Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Sea & Shore Cowl

Sea & Shore Cowl

When I first started knitting this piece, it seemed very timely; the tulips were starting to bloom, and the weather was finally heating up. I even took the flannel sheets off my bed. Of course, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so now it's freaking snowing. Before I start complaining about the cold spring, however, I should mention some important stuff - mainly, that this cowl is worked in two colors of sock weight yarn on size US 5 needles to give it extra airiness. Because the warm weather will arrive eventually, right?

Yarn: Schachenmayr Original Egypto Cotton (100% Cotton; 197 yards [180 meters]/50 grams); #00174 Leaf Green - one skein (color A) and #00166 Mint - one skein (color B)

A close up of the piece
Needles: One 24" circular needle in size US 5

Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers

Gauge: 30 stitches = 4 inches on size 2 needles 

So let's do this thing! First, then, using your color A yarn, cast on 183 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit a couple of set-up rows, as follows:

Set-up Row 1: using color A, p16, place marker, p152 (or until there are 15 stitches left in round), place marker, and purl until end of round

Set-up Row 2: using color A, knit, slipping extra markers when you reach them

And once these two set-up rows are completed, we'll proceed as follows:

Row 1: using color B, * k1, slip 1 stitch with yarn in back (wyib); rep from * until you reach first marker, slip marker, k1, * yo, k2tog * until you're 1 stitch before second marker, k1, slip marker, slip 1 wyib, * k1, slip 1 wyib * until end of round

Row 2: using color B, * k1, slip 1 wyib; rep from * until you reach first marker, slip marker, p1, * p2tog, yo * until you're 1 stitch before second marker, p1, slip marker, slip 1 wyib, * k1, slip 1 wyib * until end of round

Row 3: using color A, * slip 1 wyib, k1; rep from * until you reach first marker, slip marker, k1, * yo, k2tog * until you're 1 stitch before second marker, k1, slip marker, k1, * slip 1 wyib, k1 * until end of round

Row 4: using color A, * slip 1 wyib, k1; rep from * until you reach first marker, slip marker, p1, * p2tog, yo * until you're 1 stitch before second marker, p1, slip marker, k1 * slip 1 wyib, k1 * until end of round

Knit rows 1 - 4 until piece is roughly 7" wide in the mesh section and you've just finished row 2 of the pattern (yes, it will be much narrower in the slipped stitch portion) (oh, and yes - this would look nice wider too). Clip your color B yarn tail, since you're done with it, and then knit the following final row:

Final Row: using color A, knit, removing extra markers when you reach them

Bind off loosely, purling rather than knitting. Tuck in ends and block.




10 comments:

  1. Very nice. How much of each color's skein did you use?

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    1. Hello there!

      Of course I don't know for sure, but I think about 125 yards of each color, more or less. You can always work this pattern to suit your yarn amount too (as in stop when you run out!). :)

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  2. Spring? This week we have had our share of sunshine and very warm temperatures, then turned to rain, thunderstorms, hail and snow at the end of the week. Green is the perfect color for spring. How's your baby, today. Wishing you a grumpy free day.

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    1. Thank you! So far he seems to be doing a bit better. The older boys brought home a cold/fever combo, and I think it's finally just catching up to him. Hopefully it passes quickly!!!! :)

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    2. That is going around here too. Hope it bypasses you.

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    3. Thank you! And I hope the same for you.

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  3. It is chilly here today! Around 50 - and windy - but no snow (yet) - LOL! We did get hail the other day though!! This cowl is so pretty! I have some sock yarn that didn't work out for another project. So this one would be ideal for it!

    Linda in VA

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    1. Hi Linda!

      Glad to hear you have the right yarn for the job! :) And it is about fifty here today, too, but it's been in the low forties the rest of the week. And we had snow twice! Ugh. I am so ready to send the kids outside without jackets!!!

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  4. Hi Gretchen I think this is really pretty , how would you knit it as a scarf though :-)

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    1. Hi Kim!

      It would be very easy to adapt this into a scarf. First, you'd have to decide if you wanted the stripes to run along the length of the scarf (more like the cowl - long stripes, you know), or along the width of the scarf. Then you'd need to decide what edging you'd like - if you have lengthwise stripes, your edging would be at the ends of the scarf, whereas if you had widthwise stripes, your edging would be at both edges of the scarf. Anyway, I would suggest a basic garter, ribbing, or seed stitch edging. If you let me know which you prefer, and how you'd like your stripes to run, I can help you out with a pattern! :)

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