When I was a child my grandmother taught me to knit, in fact I don't remember learning it's just something we all did. My mum and aunt knitted and so did both my grandmothers, my maternal grandmother in particular knitted the most beautiful aran sweaters, whilst chatting or watching TV and seemingly never looking at her work; she was also brilliant at fixing my mistakes, ripping back and knitting back up again for me. I knitted through my childhood and teens, but stopped at some point in the early nineties. I have dabbled a little since then, but seeing all the wonderful yarns that are now available I really want to start again! I have arthritis in my fingers and I was told that knitting with wooden needles was really good exercise for them. This has proved to be true and working with natural wool leaves your skin beautifully soft!
The problem was - what to knit? Then I saw the Inky Cowl knitted by Karen over at Cornflower
HERE
The pattern is free and available on
Ravelry it uses Madelinetosh yarn. I bought a skein of Tosh Sock in colour 'Mourning Dove' it is a beautiful hand dyed steely blue/grey merino wool.
I think you can see the colour better here
It came on a hank so I had to wind it into a ball - a very therapeutic exercise!
Once I got the hang of circular needles it was no problem, the pattern is a simple four row repeat
and produces a lovely waffle like honeycomb pattern
I am more than halfway so I am busy planning what to make next!
I do remember learning to knit. My uncle taught me as he is also left handed. Funny thing is that we both knit in the right handed style, so whenever I teach a leftie to knit, it's right handed.
ReplyDeleteLove your choice of wool. i haven't tried that brand, but I do see it mentioned a lot. your cowl looks lovely. Keep going. I'm knitting a long scarf for daughter using CoBaSi, a combination sock yarn of cotton, bamboo and silk with stretch.
It does look a lovely yarn...
ReplyDeleteOMG, I love that color!!!!! Mad Tosh makes such pretty colors of yarn. I'm always stumped as to which color to stock up on next. lol! I'm going to have to go to ravelry and add this pattern to my faves. And that color of Mad Tosh too!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.....
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know because it's been years since I think I thought I remembered how! I usually crochet these days, which is just laziness as it's so simple. Nothing compares to how fine knitting feels though. This is going to be a beautiful cowl..
ReplyDeleteMany many thanks for sharing this Cowl Elaine, I have printed it off and with luck will make one for a Xmas present as I have wool from living in NZ 20 years ago LOL I don't think I have any home spun left though. My spinning wheel sits and looks sadly at me, hubby made it for me out of timber from our farm. Love those coloured wooden needles???? Your yarn looks so soft and shinny; merino is so so soft we have millions of merino sheep here in Australia LOL . Cheers Glenda
ReplyDeletevery pretty - I have arthritis in my hands a bit and would love to learn to knit socks - when I get home I really need to take a craftsy class on socks - maybe it would help my fingers too?
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