Hot Off the Needle

And just in time for a major nor'easter—a thick warm cowl to snuggle into—should I have to go out!

I am going to do my best to avoid that (going out) for the next 48 hours or so. All stocked up on staples, and its unlikely I will loose power (no above ground power wires to fail)

This cowl is sized to be worn out side of a coat or jacket--but when I write up the pattern, there will be a smaller sized option for wearing inside of your coat or jacket. The large size  can also be worn as a hood --as all cowls, should be able to worn. See image below.

The smaller size will be more of neck warmer--and not really cowl (and not something that can be worn as a hood.) 

3 feet of the white fluffy stuff doesn't bring things to a halt usually in NYC—but it will slow things down for couple of days. Snow falls like this have been career changers for some mayors, and DeBlasio, it trying to get out in front of it. Emphasizing this storm has the potential to break all previous records, and the the Dept of Sanitation has about 6,000 miles of streets to clear.

All of which doesn't matter—Every one wants their street plowed NOW. Manhattan always get priority. There will be reporter from all 3 major networks, out side their corporate offices in Midtown, lauding the great work being done. Showing off clear streets and sidewalks, lauding the great job Sanitation is doing. Meanwhile us folks in Queens will be waiting to see our first plow. We realize that Sanitation is doing a good job—many times our neighbors are those San men... But Queens is the largest (geographically—over 100 square miles) and often the last served borough.

Well enough of local politics! Let me get back to my knitting...

And what lovely knitting is is! Not perfect (but a little blocking will take care of that) 32 inches and 96 stitches almost perfectly grafted—There is s slight change in tension but you have to look for it to see it. The grafted edge is the white edge on this photo, to left.

One big (2 stitches) mistake found—It's only on what was the inside and I have just enough blue yarn to do some duplicate stitches to mend.

I pushed my luck—and finished with about 18 inches of yarn left over—Well 18 inches of the Blue yarn. The White yarn, left me with a yard or two. It's funny how that works out. As I came to the end of the first skeins, I had enough blue yarn to do one quarter of a round. The white yielded enough for a full last round (well 90%--just 6 stitches short of a complete round. The left over bit of white really represents those extra 2 yards or so—One yard or so from each skein.

I measured the yarn needed for a full round as I came closer and closer to the end. A full round required a little less than 3 full yards... Which is just about right—a general rule is: 1 row (or round) requires about 3x's the width of the work. A 32 inch round (almost a full yard) needed almost 3 yards of yarn to complete. You always need to add a bit extra, because the real factor isn't 3, it is PI. The point one four(.14) is needed too.

It's just a general rule, based on the fact that each stitch is made by wrapping the yarn round the needle. But stitches aren't really round (but close to it). I always use 3—and then add a bit extra.. I rounded up to 3 yards for the grafted bind off.. I had enough to work all my grafted stitches, and about 12 inches left over. Not a lot—but anything less would have been worrisome and uncomfortable to work with.

I think I would have needed more for another type of bind off—a standard bind off, (where you knit a stitch, and then pull it over the next knit stitch requires MORE yarn!) I always allow 4 yards for a bind off—I always have some left over—but not much!  Not a full yard, or even a half yard.

This cowl is sized to wear out side of coat, not inside—but the pattern will have a smaller version for inside the coat wear, too.

In the mean while, I have cast on for a matching hat--This will be my third hat using this stitch pattern--One flat, one knit in the round and lined, and now the third, double knit.