New bulky braded cowl, new book and new beginnings

The lilacs are blossoming

And I designed and knitted a cowl in two days.

It's very thick so I have to wait for winter to wear it. I made it by provisionally casting on the three colours, knitting until I had knitted two skeins of each before I braded them together.

Finally I grafted the live stitches together, leaving a (nearly) invisible seam.

Yarn: Drops Eskimo
Needles: 8mm
Ravelled
I also got a new book in the mail.

It's time to start knitting socks from the toe up. No more worrying if I have enough yarn! I have already cast on for a pair, knitting both at the same time, trying to avoid the second sock syndrome. I devided the yarn into two skeins. I am knitting a variation of the Lacy ribs socks.

This is my trick for keeping track of how many repeats I've done. Stitch counters doesn't work for me, so I always put a piece of scrap yarn in my knitting when I have to count the rows (e.a. increase every 6th row) or when I have to knit two the same (sleeves, socks, mittens). If you move the yarn from side to side e.a. every 5th row, you just count 5, 10, 15, 20... etc to know how many rounds you've knitted. Makes it very easy to keep track without having to remember too much!

I have also started a scarf, crocheting the brick wall pattern, using Noro and Delight. I like the contrast between the earthy Noro and the bright blue Delight.

Ninja isn't dead, she just LOVES basking in the sun!