a perfect day- before you know, it's gone

The hardest part about this time of year is that I can't blog about anything I'm currently knitting...just things I have knitted. The months before Christmas are always dedicated to gift knitting, sometimes extending precariously late into Christmas Eve. (I really hope that's not the scenario this year...I've employed all my planning skills to avoid this.) The upside is, though, that I get to post about the above-mentioned gifts as soon as they are given!

Instead, you get a project that was actually finished way back in September. This is the Twin Cowl, so named as a joke (you know who you are) and because you can make two cowls (at least) out of the yarn. I used Rowan Big Wool because I wanted something nice, and the minute I saw the colors I knew they were perfect for what (and who) I had in mind.

Here's how you do it:

-Get a bunch of chunky yarn. The bigger the better! I used five colors, but you could use less.

-Get the biggest needles you can find.

-Cast on an odd number of stitches...on size 17 needles, I used 51 stitches. You want it to be about 20" wide (in rib), so make sure you have enough.

-Work in K1, P1 ribbing for 3" or so.

-Change color. Work 3", still in ribbing.

-Repeat above as many times as you want the cowl to be long. By the above calculations, mine's about 15" long, which gives you plenty of space for scrunchy, funky, snuggly, and fashionable impact.

-Cast off in ribbing.

You could knit this in the round if you felt so inclined, but I didn't have circular needles (at least size 17s) that were short enough. I kind of liked the idea of seaming it, though...but do what you'd prefer.

Also notable: the blog will hopefully return to more regular posting. I know I've promised this before and it's fine if you don't believe me, but I graduate in less than a month and all the big projects are behind me! Now I just need to learn how to find a happy balance between knitting and making oboe reeds...

c'mon look me in the eye

Over the summer I had an idea for a neckwarmer (why I think of these things in the 90-degree heat I do not know). It was during the period that Kniterary Club was meeting, so I had time to mull over yarn combinations, buttons, and the like. I came up with a very autumnal color set, but never started the actual knitting. (I guess the weather- and more pressing projects- got some sense through my head.)

Now the cool weather's here to stay, and with all the trees changing and a chilly breeze blowing around, I really want this neckwarmer to be done. Sitting right next to me is the ball of brown yarn, and the moment I'm done typing I will begin knitting! Hopefully my concept will become reality...I want a ruffled button band ornamented with flowers in yellow silk and leaves out of Ultra Alpaca Fine (as above, and below). I feel very Project-Runway-esque, except on a much smaller scale and with lots more time. Besides, I don't think Michael Kors or Nina Garcia will be critiquing my look....

A clearer picture below:

Are those buttons not fabulous?

tah-dah!

So our first meeting of KNITERARY CLUB was last Sunday and we're meeting again this weekend (you should come, it's at Old Village Yarn Shop in Plymouth). We talked a little about basic knitting skills you should have/know and books that are helpful to have if you're a self-taught and/or adventurous knitter. My favorites are The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns and both the Knitter's and Crocheter's Companion. I just think it's really important to have a go-to reference so that when (as inevitably happens) you're stuck on something at midnight and can't ask for help...you have something to turn to. After that, we knitted and talked about...knitting! I started playing around with Louisa Harding's yarns (sooooo pretty, all of them) and embarked on my newest design:

This is knit using Louisa Harding's Thalia...a really cool wool/acrylic ribbon with a tiny hint of metallic thread. I began randomly alternating between garter stitch and stockinette...which worked until I got halfway through and realized that I only wanted it to be MOSTLY random but mirror itself from the halfway point...which, naturally, I hadn't written down! So that was annoying. But I knit obsessively for basically a whole afternoon/evening and it was done the next day!

If you want to know where I got the idea...I reluctantly admit that I watch MTV while knitting and was fascinated with a neckwarmer that Chris Brown wore in his video for "Head of My Class". Plus those kids are amazing dancers.