FO: Tapestry Cowl

Pattern: Tapestry Cowl by Pepperknit Patterns

Yarn: 2 skeins Malabrigo Yarn Sock (Terracotta and Cordovan)

Needles: US 5 circular

Started: May 20, 2009

Finished: Aug 14, 2009



Comments: I love patterns where I get to try out new techniques. Your basically knitting both inside and outside of the cowl simultaneously. It becomes tricky with handling the two yarns at the same time, so while I was learning double knitting I was also learning to knit continental. I highly recommend knitting with both hands in a project like this. It makes the project go by very quickly.



You'll notice that the double knitting technique gives you a mirror image of the pattern, so there is no correct side. In order to achieve this your cast-on method must be very invisible along with your bind-off.



The cast-on is fiddly, but not terribly hard. It was the bind-off that I still quiver from. Lets just take a moment to understand what I'm about to tell you. The pattern it's self calls for 110 stitches in each color. That means you have 220 stitches that you'll have to bind-off with KITCHENER. [faint]



I don't do cuff down socks just to avoid kitchener on the toe and that's only 10 stitches, maybe 16 at most. Hey... kitchener on 220 stitches Takes.For.Ever.



So, even with that being said, I would totally do it again. I would however change my needle size to perhaps a US3. The finished project is a bit slouchy and I think my gauge and tension relaxed a bit much.

I've Got News...

I've been anticipating this next week for months. It is filled with huge plannings, endless worries and a rush of excitement.

I start my vacation tomorrow and for the next 7 days I will be visited by family and I can't wait to see them. My dearest daughter will turn the ripe old age of 5 this weekend and the following week she'll be off to kindergarten. Someone please give me a glass of wine... or two.



In the knitting department I've been making my way along on the Faery Ring. It is growing very nicely. I'm almost to the point where I bind off for armholes. Note To Self: Look for button while at Stitches.

The Tapestry Cowl is done...yes, I did it. I bound off all 220 stitches kitchener style. I think I deserve a metal, or at least a cookie. My finished object post will be coming soon. With all that has been going on I haven't had time to block it and knowing how humid it's been I don't know how long it will take to dry.



The newest project on the needles is Willoughby, designed by Jared Flood. His newest patterns have just been released and you can purchase them individually or in one sweet book, which I chose to do. This was my find when we had our field trip last week to Wool and Company out in Geneva, IL.

I'm still up in the air about the real heft of the yarn. I was looking for something with a little more body to it and I just don't know if this yarn will work.

In Other Knitting Related News...

Nana's Knitting Shop has there September Class schedule up and if you scroll down you'll see a class on Two Socks on Two Circs Toe Up! Guess who's teaching the class?

Oh yeah baby, it's me! I can hardly believe it myself, but hell it's starting to hit and I've got to step-up my game if I'm to have everything ready in time.

So, if your interested in learning socks toe-up, two-at-time and you happen to be free on Saturday mornings, sign-up!

Field Trip to Wool and Company

It just so happens that a bunch of us had Thursday off and what happens when we discover this?? A field trip to a yarn store of course.





yarnorgy, laurelena, Knitensivist, Dreamsweaver and I jumped at the chance to put a little fiber in our day. Isn't the Dreamsweaver just dreamy for driving?!!



Just over an hour away from us is Wool and Company were we oooo'd and aaaa'd over the lovelies in every corner and crevice.



Citezen Kane was a decent place to have lunch and I'm still day dreaming about the Jalapeno Avocado Bisque. Anyone have a recipe??

Thanks ladies for such a lovely day. Soon I'll show you what I bought and I even cast-on for too!!

Oh For the Love of Knitting...

Come this time next month I will be in Schaumburg IL going to STITCHES!!



Confirmation came in the mail the other day and boy am I ready to let loose. Each year seems to get bigger and better. It seems everyone I know will be there and we'll be Rockin' the Renaissance Baby!



I've had such a sweet tooth lately and gosh, with the farmer's market exploding with fruit I just had to do this up. It's a shortbread crust with cheesecake filling and fresh fruit on top. YUMMMM! I do have to confess that for the quick factor I used the ready-to-eat tub of cream cheese. I can tell the difference, but the shortbread crust is hand made... I went a little over board and it ended up about an inch thick.



In other special news, there is a new addition to the family over at Miss A's house. Isn't it just fab! Miss A has that sparkle in her eye. I don't think we'll be hearing much from her;)

You Know it's a Full Moon When...

You decide that going to the bank during your lunch hour would be the best time to run an errand.

You take the proper paperwork from your LAWYER to the bank and the Customer Service Lady informs you that the order hasn't been properly certified.

You then have to take said "proper" paperwork to courthouse to have the order certified.

You make your way through the huge farmer's market at the Daley Center and long security screening to then head up to the 12th floor.

Certification Lady then informs you that she can't certify improper paperwork until it's been stamped by the Clerk from the courtroom.

You then head up to the courtroom on the 18th floor to find the Clerk sitting down to enjoy her lunch. She informs you that the Judge is out to lunch and to come back at 2.

By now your starving and getting light headed.

You buy a Jimmy John's sub to satisfy your ravenous hunger.

You head back to the office as you've just wasted your entire lunch break accomplishing squat.

You scarf down the sub and gather your things to head out the door to do it all over again.

You get to the security screening and are now informed from the Officer that your point-and-shoot Cyber Shot is not allowed in the court house.

You are then informed to go down to the basement at room C-123 and drop off your camera for holding.

You then get lost while trying to locate room C-123.

You finally find room C-123... FYI: it's behind the escalators.

You make your way back to the 18th floor after successfully going through Security.

You patently wait for Clerk to locate the Judge and sign off on certification.

You receive Approval for Certification and head to the 12th floor to Get Certification.

You are given a slip from Certification Lady for approval to pay for fee of certification.

You pay the Fees Lady for certification.

You then show receipt of payment to the Certification Lady and finally get certification on now PROPER PAPERWORK.

You then sulk through the Farmer's Market because your last 8 bucks was spent on the certification fees and now you can't buy those lovely peaches you had your eye on.

You head across town to the bank to show the Service Lady you now have the Certified Paperwork.

You look at your watch and it is now 3:30. Time to head home to register your children for school.

You register your children for school and it only takes another Hour and 40 minutes out of your day.

You then swing past Culver's to indulge in a scoop of custard in a waffle cone.

You type your exhausting day with sticky fingers. Ahhh, it's done.

You then think to yourself... Why am I paying for this lawyer?

For the Love of Summer

I can hardly believe that it's August already. With August comes school registration but before that comes the doctor visit. Miss Mac will be turning 5 at the end of the month and I can't tell you how excited I am for her to start a new phase in her life, but also scared that SHE'S STARTING A NEW PHASE IN HER LIFE.



Miss Mac is now my hero. She took 3 shots and didn't shed a tear. We were walking out the doctors office and we heard a little boy screaming at the top of his lungs and without skipping a beat Miss Mac said "Such a baby".



As for my knitting this week, I started on the bodice for my Feary Ring. It's coming along great. I did some minor tweaks, but nothing to dramatic. The cables in this pattern are all twisting in the same direction. I figured I'd change it up a bit so that when the fronts come together they'll be symmetrical.



The Tapestry Cowl is coming along great. I love seeing the double image from the inside and outside. I'm about halfway through the pattern and with each stitch becoming a little more concerned about doing the kitchener stitch bind-off.