Calla Lily Cowl

Calla Lily Cowl
My three-year-old's opinion of the piece?  "It looks like a funny one!"

Ah, where to begin with this one!  Well, for starters, I've been lusting after this yarn for months now; it's hard to tell from this picture, but it has a slight metallic edge to it that makes it super fancy/sparkly/delicious.  When I finally bought it, however, I struggled a little with how to use it.  Since it's a cotton base, it's a bit dense and heavy, and I wanted to come up with a pattern that would show its prettiness without bogging down.  I also hate finishing, so I wanted to make it a one-piece knit.  Originally, I had planned to make a cabled necklace-type thing out of it, but after I began, I realized that my initial design wouldn't show the yarn off the way I wanted it to.  Which is when I decided to open it up.  Ultimately, the design reminds me of a calla lily more than anything (obviously, from the name!), and it's a nice, not-too-warm way to keep wearing your knit goods into the spring and summer.  This pattern also has very pretty dimensionality, as you can see from the photo at the bottom of the pattern.

Oh, and before I forget - I recommend reading this pattern all the way through before you begin, since there are multiple pattern changes, as well as the initial increases and the finishing decreases.

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Sunseeker (47% Cotton, 48% Acrylic, 5% Metallic Yarn; 237 yards [217 meters]/100 grams); #10 Blue Turquoise - just one skein needed.

Needles: One set of double pointed needles in size 4, and a straight or circular needle in size 4 if you so desire (for when you're done knitting in the round)


I don't know why I take pictures of the balls. 
I guess I like to.

Notions: Tapestry needle, 7/16" button, large darning needle, depending on button hole side

Gauge: 24 stitches = 4 inches

So let's get started!  To begin, cast on 3 stitches and divide evenly between 3 double pointed-needles, join in round.  By convention, we're going to call the needle with the first stitch dpn 1, the needle with the second stitch dpn 2, and the needle with the third stitch dpn 3.

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: * kfb; rep from * (6 stitches)

Row 3: Knit

Row 4: * kfb, k1 * (9 stitches)

Twisted Check Hat

Twisted Check Hat

First things first: I know I show this hat on my little lady friend here, but I actually knit it for my husband.  Who looks pretty good in it.  But when I tried to get him to pose for the pictures, he refused to do anything but make weird faces and quips about being a Top Model.  So... little lady friend it is.  Besides that, it's a little difficult to tell from the pictures, but the way this yarn is variegated made cool zig-zags in the pattern.  Or in other words, it's a good, basic unisex hat.  I also suspect I could make two hats out of my one ball of yarn, but I have too many other projects to complete before I test that hypothesis ("Buddy, what's a hypothesis?" "It's an idea you can test!" - Dinosaur Train).  Where was I again?  Oh yeah, the hat.

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Pacific (40% Superwash Merino Wool, 60% Acrylic; 213 yards [195 meters]/100 grams); #500 Duo Tone - just one skein needed.

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size 8, one set double-pointed needles, also in size 8

Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches

Cast on 96 stitches, place marker, join in round

Knit in k1, p1 ribbing for 1.5"

The body of this hat is worked in Twisted Check Pattern, which you can find on page 117 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

Rows 1 & 2: Knit

Gathered Mesh Cowl

Gathered Mesh Cowl

So here's the thing.  When I started knitting this piece, I intended to do it differently.  First, I was going to knit it in Star Rib Mesh, from page 196 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, which includes a direction to "slip 2 knitwise" (and even includes a special instruction on why you really, really need to slip 2 TOGETHER knitwise to accomplish the look).  Of course, I didn't do this.  I slipped one stitch knitwise, then slipped the second stitch knitwise, which creates an entirely different effect.  Then, of course, I liked it.  And decided to gather it.  Which resulted in the following.

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Sateen (100% Acrylic; 300.7 yards [275 meters]/100 grams); #24 Orange Poppy - another one skein masterpiece.

Once again, the kid wanted to help. 
Of course, he still refused to smile.

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 4

Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, one 5/8" button

Gauge: 24 stitches = 4 inches

Cast on 180 stitches, place marker, join in round.  Knit two rows in seed stitch, or in other words:

First row of seed stitch: k1, p1 around

2nd row: p1, k1 around

Now it's time for the main pattern!

Row 1: * yo, (sl 1 knitwise, sl 1 knitwise - k1 - p2sso), yo, k1; rep from *