Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Block stitch

This winter I have had two "go-to-cowls"; I seem to grab one or the other every time I go out. The first one is for my walks and the second one for my town trips, both using the same basic pattern, block stitch, with a little bit of variation. Both done with crochet. I was little surprised when I noticed this. I had not thought about them earlier but now when I think about the cowls I can see their benefits.
The first one, with worsted weight yarn and 4,5mm hook (I believe), used all the leftovers from previous projects, can be wrapped around the neck two times over the coat and it blocks the wind out and I am warm. I love the colors, I bought a yellow merino wool puff to use with it. 

The second one, almost the same stitch, but here done with thin yarn, fingering weight wool combined with silk/mohair. It is soft and airy and loose; it fits nicely inside the coat and when I zip up my coat, it insulates all the open spaces.
As much as I love all the knitted shawls and scarves, these crochet cowls have their place in my wardrobe. While most of the knitting drapes beautifully, many crochet items have more body and don't drape so easily (with exceptions of course both ways). This works very well with cowls, somehow crochet cowls stay up little bit better, again, some of this probably is due to the small hook size I love to use.
I am hoping to make at least one swatch with crochet every month and hopefully some of the swatches will become cowls. I have dreamed of crocheting a sweater for some time now, but for some reason this plan is not working (not for the lack of trying!), so I am changing it and instead plan to make 6 cowls this year with crochet. If I learn to shape crochet better, I am giving myself a permission to make shawls too, but I doubt this very much ;-)  (my crochet knowhow does not stretch that far yet). I am being very cautious here, already sort of thinking that this might not work, but still, it is good to dream (big).
I made this swatch (used my handspun Finnwool singles) and I love the pattern. It is easy, and it is called Honeycomb Trellis in Sarah Hazell's Crochet Stitch Dictionary. I made the swatch using 2,25mm hook and I will think about the hook size more when this swatch is dry. I hope to make a cowl with lots of body but also airy and soft.

Winter is keeping us in very tight grip; almost -30 C in the morning. 
Wool with you, as always,
Lene

14 comments:

  1. Your cowls are both beautiful and practical - that is the perfect ocmbination!

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  2. I love the first one especially, but what is a "puff" please?

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  3. Beautiful cowls -- I especially like the second one.

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  4. Tosi kaunista tuo hunajakenno! Mulle tuli siitä semmonen mieleen, että mitä jos neulois ohuesta langasta ikäänkuin taustakankaan, ja siihen ompelis hunajakennoa päälle... kaunista ja lämmintä?

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  5. your work is beautiful. I have trouble with my crochet tension. Yours is lovely!

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  6. Lene, I love how, in the first photo of blocking with pins, as I scroll the picture down, the circles seem to be growing in size, as if they were moving toward my eyes, or actually growing. This is a perspective thing that has fooled me many times, in many scroll-screen photos.

    Happy Thursday!

    Ellen in Connecticut

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  7. Marie20:23

    Problem with my first post... I write it again.
    Thanks a lot for the"Follow by E-mail"! :-) My subscription is done.
    Both cowls are beautiful. I prefer the first one, which is like stripes of vitamines. It makes me want to walk in the fresh air!

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  8. Anonymous23:51

    Love both the cowls, but I especially love the honeycomb trellis pattern. I am now thinking that I might also start a crochet stitch-of-the-month square to broaden my crochet horizons!!

    By the way, I love the new banner. And can not wait to "meet" the new kitten. Happy New Year,
    mk
    mk

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  9. Anonymous02:26

    I always enjoy reading your posts. I like both crocheted cowls. You are probably going to start the next new thing! Helen

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  10. It's cold here, too, 23 degrees F. Actually, that's not bad for us at this time of year.
    I love your crocheted cowls and can see how they would have more body. Must learn to crochet some time!

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  11. Knitting has it's place ans so does crochet. I love that I can work with both of them. Love both your cowls and that honeycomb pattern is so nice.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  12. Crochet rocks but I rarely do it.

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  13. Anonymous15:57

    Your artistic integrity shines in color placement and symmetry. Your blog is precious. Don't stop. I check for it every day.

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  14. Wow, I can't even imagine what -30 feels like! The other day it was 10 C here (Southern California), and we were shivering!

    I really like the colors in both of your cowls --

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