New Stitch Cowl

~Ever since Curls and I saw the Linen Stitch Scarf by Churchmouse, I’ve wanted to try the stitch. Finished Object Friday: Linen Scarf and Pretti-Cozy by Curls shows the wonderful scarf she made using the stitch. I have found the stitch does have other names. Anyway. When browsing yarns for my b-i-l’s Canadian Hat, I saw a scrumptiously colored yarn Boboli by Berroco knew it would be perfect for knitting a Linen-Stitch Cowl for my s-i-l. I did not want to make a long scarf, so I decided a cowl would fit the bill. This was the knitting project I brought to Montreal. When we were out and about driving in the beautiful country-side, I was assigned the job of navigator and missed a couple of turns because I was so busy knitting. Oops. I’m usually an awesome navigator and have a wonderful sense of direction, my reputation is now suffering.

Working on Linen Stitch Cowl

Finished Linen Stitch Cowl

B-i-l modeling hat and s-i-l modeling Linen Stitch Cowl

Linen Stitch Cowl

Materials
US 8 circular – I used a 16 inch, this pattern is knit in the round. You could use double points if you like them better.
Yarn: Worsted weight, 200 yards
1 stitch marker

wyif = with yarn held in front

Cowl
Cast On: 120 stitches, I always use the Old Norwegian Cast on method which gives the edge a bit of a stretch.

Join the row, making sure not to twist stitches at join. Place marker before the first stitch.

Knit for three rows then start the pattern:

Repeat this pattern until cowl is 8″ wide:

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: *P1, sl1 wyif*

Row 3: Knit

Row 4: *Sl1 wyif, P1*

After the width is 8″ end with: Knit 3 rows and bind off.

For binding off I always use Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretch Bind-off.

Finishing: weave in ends.

This cowl could also be folded up and “pinned” giving a more “formal” look.

Finished Object Friday: Linen Scarf and Pretti-Cozy

~I really enjoyed knitting this new-to-me stitch, the Linen Stitch, even though it took fifteen minutes to knit one row of the scarf. The yarn was from “Three Irish Girls.” I love the look it gives to the scarf. The pattern is from Churchmouse Yarn and Tea. It is an easy stitch to learn and to knit. Look at the beautiful drape.  I am going to love wearing my new scarf.  The linen stitch is quite simple: Row 1: k1, sl1wyif (slip 1 stitch knitwise with yarn in front) Row 2: p1, sli1wyib (slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in back) 😎

Curl’s Linen Stitch Scarf

~I’m an iced tea drinker: rain, shine, or snow. Walking across the parking lot in 45 degree weather with iced tea in hand I admit, my hand was REALLY cold. Time to knit an iced tea cup cozy. While checking out Pinterest I saw the perfect cup cozy, Pretti-Cozy a free pattern on Ravelry designed by Mimie Wong. It’s a very quick knit and uses scrap yarn. Ok, Curls was visiting Wednesday, so I gave it to her. That’s her Iced-Americana-Decaf-With-Cream cup which is modeling the cozy. Time to whip up another one.

Q’s Pretti-Cozy

To see other wonderful finished object this Friday, check out Tami’s Amis FO Friday.

What’s With Yesterday? And, Lovely Linen Stitch

~Yesterday were the stars and sun in the wrong alignment or what? There was something wrong with the communication gadgets I needed:

1. Ok, I was able to capture a great picture of Lady Violet for the blog. Was I able to upload the picture? Um, that would be NO. I gave up after a few hours, Barb and I had big plans! Last night it worked just fine? Testing me?
2. Around 9 p.m. decided it was time to try the upload again, now the entire blog I’d written was gone. Was I in the mood to be quite that loquacious again? Um, no. Short but sweet post. 😎
3. The texts kept rolling in that it was my turn to play in Word With Friends. Slight problem, click on the link, game would not load. I’d either get an error message or that blasted circle just kept turning, turning, turning….. Tried to play using my iPhone, no go! It finally loaded around 10 p.m. last night right before I retired for the night. Nancy, my daughter’s m-i-l, said she couldn’t get to the game either. Good thing or I’d believe that some electronic hex was thrown at my gadgets! You’d think that three strikes and I’m out, but noooooooo. It continues!
4. While sitting at The Office, aka Starbucks, I heard this music coming from my purse. Odd. It wasn’t the phone ringing and I hadn’t used the phone since early a.m. Ah, the sounds of Celtic music was blaring from my phone. Now, I had downloaded that tune as a podcast months ago and only played it once. Looking at the phone, the podcast was not on and the podcast app wasn’t showing up anyway. Is my phone possessed? Has someone hacked into my phone. What the heck? There wasn’t any way to turn the song off so I shut down the phone. Please explain. It wasn’t a pocket play since the podcast screen is quite a few “pages” back, and my phone was on the home screen. Hacker? And last, but not least…
5. Using her phone, Barb took pictures of the lovely linen stitch we learned yesterday, since mine was turned off due to being possessed, and sent them to me. But…… one picture is totally grainy making it unusable and the other picture arrived with a big question mark icon. Even though I checked the pictures this a.m. that oddity goes towards weird yesterday!

The fun part of yesterday is that Curls and I got together! That always makes for a great day! Although it was technically my turn to go up to her house she lives in the mountains and it was WAY to cold, let’s stick with the 50’s down here in the Flatlands. Also, a trip to our favorite spots was in order since it has been MONTHS! After coffee and sharing magazines, projects, new life stories, etc with scrap, practice yarns, needles and linen stitch pattern in hand off we went!

1. We had lunch at our favorite Golden Bagel, super yum Santa Fe Chicken melt.
2. Joann’s was the next stop with flyer and coupons! Also, Simplicity patterns for $.99. Now they are not my favorite pattern company since they often tend to have an “unfinished” quality; neck edges and arm holes turned down instead of lined, etc. But at that price! Barb had to hold me back, there is the coolest printed burlap! I want, I want, but Barb reminded me of our “used up the stash” vow which meant that we could only purchase supplies needed to do a project. Fusible fleece is on sale right now for 50% off. The fleece is needed for bags we’re making so it’s on the “OK to buy” list. We used our 50% off coupon to purchase needle felting tools. I have a small one, so I bought the large one, Barb bought a multi-sized one. Gotta love the coupons. Barb said her son, Chris, went to Joann’s to purchase some Halloween costume fabric in October and the clerk was dumb-founded that he didn’t have a 40% off coupon!
3. At last, The Office. We tried to sit outside but the wind chill made it too cold. Dummy brain, I forgot to bring a jacket and put on my beret. I’d even worn my lavender top so I could use the beautiful, woven shawl Barb gave me for Christmas. So we sat inside. (Side note: I was so happy to see my ex-student Timmy who works there. He is presently singing in the choir of the San Diego Opera. A wonderful, young man) Hurray! Two of the comfortable chairs were available with a table between, how perfect! We quickly found that there are two rows to the linen stitch which are repeated until either the width or length of scarf is reached.

Linen Stitch

Linen Stitch. Q = left; Curls = right

Cast on an even number of stitches. You can either knit a long horizontal scarf by casting on a few hundred stitches, or cast on a shorter amount and knit until scarf is length your desire. For our practice we cast on 20 stitches.

These are the two rows: this really is a modified stockinette stitch. p = purl, yb = yarn back, sl1 = slip one stitch, yf = yarn front

Row 1: *p1, yb, sl1, yb*

Row 2: ” k1, yf, sl1, yb*

We found that with this stitch the fabric is stretch width-wise but not length-wise making this a good stitch for a cuff or edging to a sweater. Curls continued knitting using the same yarn so you could get the effect of the stitch. A perfect stash buster! After the first row of purl, knit two rows of one yarn, then the next two of a different yarn, etc for the entire scarf. If knitting a narrow scarf carry the yarns up the side, if knitting a long, horizontal scarf use the ends as fringe. If you’re so busy talking that you didn’t notice that an odd number was cast on (way to go Q), the pattern won’t work! I was using US 6 bamboo needles and horrid acrylic yarn and had a heck of a time knitting so I totally recommend metal needles and better yarn!

If you try this stitch, please share with us. Curls doesn’t have as many WIP’s as I, so she’ll get her scarf on the needles before I. I have finished: a hat, a pair of socks, and a pair of beaded cuffs so far this year! Hurray! The hat and cuffs were WIP’s from previous years so kudos to me! 😎 Now get out there and create!

Ok, today is a different day and it’s Spinning Class! Hurray. Has to be less electronically weird that yesterday.

 

What To Do?

– I have been thinking and thinking what to do for my new knitting technique and new project for 2012. As I was inventorying my yarn stash, I finally figured what I was going to do.

For a new stitching technique, I decided to learn the linen look. I chose the Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf Pattern from Churchmouse Yarn & Tea. Q and I saw this scarf in Idaho, on our trip last Feburary. While inventorying my stash, I found this yarn which I fell in love with at the Three Irish Girls yarn store in Carmel store last  September. This is the perfect yarn for the pattern.

So now the what was the major project to do? I really want to make a sweater. This is the perfect choice.

Fo the last year, I’ve been using the Michael’s 40% off coupons to purchase Lion’s Brand Yarn’s Fisherman’s yarn. I am going to make “Melbourne” in the Elsebeth Lavold’s designer’s choice book twentyone. This sweater was on display at the Black Sheep Yarn store in Encinitas, CA, I tried it on and Q said it looked stunning on me. I’d been looking for the perfect sweater pattern and this is just what I wanted.

I am looking forward to starting these new projects. 🙂

3KCBWDAY6 Knitting’s in Our Genes

 ~Neither Barb nor I would pass up a knitting pattern we liked that was listed as “Advanced”.  As a pack to ourselves this year, each joint project that we do is specifically to learn a new technique – that is new to both of us.  Doing the Norwegian Star slippers, we learned twined knitting.  Looking inside of the slipper you can see how twined knitting looks.  See that there are not any “carry along” strings.  Each stitch gets twined or twisted before it is knit.

Our next project that we hope to start this week, is two color brioche knitting.  We already have our two balls of variegated yarn.

We’ve chosen different color ways.  Curls loves the harvest palette and I love the winter palette.  If you are interested in learning how to knit brioche, join us!  We’re still deciding between a couple of patterns.  Barbara has knitted a type of brioche, the Fisherman’s Rib.  You can see that in her scarf from the other day.  She has not knitted the regular brioche, nor the two color; so this makes it a new technique for her.  Let us know if you’d like to join in and we’ll let you know which pattern.

Two future projects are a linen stitch scarf and socks.  We’ve knit our share of booties, but not socks.  I did start one, but it was a BORING pattern so off the needles it came.  As we see new techniques, they’ll be added to the projects we must do.

So, beyond beginner knitting, a few skill sets we already have, are: lace, cable, enterlac, twined, dropped stitch, cross-over stitches, beaded, Fair Isle, and whatever I can’t think of. Lol!  Our mom is/was a wonderful knitter and so it’s in the genes!  At 90, she says she just isn’t interested in knitting anymore.  I keep offering to send needles and yarn. lol!