Mother Nature keeps teasing us with warmth and sunshine, and then retreats for a day or two. This has advantages. The flowering season is prolonged and it's still quite comfy to be knitting with wool and wearing some wool layers, too.
I've just completed another of my tubular fair isle patterned cowls. This one was knit with a selection of DK yarns on a 3.75 mm circular needle.
For the borders between the diagonal bits I used a duo of fingering weight yarns. One was black shetland and the other was a ruby red tweed yarn. I think this blending helps soften the line, while still giving some definition.
In order to complete this cowl, I finally mastered a grafting technique known as the Kitchener stitch.
I'm left-handed, but do my knitting in the same direction as right-handed folks do. My crocheting is done in a left-handed way, opposite to what you see in crocheting instruction books. Kitchener stitch instructions I've seen over the years in books and videos also seemed geared to right-handed persons.
I just could not get my mind wrapped around the technique. And then, yesterday, I found that I could. I am thankful to the Kitchener instructions given in Elizabeth Lovick's wonderful book, The Magic of Shetland Lace Knitting.
It took a little while to join the ends of my tube but as you can see in the above photo, my cowl is complete, and I do like the way it drapes.
I will soon be adding this item to my Foakley Arts etsy.com shop.
Now I am finishing up another fair isle scarf, and beginning a lacy triangle scarf using very fine yarn. As I work on these two projects, I am also getting some ideas about another design which will allow me to practice that no longer elusive Kitchener stitch.
Many thanks to you all for your visits and comments. It is pleasure to hear from you all and to welcome new visitors.
Hi Frances,
ReplyDeleteYou continue to amaze me with your knitting! Even when I did knit I could never do what you are doing - so I'm very impressed. Keep doing what you are doing - its just beautiful and great.
Sounds like we have a similar spring here in London - a few days of sunshine and then cold again and so it goes on and on....
Have a fantastic week!
xoxo Ingrid
Frances, that is superb!
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely Frances. You have mastered the technique beautifully.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful Frances and looks so cosy.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! I love the colours and intricate patterning of this. It would also be perfect for the weather we're having here in the UK - still plenty of scarf days!
ReplyDeleteLove Fairisle and am in awe at your prowess. I used to knit when I was in my twenties (had a flat-mate who was a fashion student specialising in knitwear and she taught me) but I never mastered changing colour and could never make up the things I made (turned to my grandmother, a wondrous knitter, for that). So your post brought back a slew of memories. :) xxx
ReplyDeleteFrances, I am in awe at you knitting skills. I love the idea of a cowl as an alternative to a scarf. The colours you have selected are well chosen, you have an artist's eye. x
ReplyDeleteHello Frances,
ReplyDeleteYour cowl looks absolutely fabulous. The colour blends are so interesting and they come together beautifully. How you have managed this, we have no idea as we are complete incompetents when it comes to knitting, but we have huge admiration for your talent.
We are experiencing taciturn weather here too in Budapest and so having something like your cosy cowl to snuggle into when venturing outdoors would be great. A winner!
I hope you soon have warm Spring weather so there is no need to wear your cowl until the Autumn. Our weather is also teasing us with cool windy days and a threat of rain... just a threat, or a drizzle, never really enough to water the plants!
ReplyDeleteAnd the evenings are still chilly - perfect knitting temperature xx
That is just beautiful,I admire your patience. It would be perfect for the chilly days we are still having here in the West of Ireland.
ReplyDeleteThe cowl is bliss - but a bit depressing that it is still cool enough here to wear it this season!
ReplyDeleteDear Frances, the cowl is so fluffy, cosy and beautiful! I'm not surprised that you can wear it now, although officially it's springtime! Here this year's spring behaves strangely, too: warm blankets, long sleeves, rain, thunder and hail... But the sun seems to gain and we are expecting nearly summer temperatures the next week.:)
ReplyDeleteI suppose you are feeling proud and contented with what you've learnt in knitting!
I love your cowl.I am like you,left handed.I knit the same way as right handers but crochet left handed-just like you.I have to do Kitchener stitch with my right hand .Very tricky.I use it for finishing off socks which is a small number of stitches but couldn't contemplate doing a large number right handed.At long last some crochet magazines are also including instructions for left handers-long overdue.One of my granddaughters is left handed so I will be able to help her to learn to crochet when she is old enough!
ReplyDeleteYour knitting skills are amazing, Frances! The cowl looks beautiful, and is wonderful being worn and softly draped....such lovely work!
ReplyDeleteHelen xox
Gorgeous cowl - such wonderful colours - lots of interest there.
ReplyDeleteI quite like doing Kitchener stitch - but have to really concentrate and keep counting to make sure i get the sequence right!
Stunning! Love it!!
ReplyDelete–Cassandra
Beautiful work. I just love the way grafting works out. Glad you were able to figure it out. Enjoy the spring.
ReplyDeletebeautiful knitting frances, such a lovely cowl. oh dear left handedness, it's so good you were able to sort that out. kitchener is always shown right handed now that i think of it. when i do it it helps me to chant (knit slip purl, purl slip knit...) a sort of rhythm develops. i just bought elizabeth's book! it's a treasure. i'm looking forward to seeing what lacy beautiful thing you will make next.
ReplyDeletep.s. hannah flew home today :( bathing suit going back in the cupboard, not for long though, your weather is bound to warm up soon!
Such beautiful work! Love the colors!
ReplyDeleteThese cowls are beautiful. Golly, how you must be working.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at your talent and the beauty of your designs. Like Of Spring and Summer (I just noticed) you never cease to amaze me with your knitting. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all...thank you for your always so sweet comments on my blog Frances!
ReplyDeleteYou are so good at knitting,I´m impressed, really!
We have a lovely springtime here on the island...warm and sunny, I spend so much time in the garden and it´s lovely!
Love,
Titti
Spring has well and truly arrived on the west coast and thoughts of cowls and scarves had been put away until I saw your post. I love what you've done - the best combination of colour and cosy!
ReplyDeleteIt looks so warm!
ReplyDeleteLiz Lovick is one of the Tell Them Of Us film team and it's been a privilege to get to know her a little, such a talented lady.
Hi Frances - just wanted to say I picked up your comment on my blog about Ray & Dave Davies. Sadly I've never met them and probably never will now but if I do I'll be sure to remember! By the way - Love your knitting!
ReplyDelete