Harpswell Inn Cowl

This cowl fits closely around the neck and is a really warm cowl. If you want it looser, you can make more squares or use a larger needle. Have fun! 

HARPSWELL INN COWL

(designed and knit at the Harpswell Inn Knitting Weekend, 2017)

1 skein Lamb’s Pride Worsted (MC)
1 skein Gina by Plymouth (CC)
(Two worsted weights, about 175 yards of MC and about 70 yards of CC)

Size 7 double pointed needles

16” size 7 circular needle  

Tapestry needle

OPTIONAL -- stitch markers, if you use a circular needle or two for Magic Loop method or two circulars method instead of using double pointed needles

Gauge: one square = 3.75 inches square

The cowl is made by knitting 2 tiers of 6 squares, each tier off-set by half a square to provide visual interest.

FIRST SQUARE:

With MC, cast on 60 sts on 4 needles (15 sts on each needle) OR divided into 4 sections with stitch markers and join into a round without twisting.
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: *Ssk, knit to last 2 sts on the needle/before the st marker, k2tog.* around. (13 sts per needle/marker section, 52 sts in the square)
Round 3: Purl.
Round 4: *Ssk, knit to last 2 sts on the needle/before the st marker, k2tog.* around. (11 sts per needle/marker section, 44 sts in the square)
Round 5: Purl
Round 6: *Ssk, knit to last 2 sts on the needle/before the st marker, k2tog.* around. (9 sts per needle/marker section, 36 sts in the square)
Round 7: Purl
Round 8: Knit

Cut yarn; attach CC.

Round 9: *Ssk, knit to last 2 sts on the needle/before the st marker, k2tog.* around. (7 sts per needle/marker section, 28 sts in the square)
Round 10: Purl
Round 11: *Ssk, knit to last 2 sts on the needle/before the st marker, k2tog.* around. (5 sts per needle/marker section, 20 sts in the square)
Round 12: Purl
Round 13: *Ssk, knit to last 2 sts on the needle/before the st marker, k2tog.* around. (3 sts per needle/marker section, 12 sts in the square)
Round 14: *Slip 2 sts as if to knit, k1, pull the 2 slipped stitches over the knit st -- double centered decrease made* around. (1 st per needle/marker section, 4 sts in the square)

Cut yarn and thread onto a tapestry needle, and run through the 4 sts and pull tight. Weave in all ends. *Weave in the ends as you go or there will be a LOT of ends to weave in at the end!*

SQUARES 2 THROUGH 5:

With MC, pick up 15 sts on the previous square with your needle; using other needles/using st markers to separate sts, cast on with backward loop method 15 sts on each needle/each section marked off by st markers and join into a round without twisting. (60 sts).

Work Rounds 1 - 14 and finish as before, weaving in ends.

SQUARE 6 (COMPLETES THE FIRST TIER AND JOINS THE CIRCLE TOGETHER):

With MC, pick up 15 sts on the previous square with your needle; using other needles/using st markers to separate sts, cast on with backward loop method 15 sts on next needle/next section marked off by st markers; pick up 15 sts on Square 1 with your next needle; cast on with backward loop method 15 sts on next needle/next section marked off by st markers; join into a round without twisting. (60 sts).

Work Rounds 1 - 14 and finish as before, weaving in ends.

You have 6 squares done! Now for the second tier of 6 squares.

SECOND TIER

SQUARE 7:

Pick a point about halfway along the edge of a square -- you can line up the center of the square to do this. With MC, pick up 15 sts on the edge of the squares with your needle (make sure you have ended picking up sts at the halfway point of the next square); using other needles/using st markers to separate sts, cast on with backward loop method 15 sts on each needle/each section marked off by st markers and join into a round without twisting. (60 sts).

Work Rounds 1 - 14 and finish as before, weaving in ends.

SQUARES 8 - 11:

With MC, pick up 15 sts on the edge of the square just made; pick up 15 sts along the bottom edge of squares of the first tier with your needle, making sure that the sts end up about halfway along this square; using other needles/using st markers to separate sts, cast on with backward loop method 15 sts on next two needles/on next two sections marked off by st markers and join into a round without twisting. (60 sts).

Work Rounds 1 - 14 and finish as before, weaving in ends.

SQUARE 12 (JOINS 2ND TIER INTO A CIRCLE):

With MC, pick up 15 sts on the edge of the square just made; pick up 15 sts along the bottom edge of squares of the first tier with your needle, making sure that the sts end up about halfway along this square; using other needles/using st markers to separate sts, pick up 15 sts on the edge of Square 7; cast on with backward loop method 15 sts on next two needles/on next two sections marked off by st markers and join into a round without twisting. (60 sts).

Work Rounds 1 - 14 and finish as before, weaving in ends. Now you have two tiers of squares and your cowl is almost done.

ATTACHED I-CORD FINISHING:

Using CC, cast on 4 sts and then continue to pick up 100 sts around the edge of the cowl. Work attached i-cord as follows: *Knit 3 sts, k2tog; put 4 sts back on your left needle*. Repeat between *’s around the edge of the cowl. Sew i-cord ends together with a couple stitches and weave in ends.

Repeat for other edge.

 

In the meantime ...

I started to knit Sylvi on October 22 and finished it on March 22, so it took a long time to get it done. However, I didn't work on it the whole time. I took a few long-term breaks to knit other things. 

I knit the purple Ironwood Shawl that was in the KnitScene Spring 2017 magazine, out of Wildwood Yarns Arcadia in a pretty purple. The pattern called for two skeins of Madeline Tosh Sock, which has 385 yards and is about $25 a skein; I had one skein of the Arcadia and I didn't notice that the pattern called for two skeins. Arcadia has 394 yards per skein. I knit happily along, and about the time that I went to the Spa in Freeport I noticed that I was running a bit low on yarn, and that is when I saw that the pattern called for two skeins! I estimated that the amount of yarn I had would almost come close to finishing the shawl though, so I figured I would just put another color on whenever I ran out, something that would contrast nicely and look like I had planned it that way. When I got home, I rummaged through my odds and ends of sock yarns and found some pretty lavender handspun that I made eons ago, and set it aside.

But the ball kept going and going and going. It was a magic ball! Just two rows before the end of the shawl, I finally ran out of yarn. I knit the final two rows, bound off, and am quite happy with it. If I had forked out $50 for Madeline Tosh Sock yarn though, I would have been kind of mad that it had only required about fifteen yards of the second skein.

Beside the shawl, I knit a couple sweaters that I can't show you or talk about yet, and a bunch of hats:

Watch Cap by Michele Rose Orne

Bayside Beanie baby hats by Stacey McCrea Warner

Spruce Head Hat by Michele Rose Orne

Then I designed and knit a cowl at the Harpswell Inn Knitting Weekend with yarn that was provided. It came out pretty and I'll put the picture and the pattern up here when I get the pattern written; the cowl is blocking now.

Another thing that I knit (that is still blocking) is a scarf/shawl that I recently completed. It was the Mystery in March KAL (yup, I got it done in March), a lovely asymmetrical piece in a sampler of various knitting stitches, by Tori Seierstad. The yarn I used was originally used in the Mystery Sock IX: Crazy Quilt Socks, done in Old Number 8 in a dark red yarn. After working three clues, I thought I would never wear those socks (the pattern was perfect, they just were nothing I would ever wear. Sorry.) So, when I saw the mystery shawl commencing, I ripped out the sock and started the shawl. It was a blast to knit! Pictures soon. :)

So what is on the needles now? The primary thing is Amy's Scarf, which is reinvigorated after a long hibernation that started at the end of October. I started it back in July! I have to get it done. It is inspired by the scarf that Amy Pond wore in two Dr. Who shows, and I have wanted it for years, ever since I saw it on Dr. Who. I bought just the right skein of lovely red at the Spa in 2016, a red called Rock Lobster, in Mad Color Fiber Arts Sonatina. I'm about half done!

 

C'est Finis!

Sylvi is finished! The petals are knit and sewed down, the buttons are sewed on, and it is as gorgeous as my niece Hillary is. As promised, pictures:

   

   

   

These are abalone buttons, from a sweater kit I ordered loooooong ago. I told Hillary that I got them about 15 years ago, but in reality I think it was about 1994 or 1995. Anyway, I don't know what happened to the sweater kit, but it is gone. However, I kept the buttons but never found the perfect place to use them until now. They were actually too heavy for the mohair cardigan in the sweater kit. Sylvi will love them!

   

   
   

The hood is kind of hard to photograph, especially one-handed. There is a little flower that is sort of wrapped around the top of the hood; it was pretty hard to stitch in place, but with a steady stream of not-very-nice words, I managed. 

This was a really fun thing to knit! I don't think I will knit another Sylvi, at least not right away, but I really love the cables on the back. It is a wonderful design, carefully charted out, well-written, a good production. It came out beautiful, and I am very happy with it! You can find the pattern on the Twist Collective website (Winter 2008) or from the designer, Mari Muinonen on Ravelry.com.