Jardin Cowl

Jardin Cowl

Okay, I've committed a cardinal knitting sin with this cowl. Namely, I've called for two skeins even though I BARELY needed any of the second one to complete it. However, I just couldn't bear to finish this brightly colored beauty early, so I sucked it up and went for the second hank. On the plus side, that means that those of you using a different yarn for the Jardin Cowl will only need about 200 yards (and could probably squeak by at 175 as well). And if you want to use the same yarn, well, you'll face the same choice I did; quit early with one skein or find another use for what's left over (which, let's face it, you'll almost certainly be seeing sooner or later on this site anyway).

Yarn: Cascade 220 Sport (100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 164 yards [150 meters]/50 grams); #8910 Citron - two skeins

A better look at the cables.
Pretty little things, aren't they?

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 6

Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers

Gauge: 22 stitches = 4 inches

So let's get started! Using your circular needle, cast on 148 stitches loosely. Then we'll knit one marker placement row, as follows:

Marker Placement Row: k62, place marker, (p2, k9) twice, p2, place marker, knit until end of round

And once that little beast is done, we'll move straight to our pattern, which incorporates a strip of Round Link Cables from page 132 of Barbara G. Walker's Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns, as well as some decreases for shaping. So first we'll define our terminology, as follows:

round link cable (rlc): slip 6 stitches to cn and hold in front, k3, then slip the middle 3 stitches (of the 9 total) from cn back to left-hand needle; move cn with final 3 stitches to the back of the work; k3 from left-hand needle, then k3 from cn

And then we'll work like so:

Fun Lance Hat

Fun Lance Hat

Yes, the title of this pattern is a bit tongue-in-cheek. In fact, I named it for my brother-in-law, Lance, who was sad to discover that the Fan Lace Hat was not actually called the Fun Lance Hat, as he initially thought. But since I'm sending him this bad boy for the upcoming winter, I thought it would be a perfect name for this attractive, unisex hat. A word of warning, however - this hat may be less fun to knit than it is to wear if you're not handy with a cable needle, since you'll be cabling every other row. On the flip side, that just gives you an opportunity to learn to cable without a cable needle, if you're ready to pick up a new skill!

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios (100% Merino Superwash; 210 yards [192 meters]/100 grams); #43 Plomo - one skein

The finish. It's handsome, no?

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 5, one 16" circular needle in size US 7, one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 7, and one cable needle (cn)

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches on size 7 needles

So let's make a fun (and fancy) Lance hat, shall we? To get started, then, using your size US 5 circular needle, cast on 112 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit some ribbing rows as follows:

Ribbing Row: * (p2, k2) three times, p2; rep from *

Knit this ribbing row 8 times. Then, switch to your size 7 circular needle, and we'll begin the main pattern, which includes panels of Wave of Honey Stitch from page 272 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. To work it, we'll use the following notation:

front cross (fc): slip 1 stitch to cn and hold in front; k1; k1 from cn

Three Two One Cowl

Three Two One Cowl

If I haven't dated my stash yet, then this project is sure to do it; as far as I can tell, this yarn was discontinued before my first child was even born (but here's a list of suitable replacements). So here's hoping you have a few skeins of your own oldie-but-goodie buried deep in a drawer that you can use to make this lovely cowl, which uses three colors and two patterns to create one fantastic look!

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cotton Rich DK (64% Cotton, 36% Nylon; 135.60 yards [124 meters]/50 grams); #6313 Berry - one skein (color A), #???? unknown color (but it's the middle one in the cowl, and therefore color B), & #6377 Lavender - one skein (color C)

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 6

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 22 stitches = 4 inches

So let's get to this! First, then, using your color A yarn, cast on 120 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll get immediately to the pattern, which goes as follows:

Rows 1 & 2: * (k2, p2) 3 times, (k1, p1) 6 times; rep from *

Rows 3 & 4: * (k2, p2) twice, k2, (p1, k1) 6 times, p2 *

Rows 5 & 6: * (k2, p2) twice, (k1, p1) 6 times, k2, p2 *

Rows 7 & 8: * k2, p2, k2, (p1, k1) 6 times, p2, k2, p2 *

Rows 9 & 10: * k2, p2, (k1, p1) 6 times, (k2, p2) twice *