White Herring For a Not So White New Year
January 3rd, 2012 § 2 Comments
Our adorable little Christmas tree finally came down yesterday. Sadly, it is time to say goodbye to the holiday’s and 2011, but I am very excited about moving into 2012, as I know that there are my exciting first and huge milestones in my future. I will also add that I really regret not posting more in 2011, but I feel like some large obstacles got in my way, which I will work to overcome 2012, and I look forward to posting a lot more in the upcoming spring.
To play a little catch-up, I have finally been able to get to some knitting, and I decided that a few fun, little projects were in order. After seeing the pattern for the Big Herringbone Cowl by Purl Soho over a year ago, and deciding I needed to have one then, I made a quick trip to San Francisco to buy some new yarn—like I needed more—to get me excited and get me knitting. This project took just under a week, and was a really, really great one. I would totally do it again.
I have never worked with needles so large, and it was fun to watch the work go so quickly. I’d tried this pattern once before, but the wrong yarn and impatience lead to disappointment, and eventual frogging. This second time around, I was much, much happier.
I was hoping to get this done before our annual ski trip, and while I succeeded in doing so, the ski trip did not happen due to lack of snow. As it has been “cold” for California over the past few days, I’ve worn it out every day since I finished it, though the warmth of the wool suppresses the need for a jacket.
Many other folks completed this pattern with two skeins of Malabrigo Merino Worsted. When I selected yarn I went with this, but choose Natural for the color. I felt that with such a complex and beautiful stitch pattern, I wanted yarn that wouldn’t overpower the natural texture. I am very, very happy with my choice, and it looks much prettier knit than it does in the hank, or wound into a ball. It would have been so pretty in the snow, and I am bummed that I couldn’t take pictures of it out with the white dusted pine-trees.
My Notes:
- I used long-tail cast on, and CO 220 on US 17 needles. I have practiced this stitch before, and I am able to knit it loosely enough to not make the yarn and stitches bind up on the left needle, and still have a clean and even looking stitch.
- Really great project that went along quite quickly. However, I must admit that I am REALLY disappointing with how the Bind-Off edge looks. After all that work, being careful not to make mistakes, this particular bind-off looks unprofessional and uneven. I haven’t had this problem ever before with a BO, but the “Herringbone” version, as described in the pattern is what I used. Next time I’d go with something else.
- I counted my rows carefully, and not including the CO row, I knit through 18.5 rows with the first skein of yarn. I completed a total of 36 rows in the herringbone pattern, followed by the CO row, and had very little yarn left over. Maybe 10 yards. Definitely got into the rhythm of the stitch pattern in by the second skein.
- Finished measurement before blocking: 50” in circumference, 10.5” wide.
- Finished measurement after blocking: 62” circumference, 12” wide.
It is beautiful I love the color. Great job!
This is one of my favorite cowls and I love that you knitted yours in white. I agree that a neutral tone really shows up the stitch. Beautiful job!