Cowl knitting

I have a new favourite knitting stitch - the slip stitch honeycomb. I had never heard of it before, but being in a hurry to whip up a cowl with a gifting deadline on the horizon, it's a cracker. Every second row you skip every second stitch, so those rows go past pretty quickly. Such a simple stitch to make such a nice pattern.

Fresh off the needles, I'm assuming the stitches would even out a bit more after blocking

This was my first attempt on circular needles, and a cowl seemed a safe item to learn on as tension isn't so crucial. I haven't been able to knit with standard needles since a knitting blitz leading up to Christmas which flared up an old Carpel Tunnel injury, and my left hand goes completely numb after about two rows. Was interesting to see that the pins and needles didn't appear at all using the circulars - possibly because I could hold them in a more relaxed position closer to my lap. (When I knit on standard needles the right one is tucked under my arm and the left works around it, this means that arm is much higher and twists more. I might be looking for more circular needle patterns!)

After three false starts the Honey cowl, a free Ravelry pattern by Madelinetosh, whipped up in one afternoon and following evening. Alas after completing though, turns out this version is just false start number four. I started over as the first attempt cast on was uneven - I'm still learning to cast on using the finger method, second attempt; I ran out of 'tail end' yarn when casting on, refer still learning finger cast on! Attempt three; on reaching the end of the first ball of wool I realised I didn't have enough yarn to make the length I had started and changed to the short length.

The final size looks fine until you put it on, this yarn (Sirdar Flirt) is so deliciously soft that it just slumps down like a weird looking knitted necklace instead of a cowl. It needs to be remade either double the length or double the height to gain enough body. Unfortunately I only have two balls, so the search is on to find two more balls of the same dyelot!

Back to the stash and back on the needles, that gifting deadline is getting closer!

If you happen to have two balls of Flirt, colour 218 dyelot 10817 in your stash that you're willing to sell, I'd love to hear from you. Then with the knitting Gods on my side, mine might look like Madelinetosh's

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/m-a-d-e-l-i-n-e-t-o-s-h

 

 

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