close knit: the neighborhood yarn shop


Saturday, October 30, 2010

Brown Sheep Yarns and a Free Cowl Pattern

We are cramming yarn in every nook and cranny we can find. We have restocked the much-loved Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky and Worsted in a wide range of colors. These yarns are great for pretty much everything from hats and sweaters to felted slippers and bags. May the holiday stocking knitting commence.

New to Close Knit, Brown Sheep Burly Spun, a pure wool single ply in some fabulous colors. Looking for a quick knit? How about 2.5 stitches per inch on a US13 needle? It practically knits itself.
Sally created this beautiful seed stitch cowl using one skein of the Burly Spun. It is very warm and cozy. Tuck one of these into your rain coat, and you'll stay nice and warm when those bone-chilling winds pick up. Enjoy the pattern and stay warm!

Close Knit Seed Stitch Cowl

By Sally Palin


Yarn: 1 skein Brown Sheep Burly Spun
or Cascade Magnum
Needles: US17 24" circular

Finished Size: 10" high by about 32"
around
Gauge: about 8 stitches over 4" in seed stitch

Seed stitch in the round:
Round 1: *K1, P1* until 1 stitch remains. K1.

Round 2: *P1, K1* until 1 stitch remains. P1.
Basically, after round 1, you will simply knit your purls and purl your knits, so it's not crucial to know what row you are on.


Instructions:
Cast on 65 stitches.
Twist once, place marker, and join for knitting in the round. (This twist is what you usually try to avoid when joining to knit in the round. You could also join normally to create a non-twisted cowl if you prefer, but the drape is not as nice.)

Seed stitch your heart out for about 10".

Bind off and enjoy!

24 comments:

  1. I want to buy this yarn...from you...how much for one skein ..the same grey color..I love it! Plus shipping as I live in Wisconsin...no tax. Let me know please

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  2. Laura,
    Thank you! The Burly Spun is $17.50. The easiest way is to call the shop during business hours: 503.288.4568. Who ever is working can take your info over the phone and send the goods your way. You can also email Sally, the shop owner, by emailing from the shop website. That link is on the right sidebar of the blog.
    Thanks for your interest. Stay warm!
    Leah

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  3. Awesome Cowl! Glad I found the blog - This is going to have to be my next project. :)

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  4. It's a good one. Thanks for stopping by the blog. Hope to see you in the shop soon!
    Leah

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  5. While knitting this I discovered that it isn't actually a true mobius. It's a loop with a twist in it. A true mobius has one continuous side while this has two. I'm loving how it's turning out, though. I'm using the Mountain Majesty color and this cowl really highlights the beautiful color variations. I received the yarn as a gift and struggled a long time to find the right pattern for it. Thanks for offering it!

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  6. Leigh Ann,
    Good point. Thanks for bringing that up. I corrected it in the post. Glad you are enjoying it, even though it isn't a true mobius. We love it at the shop. The seed stitch does wonders for showing off pretty colors. Thanks for stopping by the blog!
    Leah

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  7. Beautiful! I knitted a seed stitch cowl with thicker yarn because I like it to cover my chin and mouth in our cold Michigan winter, but this has a really nice drape to it. Also I knitted mine with straight needles and no twist. Here's the pattern I put on my blog: http://the-meaning-of-mataphrium.blogspot.com/2011/02/seed-stitch-cowl-free-pattern.html

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  8. how do you do the Twist in the round?

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  9. Great Cowl, Great pattern. Love your store!

    Muriel, After casting on the stitches you usually check they are all straight before starting. With this you can take the first cast stitch (the knot)and spin it around the needle once before you start knitting.

    Perhaps someone else can explain it better?

    Julia

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  10. Once you spin it, how do you knit around? At some point, the stitches are "pushed" so that you have a type of "double" stitch. Does that make any sense? Just having so much trouble with the twist, but I love this pattern and would really like to be able to do it.

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  11. Yes, can you please give a more detailed explanation? I am going to start this project and I don't understand how to spin it around to get the twist.

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  12. Will you tell me how to do the twist?

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  13. Needles: regardless to straight or circular the size should be similar. Keep in mind that this is circular so if you knit it flat or on straights you will need to seem or see the flat piece into a cowl.

    Karen Ramel
    Vancouver, BC canada

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  14. Twist: easy!
    1. Imagine a flat wide piece of ribbon. (Like circulars with cast on stitches laying flat in a row. Place a single marker on needles)
    2. Imagine taking the right end and picking up just that end, twisting so that what was the table touching piece is now up. Don't let go.
    3. Now continue with your knitting in your desired pattern making sure to maintain as is. As you continue you will find the twist more predominant. :)

    Karen Ramel
    Vancouver BC canada

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    Replies
    1. Does this mean you have to twist on every row all through the cowl and why and where do you need to place a marker, I never place a marker when knitting socks in the round as the bit hanging down shows where you started.

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    2. The marker is really just something to feel you're making progress. :) the twist is simple a flat piece not yet joined and say where when making socks and wanting tube you need to ensure the piece isn't twisted as continuing on wouldn't give you a flat tube. See the photo that kinda simplifies it. So before joining the flat piece you simply purposefully twist once or more and join. So now you have a circular not flat sitting piece. Did that help?

      I made something similar http://www.ravelry.com/projects/karenramel/jumbo-stitch-cowls-collection

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    3. Yes, it does thanks. I have knitted on 4 pins and circulars but never made a twist before. Will try it later today and let you know if i've done it right. Thanks for your quick help. As this item was quite old, I wasn't sure anyone would ever see it. Thanks again. Jane

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  15. I love this cowl! I made one using your pattern, I'd love for you to take a look at it and let me know what you think!
    http://donnabakertx.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-knitted-cowl-celebrity-sighting-and.html

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  16. It's funny how people are having such trouble understanding how to twist the row, when in fact (to me at least) it's a lot more more difficult NOT to twist it when you are knitting in the round, as the vast majority of projects require that you take care not to twist where you join the row!

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  17. Hi there, I'm very excited to start this cowl but I had a question about needle size: in the description you say size 13 needles with a 2.5 stitch guage and then in the pattern you say sizes 17 needles with an 8 stitch to 4" guage-which is correct? Thank you very much

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  18. I would like to do this pattern with some yarn I bought in NZ. It is a much finer yarn with gauge on size 2 needles (27 stitches over 10 cm). What is the multiple of stitches for your pattern? How many stitches would you suggest I cast on?

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  19. but it provides a good practice run for a more advanced project. Once you finished your trial sweater pick the weight that your pattern suggests and try again. tovat garn

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