THIS beast:
pattern: Mobius Cowl --you might have to sign up to get at these free patterns, but it's supposed to look like this:
yarn: Patons Classic Wool Roving in "Natural" (well, I think...the yarn was given to me sans labels so I'm not totally sure--there's the possibility this could also be Bernat Roving)
needles: 9mm
I suppose it actually seems vaguely passable in that top photo. But the reality is that "getting my head through it" does not a wearable cowl make.
You know, for all the times that I've mistakenly twisted my stitches while knitting in the round (and subsequently mistakenly knit a moebius) I could not for the life of me get my head around twisting the stitches on purpose.
I must have watched half a dozen youtube tutorials on how to knit a Moebius (as well as read some non video tutorials) --and believe me, the instructions are different everywhere. I mean the instructions on this pattern simply state "twist the stitches" but it's pretty easy to over-think something so simple I'd say. "Twist it all the way around?", "Loop my needle backwards?" etc. I finally just kind of pushed them up a bit and then plunged ahead, but really it's amazing how you find yourself "compensating" for a twisted stitch without even realizing it. I think it is just ingrained in me now to at least TRY not to make a mistake.
Content that I had finally done right it really wasn't until I was casting off that I reflected "wait a minute..." and realized I'd twisted the stitches twice. Ugh (blissfully this was a fast knit at least).
Laid flat it looks more like diaper than a cowl!:
D'OH! Still, as you can tell in the first picture I was able to at least put it on and get a feel for how it would look if I'd managed to do it right. And that was basically enough for me to realize that I won't bother knitting it again. I'm just too short for a cowl this size I'd venture and it totally swallowed me up.
Plus, I have already re-appropriated said yarn for a scarf that I am much happier with (but I have yet to take photos of it so that will have to wait).
I had forgotten all about the satisfying joy of knitting with big yarn and needles...nothing like a chunky knit to make you feel more accomplished.
And speaking of fast knits, I also had one ball of Twinkle soft chunky languishing in the stash. It has seen several incarnations --a couple different hats if memory serves, but I finally just pulled it all apart and whipped up a simple seed stitch cowl.
I knit this ages ago but loathed the colour of it.
yes, a leeetle too bright for me!
But I finally got around to tweaking the colour a bit and am much happier with it now.
I didn't put too much thought into it, but happened to have some Grey dye kicking around the house, so that's what I went with. It was just enough to take the edge off that harsh raspberry.
Love it, though I think it's destined for the gift box...
As I type this I have two MORE cowls in the works.
I loves me a good cowl!
8 comments:
The best way to knit a moebius is to use a moebius cast on. Which breaks your brain to begin with but is easy to knit after that.
I have no luck with chunky cowls; mine end up sitting stifly away from my neck, leaving both a gaping hole through the wind whips and me feeling like a chump. So I admire your pluck, as well as the dye job. Way to turn lemons into lemonaid!
so pretty!! the grey overdye does a great job of muting the colour.
good call on the gray dye - the second cowl is great! And yep, from the photo, the first one doesn't seem to be the fail you say. But I know the power of a good photo... lessons learned!
The grey mellowed out that color very nicely. It looks great now.
I feel like that pattern was a fail for me too! Just a little too giant. I also re-started about 3 times thinking I twisted it wrong. It turns out it's not a "true" mobius, just a twist. Whatevs, I never liked math. Oh, and for the record, it's classic wool roving!
P.S. - Awesome work with the dye! The colour has so much more depth now. Noice!
oooo! I love the new color! And it looks fantastic on you.
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