Sweet Nothings Crochet: February 2015

Saturday, 28 February 2015

SIMPLY SUPERB COWL

This cowl is not a new one – it’s a freely shared one by Moogly and it’s one that you will surely make again and again.. and this blog is proof of that.

I’d made this lovely cowl for my daughter and on her return to India, her friend loved it so much she requested for one. The yarn I’d used originally is way too warm for India, so I thought I’d use one of our locally available yarns.

The reason I am writing this all out is that I’ve found we are unable (sometimes) to visualize what a particular project will look like with locally available yarns. In India, we do not get all the yarns that are suggested on the pattern sheet(s), but this one made with our locally available Vardhaman Millenium shows us that hey! We can make this one too

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Materials used : Today I’ve used our Indian Vardhaman Millenium ; holding one strand each of grey and firozi (azure – blue) together for the whole project, with a 6.5 mm crochet hook.

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros e  ; Red rose metallic or  unbranded knitting cotton as well as Oswal acrylic yarns

General yarn info : The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.
You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

International yarns :  Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn.

I’ve also made this with the multi-coloured self striped Lana Para Labores from Proezafavorita , which seems to be a medium bulky yarn (label does not specify anything about yarn ply sadly), with a 5.5 mm crochet hook, which I bought in Portugal.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

Size made : Length : 45”

Abbreviations :
sc : Single crochet   yo : Yarn Over
st(s) : Stitch(es) hk : hook
lp(s) : Loop(s) dc : Double crochet
sl-st : Slip Stitch
e-sc : Extended single crochet
fsc : Foundation single crochet

Pattern :   I’ve used the Artfully Simple Infinity Scarf pattern by Tamara Kelly available at http://www.mooglyblog.com/artfully-simple-infinity-scarf/

However, I’d like to add a few of my notes to this.

As we’re using two skeins / strands of yarn through the pattern, its really simple to get nice large chains. I have, however, made the chains even looser and larger (and tried to keep them even) so that the eventual finished product is really light and (as Tamara says in her blog), the cowl loops , twists and turns really easily on its own. Make this long enough to loop twice around the neck / head of the recipient with a little spare .. and you're good to go.

..long enough to loop twice around the neck.. and see how the cowl loops , twists and turns really easily on its own

It is however, important to keep the work flat and ensure that the chains do not tangle, when you decide to take a break and put your work down. Untangling this lovely long chained hammock-like project .. umm, not what you’d want to be wasting your time doing.

Finally, as always, I like the Chainless dc start.

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

In case you are unhappy with this start, or do not like it, do continue with the usual ch-2 or ch-3 start.

However, all instructions will be given assuming that you are using this chain-less dc start. So I have used this lovely start for all dc row starting stitches.

Instructions :

Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.

Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.

In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement. This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project.

The designer has used a nice button tie at one end – but I have decided make a tie-up finish at one end (over which one can embellish and then bring that bit to the front , or as I suggested to the recipient, keep behind the neck so that there is no hair tangling).

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog ; photo showing how I ended my simply superb cowl ;

So for this, after reaching the width needed, and fastening off, do not cut off yarn. Just hold the end of the project together (i.e the start end where you will have some loose yarn that you can now neatly hide), and then pass the yarn ball over and around this start bit of cowl.

You’ll notice that it really scrunches up nicely – so depending on how tight you want this bit, increase tension – and continue wrapping till you have a rope-like finish. Once done, cut off yarn , fasten off and then neatly pull the yarn through the centre of this rope bit.. so that you hide that end (so weave it into this rope like finish).. and c’est tout.. your project is done!

Right so off we go.

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