Life LackaDaisiCal

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...

My Swatch Cowl Trilogy is complete! This K4 P4 cowl really compliments this yarn.... This photo shows how this shade, Bachata 551  looks in stocking stitch.... (go to KnitRowan.com to see how the other shades of  +RowanYarns  Fine Art Aran looks in stocking stitch!) Sometimes it is hard to visualize how a skein of yarn will knit up.... that's why I highly recommend buying a skein or two and swatching.... you can always use a simple cowl to add to an outfit.... and they make great gifts.... with Christmas coming up fast, that can only be a good thing!

While I was waiting for the Rowan Yarns Fine Art Aran mini collection to come out....I've been knitting up one-skein "Swatch" cowls. Trilogies are all the rage - The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, The Chronicles of Narnia....for more great books written in trilogy....go to  Goodreads  here... There are Trilogy movies too.....like the Jason Bourne series, the Mission Impossible movies and the Lord of the Rings trilogy! so I had to do one more to complete my own trilogy, a Trilogy of Swatch Cowls! This time I'm using a fabulous neutral shade called Bachata (no 551) Surprise, surprise.... I just got an e-mail from my LRS to advise....that.... the Rowan Fine Art Aran mini collection booklet has just arrived! (ahead of the January 15 release schedule!) Mini-collections are "vintage" designs reworked in new yarns... This one called "Dali" - it was Chippy by Kim Hargreaves from Rowan 27  This is the fabulous Lowry by Martin S...

To these quick one-skein cowls... super simple... This one is done in seed stitch.....knit circularly, k1 p1 all the way round and round... makes it totally reversible.... so when it folds over, it looks the same! Yup, this is another one-skein cowl using  +RowanYarns  Fine Art Aran - this time is shade 545, Conga! This skein came to me as a Rowan Ambassador sample... yes, I am extremely fortunate to be sent yarn to play with, to swatch with....to get to know in depth.... Go to  Rowan's Fine Art Aran  page for more details! This yarn has already arrived at my local Rowan stockist  The Needle Emporium ...has it reached your LYS yet? Rowan plans to release a collection of favourite designs re-knit in this new luxurious yarn....but of course, you can use it for any design that knits up to the 19 sts and 25 rows to 10cm gauge in stocking stitch!  ( My first cowl "swatch" just proved that! ) #RowanYarns #FineArtAran #Knitting #swat...

What? You don't like to swatch? Well, why not cast on and make a simple cowl swatch... Calculate how many stitches you need for your particular yarn.. (recommended gauge x the size you want your cowl!) cast on, and knit round and round.....let the yarn run through your fingers....how does it feel? Here is an easy, no stress way to "get to know" a new yarn... Does it split easily?  Does it catch? Do you like the colour transfers? Do a bit of rib and see what that looks like... The only way to KNOW a yarn is to KNIT with it! With a hand dyed yarn like Rowan's Fine Art Aran....it is interesting to see how it looks in stocking stitch, and in REVERSE stocking stitch ....I love how the reverse side really mutes the shade changes... Of course, without any rib, stocking stitch will roll...I don't mind, after all, it's a simple swatch cowl! After a quick press with a hot steamy iron, I LOVE IT EVEN MORE! It drapes, it's so soft a...

Early Saturday morning....I received a newsletter from Churchmouse Yarns and Teas ....about turning their light and delicate classic "Shoulder Cozy" pattern into something just gorgeous, more wintery, knitting it with Rowan Cocoon and Rowan Kidsilk Haze. Well, it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!  I emailed Julie at The Needle Emporium ....told her what I wanted, said I'd be there later that day...and with a slight detour from my current Crochet infatuation..... This is pre-blocking, but you so totally get how luscious this is don't you? With blocking, it will stretch out and up to shorten it. I followed the pattern exactly - well, sort of exactly - I knit this from the neck down because I wanted to make sure that it was long enough - without being too long! So I added an inch to the bottom section - making mine 19" long - and I did a sewn bind off to keep the bottom nice and loose. I think this will be even more luscious when it is washed and slightly blocked. Back to my...

I have been totally fascinated with this yarn....I had to make something using this yarn....I wanted something quick, easy and warm! So I cast on New Year's Eve, and cast off New Years day..... The Chunky Alpaca Cowl! using 3 balls of Rowan Chunky Alpaca.... cast on and knit in the round... and it's ever so nice and warm! I bought the yarn at my favourite shop, The Needle Emporium in Ancaster , and knit this up in just a couple of knitting sessions. I am so totally smitten with it, that I wrote up a pattern and it's available for free via Ravelry. download now