Friday, April 8, 2011

Back to Fee-Fi(ber)-F.O. Fridays

Well, even though I’m still recovering from last week’s blogging extravaganza, I did manage to continue working on one of my latest stoles – based on Loop’s Burly Spun Grey Owl Cowl. I’m not certain why they consider it a cowl since it’s a big rectangle (a stole) with toggle buttons at one end. I really like the ability to secure the stole comfortably around my neck and shoulders. I am not a big one for fussing with my clothes. But I am, it seems, becoming a big one for Loop patterns. This is the second one I'm making (I completed the Crow's Waltz Rectangular Shawl last year) and they both are just the right speed for this still-novice knitter.
See how much darker the
Berroco is on the left?


Things I’m liking about this project so far: the cables (aren’t they just awesome?), the quick way it’s working up (I’m already about half-way done), and the color of the knit fabric using these two shades of teal held together.

I knew I wanted to use Berroco Peruvia Quick, but when I originally swatched with it I wasn’t quite getting gauge. While gauge isn’t critical, I nevertheless started swatching with more than one color held double. The first two attempts (with different shades of green mohair) looked like I was getting ready for Mardi Gras. Which might have been fine if I had been getting ready for Mardi Gras. But … since I wasn’t, in the ditch went the green mohair. I then found some Patons Décor in teal from an earlier project, swatched with it and the Berroco, and voila! It’s amazing to see how teal can look so different given different dyers and fibers. And, held together, the Berroco Peruvia Quick almost looks navy.

I hope a great fibery week was had by all – and don’t forget to check back with Andrea's blog to see what everyone else is up to!

14 comments:

  1. Yes, the cables ARE awesome. Lovely stitch definition, so clear and crisp. I had a similar a-ha moment last year with a thin, nasty red mohair yarn and a really dull coppery yarn (I thought a copper-coloured yarn couldn't possibly be dull. It can.) Put together, the mohair gave the other yarn just the tiniest bit of bulk ... and fuzz ... and it looked really pretty.

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  2. Those cables are super sassy! I love cables but have to admit that I haven't knitted any yet (on my knitting bucket list). I believe you could also call an oversized cowl a caplet. Can't wait to see it finished.

    Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

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  3. Those two yarns look great together!

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  4. I work on a lot of cable projects. Yours is coming along very nicely! Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

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  5. That looks beautiful, I can just feel the squishiness of the yarn in the photo!

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  6. Those are some cables! I think you can go mountain climbing with them! Looks great!

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  7. That's really beautiful! I love the colours and the pattern! Thank you for your sweet comment! Teje

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  8. Looking great! How do you keep the two balls from tangling w/one another?

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  9. Wow, those cables certainly jump. They seem bigger than they should be... or is that just awesome photography skills?

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  10. That is stunning. Absolutely smooshable. In a yarny way, of course.

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  11. Love the cables- they pop out. I also love blue and it is very beautiful hue at that. Cowls are the most practical wearables.

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  12. "Mardi Gras" green...very funny!
    I love your new project and I love big, fat cables like that!! Fun!!

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  13. Thanks for all the comments everyone! I do love my bold, sassy cables. And @Kathryn Ray: I'm not making them any bigger than what the pattern calls for, so it might be my camera angle, but I looked at the original, and they're pretty big in it, too. However, if I wanted to make them bigger, I could ... cause it's my party, eh? :)

    And @The Gingerbread Lady: I do absolutely get it! We don't think too much of tonal color-on-color, but it can add some real depth ... and then, of course, mohair has other great properties to add!

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