Gorgeous and elegant!  Look at those huge eyelets along the edge!  So pretty!

French Cancan by Mademoiselle C

DSC_8833_medium2[1]I love this one, too.  It’s not exactly lace-y, but it is completely beautiful.  And I could use up a bunch of little skeins of leftover yarn to make the gradient stripes!

Song of the Sea by Louise Zass-Bangham

DSC_6050_-_Version_2_medium[1]And how great would this one look with a soft gray garter stitch panel and deep burgundy or forest green for the lace edging?  *Drool.*

Henslowe by Beth Kling

IMG_1366Or, of course, I could (should) just keep on working on the projects I’ve already committed to.  But where’s the fun in that?

Linen Stitch!

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Lately, I’ve been feeling some knitting wanderlust.   You know that feeling- when you’re just not content working on any of the projects on your needles.  I’ll do a couple rows on my husband’s sweater.  A few stitches on a pair of socks that have been languishing since December.  I’ll make something tiny and silly.

But, sometimes you just need to go digging through your stash of patterns and leftover yarn and start something new.

linen_JJF_0108_medium[1]I found my copy of this pattern (the Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas).  It’s been on my to-knit list for years.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the beautiful multi-hued yarn it calls for.  But, I do have a bunch of little scraps of pretty Patton’s worsted wool.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASo far so good!  I love the way the colors get blended together. It’s funny, how such disparate colors end up looking so nice together (there’s no logical reason that neon green and bright orange should look good together).

And, I have totally fallen in love with the linen stitch.  For whatever reason, this stitch is scratching my knitting itch.  I love anything that uses slipped stitches, and changing color every row keeps me entertained.

Want to try the linen stitch yourself?  Think about one of these fabulous patterns:

This over-sized cowl lives somewhere between cozy and classy.  I love it!

honey cowl by Antonia Shankland

honey2_medium2[1]

I don’t think I’d actually wear this jacket, but I’d love to make it.  It looks like so much fun!

Linen Stitch Jacket by Doreen L. Marquart

039_medium2[1]This little draw-string bag is so cute!  I bet you could find a million things to do with it!  And, what a great way to use up little bits of leftover yarn.

Little Linen Stitch Bag by Cindy Walker

 

 

Linen_Stitch_Bag_medium2[1]What would you use the linen stitch for?

Inspiration: Bulky, Bulky Pins

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As I mentioned on Friday, I’ve started Pinning (Pinteresting? Someone tell me what the proper word is!).  And, well, I can see it becoming something of a problem.  I’ve been spending way more time than I probably should poking around Pinterest and looking at all the beautiful things that I will never have time to make.

(Also, sometimes I like to look at the Everything tab.  It’s about 15% hair tutorials and makeup tips, 30% extra-calorie cheesecake recipes, 25% diet salads that “Actually taste good!,” 15% workout routines, 5% inspirational quotes, and 10% stuff I’m actually interested in.  Point in case, I just spent 20 minutes looking at “Super Simple Manicure Ideas.”  Why?  Because they were there.)

Anyway, I looked over my pin boards (is that what they’re called?)  and I found a trend in some of the knitting I’ve been pinning:  Super bulky stuff.

This scarf/shawl/shoulder blanket is part of the new Ferragamo Men’s collection, and was shown in Milan (so you know it’s chic).  I’d wear one, even though I’m not a dude.  It looks like a great long swath of stockinette, maybe knit in the round, so that there isn’t a “bad side.”

628x471And I just love this fantastically chunky Brioche Cowl from Diane L. Augustin.  Aren’t those colors to die for?  I would like to just wrap myself up in a cocoon made from this.IMG_4128_50_medium2[1]If we’re talking about chunky knitting, you can’t get much chunkier than this amazing arm-knit blanket.  It’s of super-thick yarn, but you could use slightly felted wool roving, if you wanted.  Using arm-knitting for this project is really smart; that way, you don’t have to worry abut finding knitting needles two inches in diameter.Untitled-3-copy-1024x854Well, now I’m off to dream of Pinterest and spend more time looking at a particularly interesting list of “the 52 easiest DIYs.”

Inspiration: Thanksgiving

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Happy Thanksgiving, Americans!  (And Happy Thursday, everyone else!)

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is one of my all-time favorite things to do.  There’s something about spending hours planning, shopping and scheduling that makes the run-up to Thanksgiving especially great.  And, nothing beats spending the day chopping vegetables, stirring pots, and smelling all those wonderful Thanksgiving kitchen smells with your friends and family.  I’m drooling in anticipation already (which is a gross image, so sorry!)

When I think of Thanksgiving food, I think of home-y, cozy dishes, made with a special twist.  Food that is comforting (and comfortable), but fancied-up a little bit.  Which, incidentally, is exactly how I like my knitting, too.  Simple, comfy, and just a little fancy.

Let’s share a buffet of Thanksgiving-inspired knitwear, all worked in my favorite comfy, yet fancy fiber, alpaca.

This hat has a gorgeous, squishy texture, but is simple enough for even the pickiest of hat-wearers.

Graham by Jennifer Adams

IMG_8516_medium2[1]I just love patterns with great big swathes of interesting texture.

Big Herringbone Cowl by Purl Soho

herringbone-cowl-flat-425_medium[1]The cables, openwork, and shaping on this sweater make it seem challenging and modern, yet I think it would become an instant classic in any wardrobe.

Aurys by Svetlana Volkova

IMG_3020_medium2[1]

Inspiration: Knitting in Fall

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The temperature has finally settled in the low 60s, the mushrooms are sprouting on anything that stands still for more than a minute, and the fog has descended.  It is officially fall in Seattle.  I know that makes fall sound less than fun, but I absolutely love autumn in the Pacific Northwest (maybe I’m a masochist. You be the judge).  There’s something incredibly cozy and comfortable about getting up in the morning and putting on a flannel shirt or a fluffy sweater, drinking your cup of coffee and seeing nothing but gray mist outside your window.

(Interestingly, though, it’s almost impossible to take a good photo of fog.  So, instead of making you look at the crappy ones I took, I will steal one from the internet.  But, really, this is what my street has looked like every morning this week.  Except, my street has more houses.)b0a416d5ce158c4654afa438dc27868e[1]It makes me want to curl up with a mug of hot cider, Jazz music on the radio, a fire in the fireplace, and a knitting project that uses massively bulky yarn.

We could start small(ish) with a cowl so thick and cozy you could burrow into it and practically turn into a (very warm) tortoise.

The Gathering by Kalurah

DSC_2956_medium2[1]I can only imagine how quickly this gorgeous sweater would fly off the needles.  Do you think I could finish it by this evening?  It’s supposed to drop into the 50s tonight.

The Big Cable by Justyna Lorkowska

bigC3_medium2[1]Or I could just give up on any pretext of leaving the house for the next six months and hunker down under this (perfectly named) blanket.

A Blanket For Seriously Cold People by Sylvia Bo Bilvia

6443776281_f97d115886_z[1]All this talk of super-plush projects has gotten me in a very cozy mood.  There’s only one thing I can do now… I’m off to go put on as many scarves, sweaters and slippers as I can find, and bake myself a pumpkin pie.  Happy Fall, everyone!

Know Your Neck Warmers

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It may seem odd, but did you know that spring is the perfect time of year for scarves, shawls and neck-warming devices of all kinds?  They add just enough warmth to a light spring jacket that you can stand to wait at the chilly bus stop in the morning.  And, when it warms up in the afternoon, you can just shove your scarf into your bag for the commute home.

But the question remains, what kind of neck-warming device is right for you?

Perhaps a scarf is best for you?  Scarves are… scarves.  I don’t think I really have to define them.  Long, skinny, warm.  They are usually worked in thicker yarn and a denser stitch pattern than stoles or shawls

Noro Striped Scarf by Jared Flood

475926102_16053747ec_z[1]Of course, scarves are traditionally rectangular, but sometimes scarves can get a little crazy, like this one:

Wingspan by maylin Tri’Coterie Designs

2012-03-03_01_Wingspan_medium2[1]Shawls, on the other hand, tend to be lacy or light in some way.  They are knit into interesting shapes, most traditional shawls are triangles or half-circles (although you can find shawls in almost any shape).

Haruni by Emily Ross

Haruni-0001-ps_medium[1]Citron by Hilary Smith Callis

4185481652_ce7acd1bc1_z[1]Hitchhiker by Martina Behm

CIMG7960When a shawl and a scarf get mixed together, you can end up with a stole.  Stoles aren’t as common as the other two, but they are still totally gorgeous and practical.  They are essentially just a super-wide scarf (upwards of 12 inches across), but they’re usually very delicate and fancy, often knit with lace and beads.  A stole is the perfect choice to be worn with a fancy ball gown or to a wedding.

Seascape Stole by Kieran Foley

2518633229_a7e2951036_z[1]As fancy as a stole is, a cowl is completely functional.  It’s a tube of fabric that you slip over your head.  Imagine it as a scarf without ends to tuck into your collar, or a turtleneck without the sweater.  Super comfy cozy, and perfect for those times you don’t want to mess with getting the ends of your scarf tangled.

Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho

6235518543_46ba4d5d58_z[1]What kind of neck warmer is your favorite?