Quick Knit: Orange Slice Cowl

I happen to be taking part in Iron Craft ’13, a craft challenge put on by the bloggers at Just Crafty Enough. A couple of challenges ago the theme was to create something with the color orange — or using the fruit — and Kat came up with a really cute, quick knitting cowl she calls the Orange Slice Cowl.

This fun design starts with a little section of ribbing in bright orange, from which stitches are picked up and worked in seed stitch in a more subdued gray yarn. The loop is long enough to go around the neck twice, but short enough that there’s not a lot of drape, meaning all your knitting time goes into something that will actually keep your neck warm.

It’s a super-bulky project, too, which means it won’t take you much time at all to knit, so you can still use it for that inevitable spring snow to come (or the one that’s still on the ground).

[Photo via Just Crafty Enough.]

Looking to buy your Yarn online? Check out these online yarn specials.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Check out these books dedicated to Knitted Cowl Patterns still looking for more cowl patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

Next Pattern:

When I first started knitting again after a long absence from the craft (which has now been almost 25 years ago!) I really didn’t like garter stitch that much. I found it super boring, somehow even more boring than knitting stockinette stitch in the round, even though it’s exactly the same thing.

Over the years I’ve softened my opinion, and even grown to like garter stitch. There’s nothing wrong with being plain, and actually the texture of garter stitch is more interesting than stockinette.

Also there are fun things you can do with garter stitch to make it more interesting if you want to, such as adding stripes, working on the bias, or doing fun effects to change the look.

That’s the way with the Bernat Twist My Way Garter Knit Blanket. Using combinations of casting on and binding off creates what they call a Swiss cheese effect along two sides of the blanket. This is a lot of fun in the self-striping ombre yarn they chose for the pattern, but it would also be fun in a solid color or making your own stripes.

Despite the dramatic effect, this pattern is rated easy. It’s worked from side to side (if you consider the “cheesy” edges the top and bottom) and has an eight-row repeat that involves binding off and then casting on again to make the holes. They’re kind of like giant buttonholes.

Once you get the hang of it it’s a pretty easy repeat to remember, and it will be smooth knitting as big as you want to make it.

You can download this pattern from the Yarnspirations website for free, or you can buy a kit direct from them that includes the yarn you need (and knitting needles if you need those, too). Bernat Sport Ombre Twist, which is what is used in the pattern, comes in 12 self patterning colors and is a DK weight acrylic yarn.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]

Next Pattern:

Comments

Have you read?