Life LackaDaisiCal

How do you finish your Rowan Mystery Afghan squares? I wash them first....in a good fibre wash, like Eucalan or Soak Rowan Pure Wool Worsted is Superwash - it will grow a lot and lose body when it is wet.... but never fear...get rid of the excess moisture (use a towel or spin them in your washing machine) let them air dry, don't stretch them out....just leave them to dry!   Then put those squares in the dryer (on low, for 5-10 minutes)! (Yes, I know the label says not to use a dryer.....so this is my opinion only.... please no complains if your dryer is too hot...you know your dryer right?) So my way is not the Official way, but it works for me! My squares didn't bleed much dye, but there have been reports from knitters using really dark shades that their squares bled.  If you are using high contrast shades, I would recommend washing and drying the shades separately, to avoid dye transfer. When they come out of the dryer, they will be nic...

Let the knitting commence! The hardest part about any colourful project...is deciding on what shades to use. With the choice of 50 shades in the Rowan Pure Wool Worsted line, there are enough shades to make it interesting, but not difficult.... because they all are lovely... I love the shades of Autumn, so it wasn't hard for me to choose 5.... I loved the idea of the original 16 shades + border shade  (thinking it was obviously going to be a multi-hued extravaganza....) but my inner reserved self came out at the last moment to pick shades that were strictly my style... laughing....one of these days I really must just let go!!! I am actually using all 5 shades in the body of the afghan.... and will decide on the border once I see how that all works... see...I just can't leave anything alone! Inspired by my favourite Scottish woollen blanket, I decided to mimic tartan in the layout of my afghan squares.... A little bit of p...

RowanYarns  has uploaded  Intro - Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan Knit-a-long with Martin Storey Intro - Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan Knit-a-long with Martin St... RowanYarns We're excited to launch the first video from Martin Storey for the Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan Knit-a-long. Here Martin explains the concept behind the first ever, global Rowan knit-a-long. He discussed the techniques used, and support you'll get during this 10 week extravaganza. Get your needles ready, and Pure Wool Worsted purchased and come and join the fun. For more information, shopping list and to join: Knitrowan -  http://www.knitrowan.com/ Ravelry -  www.ravelry.com/discuss/rowan-yarns/2893168 Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rowan-Yarns/114826272423?ref=hl I've got my yarn!  Have you?   +RowanYarns  #RowanYarns #RowanPWWKAL #RowanAmbassador #PureWoolWorsted

I need to get better at crochet, so yes, I made another "swatch" cowl....this time in crochet, and here is what I did... Oh, you don't know how to crochet?  Well, go to the bottom of this post for links to great "Learn to Crochet" videos on You Tube by Rowan!  That is how I learned when I did my "Frances Crochet Scarf"  Fine Art Aran  Crochet  Swatch Cowl Materials:  1 skeins of +RowanYarn Fine Art Aran, Shade Bolero 543  (or 170m/186y  of lovely Aran weight yarn) 4.5 mm hook Using 4.5mm Crochet Hook, chain 100, turn DC into each chain (100) Now, ensuring that your work is not twisted, slip stitch into the first DC to create a round.    Using the tail of your cast on row, join your original foundation chain into a round.   (Doing one row of DC makes it MUCH easier to do this without twisting!) This is a SUPER SIMPLE crochet cowl….it’s a swatch…you get to learn all of the basic crochet st...

For those of you not on Facebook....here is what Rowan posted on Friday....cut and pasted right here for you! Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan Knit-a-long Updated  on Friday Here at the mill, our fingers are positively twitching in anticipation for the launch of our first ever global knit-a-long! With only a few weeks left until we will release the first of the patterns, we’re now able to share with you a few more details about the project: You already know that we’ll be knitting with the glorious Pure Wool Worsted. Made from 100% wool, this superwash yarn is available in 50 – yes 50! – colours, meaning that we’re thoroughly spoilt for choice. Martin Storey has designed the Afghan with 17 of these colours – although for those of us who may prefer something more tonal, we have also suggested a 9, 5 and 2 tone version. With this flexibility of colour way, you can create a stunning, yet personalised, piece – which, with the yarn’s easy care properties, could form an heirloo...

Why do a Gauge Swatch? What's all the fuss about doing a gauge swatch?  Well....... If you find you are always running out of yarn, or you always have yarn left over, it's probably because you are not knitting to the prescribed gauge for the project.  Does it matter?  Well, yes.......and the more accurate your gauge is, the more likely you are to be happy with your finished project. Projects knit in flat pieces -- knit a large enough swatch, back and forth, to accurately measure your gauge. "Circular" gauge swatch for a project knit "in the round" if knitting your project "in the round", you must do a "in the round" gauge swatch -- if you don't want to knit a hat as a gauge swatch....knit a "round" gauge swatch by using dpns or a circular needle, cast on the number of stitches you need for your swatch and knit every row (break off the yarn at the end of the row, slide your stitches back to the right end ...