Cowl Workshop

Last week Jessica hosted a workshop on How to Knit a Cowl at DaWanda in Berlin. She generously sponsored 20 participants with her beautiful Ku’damm yarn – a 70% merino, 30% alpaca blend – in various colors with matching circular knitting needles. What a treat!

kudamm-grauA flamy red would have been my choice – most (of the all-female) participants settled for steel-grey though.

Jessica had asked me to join and encourage „knitting rookies“ and that’s what I did. It turned out to be advantageous that there were two of us … for though it said in the invitation that knowledge of cast-on, knit and purl was a prerequisite to sign up, quite a few ladies showed up with less.

So we would walk around tables, explain and show cast-on methods, unravel failures, demonstrate how to purl, encourage those who needed it, and admire all progress – no matter how fast or slow.

IMG_0487 IMG_0488 IMG_0489 IMG_0490 IMG_0492 Sooner or later, the ladies would ease-in, chat, help and support each other and guidance wasn’t needed any more. And after less than two hours (!) the first cowl was done!

I really enjoyed meeting other knitters, talking to them and spending time together. Thank you Jessica and DaWanda for organizing the event, good luck to all new knitters, and all the best to the attending mom-to-be – may the cowl be ready before your baby is born 🙂

 

 

Bactus Scarf

Between Christmas and New Year I knitted Strikkelise’s Bactus scarf. Looking at all those pictures on ravelry made me want to have my own! Plus, the (English, German, Dutch, Portuguese) pattern is very easy to follow.

Half of my Bactus is knitted in red and pink, the other half in red and orange sock yarn. I added i-cords to each end and used bigger needles than suggested for this yarn, as I love the feel of sock yarn in loose-knit garter stitch.

It turned out quite big: each side measures 75 cm (29.5″), which makes it almost a wrap.

Bactus Scarf Bactus ScarfIt turned out great, still I wonder whether I should add a (one row) crochet edging to it. What do you think?

Bobbly Blanket

Ta-daaah (as Natasja would say) – I have finally finished the Bobbly Blanket. Whoo-hooo!!

It’s very heavy (1 kilo = 2.2 lbs) and very beautiful. Plus, the feel of the bobbles is beyond description. Spontaneously all three of us decided that we’re going to keep all those bobbles. The blanket may stay in the livingroom for good!

Bobbly Blanket Bobbly Blanket Bobbly BlanketI have used „Regia 6-fädig“ sock yarn that my friend Minette gave me for Christmas in 2012, plus sock yarn bits and pieces in various colors. And here’s how I did it:

ch a multiple of 4 sts plus 2.

Row 1: sc1 in 2nd chain from hook and in each stitch of row (= multiple of 4sts plus 1); ch1, turn.

Row 2: sc2, * dc5tog, sc3 *; repeat from * to *, ending the row with sc2; ch1, turn.

Row 3: sc across; ch1, turn.

Row 4: sc4, * dc5tog, sc3 *; repeat from * to *, ending the row with sc4; ch1, turn.

Row 5: sc across; ch1, turn.

Repeat rows 2-5 until desired length. Make sure you have enough yarn. Bobbles are stash busters! If you want to use different colors: change color in odd numbered rows.

Edging: 1 round of sc in main color (3sts in each corner sts), 1 round of hdc in contrasting color (3 sts in each corner sts).

***

Maschenzahl teilbar durch 4 plus 2

R1: 1 fM in die 2. Lfm und in jede weitere Lfm (= Maschenzahl teilbar durch 4 + 1), 1 Lfm, wenden

R2: 2 fM, * 5 Stb zus. abmaschen, 3 fM *, von * bis * wiederholen, die Reihe mit 2 fM beenden, 1 Wendemasche

R3: fM über die ganze Reihe, 1 WM

R4: 4 fM, * 5 Stb zus. abmaschen, 3 fM *, von * bis * wiederholen, die Reihe mit 4 fM beenden, 1 WM

R5: fM über die ganze Reihe, 1 WM

Die Reihen 2 bis 5 wiederholen, bis die Decke lang genug ist. Farbwechsel immer in ungeraden Reihen.

Umrandung: 1 Reihe fM (3 fM in jede Eckmasche), 1 Reihe hStb in Kontrastfarbe (3 fM in jede Eckmasche)