Saturday 19 January 2019

Winter Chills and Spills

Hi my loves,

    A conversation started while test knitting the Fereday Shawl by Petra Breakstone at a women's meeting on a Sunday afternoon.

Potential customer (PC):  Can you make the scarf that goes over your head and hugs your neck?
Me: Oh, a cowl, sure I can.
PC: It's for my grandson who is 2.
Me: ok. no problem.
PC: I'm going to need another for my granddaughter.  She's older so you can make the one that wraps around.
 Me: Sure thing. (all while thinking, here's a chance to really test your skills, Melissa)

My potential customer informed me her grandbabies live abroad (yes, yes, hoot, hoot, my work will be taking a trip, before I do)

No colour scheme provided, no delivery time but I was so excited I went home, search my stash and started thinking of what design should I use.  Should I search the numerous saved patterns I have, should I search Google, YouTube, Ravelry etc, then the thought came, why not make your own pattern.  I decided on the yarn I was going to use, and being that I have never actually made a child size cowl before, I reference YouTube and some patterns I had to assist with sizing.

I have been crocheting for over 20 years but took up knitting over a year ago (and fell in love), so when the option presented itself I decided I was going to knit my very own cowl.  I went for something simple, I cast on the number of stitches needed, did a bit of calculating to ensure my cables (yes I did say cables, and yes I said something simple) would be equally spaced.   To make it more interesting I chose 3 colours, army green, yellow and blue.

After finding my rhythm, in no time my cowl was completed. I felt like a child on Christmas day, sure its just a simple cowl, but I knitted it, without a pattern from someone else.  This was mine.



I now have the tasked of designing the little girls scarf.  I chose a skein of Red Heart super saver stripes.  I needed a nice pattern so decided to scout YouTube, still in the hopes of making my own design.  I stumbled on one of my subscriptions (Knitting Stitch Patterns), I browsed their catalogue and the Flame Chevron spoke to me "pick me, pick me", and so I did.

 


The video was watched and found to be doable.  I cast on the number of stitches needed for the width I wanted and just like that, knitting had started.  I worked on my scarf and within a day or two, it was completed.

Here it is on the blocking board.

I love the way it turned out and those colour changes.... wow.  There was only one issue I found after completing this scarf.  It rolls a lot (note to self....... do maybe a garter stitch edge).  With both projects completed, it's photo time.  My baby agreed to be my model.

"Peek a boo"

"my neck is so warm"

"I know my hair is a mess, but my mommy made a pretty scarf"

To be continued........

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