Thursday, December 19, 2013

two winter yarns

I'm joining Ginny again for yarnalong. I've begun knitting a cowl for myself, just because it's a good way to use up some Wool Ease Chunky - I don't know if I'll even like it. We'll see. I'm using the Simple Ribbed Cowl pattern here on Ravelry



I have issues with using circular needles - it feels like my gauge is loose when I use them, at least at the beginning of the work until I get going. So it was fortuitous that when I decided to make this, I didn't have any size thirteen circulars and had to go with the elevens.

My book is one of Anne Perry's annual Christmas mysteries, A Christmas Odyssey, from three years ago. These are always enjoyable and there are about a dozen by now, and can be read in any order since they're not a series.

9 comments:

  1. Such a lovely photo - and I love the color of your yarn!

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  2. I think I read this a few years ago, I can't remember though. I love Christmas books,and the cover looks familiar!
    Goodluck with your cowl, I can't wait to see the results.

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  3. What a lovely warm colour you have for this cowl, I think the secret to a good useful cowl is that it is soft and drapey so it doesn't annoy you by being bulky around your neck but still covers to keep you warm and toasty .You will have this finished in no time and will be so cosy when you have to be out in the cold.
    I find the Bamboo circs to be a little less slippery than the metals, but it just takes a bit of getting used to .
    I have set a challenge for myself and a friend who has just retired, we have to find a woollen garment in a charity shop, undo it, wash the wool and reknit into something new, then we swap the finished item. I want to make one of those long shrugs from Lion Yarns free patterns, so I will probably need 2 sweaters.

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    1. What a challenge for you, Margaret! I will be very interested in how things progress for you. I've heard of people unravelling sweaters, but haven't tried it myself.

      I agree with you about the metal circulars; these are plastic of some kind.

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    2. It has taken me best part of the afternoon to unpick a sleevless vest, as there were no knots for the endings or sewing together, just yarn woven in and out and around, so well it was allmost invisable, for about 4 inches. It won't take long at all to undo the knitted part except the casting off row, as it is a bit rubbed from wear or washing, the rest just undoes very quickly.
      When I get back from the markets this morning I will wind the yarn around a chair back and fasten the skiens ready to wash.
      The yarn is a lovely pale silvery grey, so now I will be on the lookout for another garment in a good colour to go with this, wonder how long that will take ? lucky pale grey is pretty easy to go with other colours.

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    3. Oh, so you will wash the skein - that's interesting. It wouldn't have been easier to wash the vest, and then unpick? Sounds extremely tedious, Margaret - I give you credit!

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    4. It is MUCH easier to wash the garment but that just makes it clean, washing the unraveled yarn in skiens, will relax the yarn and take out the kinks from being knitted, so you end up with new looking yarn, to use again.
      Yes it is a tedious job but it saves heaps of money, good woollen yarn is quite expensive, enough to do a big shawl type shrug would be about $80 -$100, not my budget these days. and recycling anything is a good idea.

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    5. That's very interesting. You make it sound doable. :D

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  4. That color makes me think of autumn and the inside of a pumpkin. :)
    Sometimes I have to finish a project before I really love it. Here is hoping you love your cowl when you're done!

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