cowling

Maybe you heard me on Brenda Dayne's podcast Cast-On ? She, swoon, did a beautiful review of Shear Spirit, with live readings, an interview, and music. We're about 1/4 of the way into the podcast. Try to ignore the contrast between Brenda's smooth as silk voice, and my nasal natter. (I even uptalked? What's with that?). If you've never listened to her before, download a bunch of back episodes, too, and enjoy.

The ZigZag Cowl modeled by Rebecca at SnB last night. Maddeningly, I'd grabbed my strobe (flash) along with a battery pack that was drained of power- and in the most unprofessional way had no back up. That's the deal with being professional- knowing how to solve your problems. You just don't say "I didn't have enough light" . grrr. I didn't have enough light!

So here she was willingly posing looking gorgeous at our local faux french sandwich chain, the best knitwear model I've had in ages, I mean, she knows what goes into the knits and look at the wonderful stockings and outfit she had on- and there I was doing a Rumplestiltskin imitation stamping my clogged feet in frustration and sputtering after 2 exposures by the tea display.
This is a gift for an entirely dfferent Rebecca, who is in Vermont and needs the warm.I made it long enough to pull up over her head as a hood in the snow.

yarn: Mountain Mohair by Green Mountain Spinnery, 2 skeins
needles: size 8us (I knit loose, you might use size 9us)
finished size: 24" around x 18" long
modifications: to accomodate the yarn & size I worked the pattern in 88 stitches.
notes: My first picot! A reversible stitch pattern might be better for a cowl of this length since you want to roll it down on itself around the neck, but I was assured by the SnB my panel of experts that it looks good as is, the picot gives it a nice finished edge. Super warm in this yarn, not for you southerners or indoor wear.
And: if I was knitting a scarf, it'd be about 1/4 the number of stitches wide, and let's say I'd want 70" long...I'd be doing about the same number of stitches as here, right? 88 x 18" = 22 x 72" but somehow the cowl feels like a way quicker knit-- even with 88 stitches of picot on each end. Maybe its the round & round ness of it all.

I'm well into the gift knitting- and if you are related to me stop reading now!

I'd picked up this skein of Solana from Brooks Farm, the colorway screamed my sister's name. I was planning a scarf -- the Just Enough Ruffles - but when here for Thanksgiving , she tried on my Aibhlinn and asked if I might make one for her next year. She thought I'd completed my gift knitting already...yeah. right?!--I happily switched gears,this satisfies my recent passion for cowl knitting and bobble making. What's with me? Picots and bobbles?Next I'll be sticking pom-poms and fringey things on sweaters, watch out.

Anyway, the Solana is a superwash even though it doesn't feel like it, and is a dream to knit, so this was whipping along until I put a crimp into my style.
Literally. Defying all odds, the tip of a needle sticking out of my bag got caught in the whatsit thingy that makes the screen door not slam as I passed by, pleating it. Quick click over to Knitpicks , new size 8 tips are on their way. Its amazing how a small dent can slow down the yarn. on. every. stitch.

More gifts to come. I must be feeling the pressure, I'm queuing patterns like this now.