crafts & knitting

Making Winter, December part 2

Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)

Like I said in the previous post, I think warm woolies are one of the very best things about winter and over the years I have built up quite a collection of mittens and scarves…

 

Scarves

I do like to keep out draughts when I'm out and about, so chunky wool scarves are a big favourite on really cold days. My yarn of choice for a quick chunky scarf is Rowan's big wool. You only need 2 balls (160 metres) and a pair of size 8 or 9mm needles and within 2 or 3 evenings you can whip up a new scarf. Here's a simple tutorial:

Cast on 17 stitches and work the whole thing in moss stitch which is basically:

(K1, P1) 8 times, K1

repeat this for every row, joining in the second ball when you run out of the first and casting off in the same stitch pattern when you only have around 12 inches of yarn left. Weave in the cast on and cast off ends and you're all set for a windy winters day.

Of course I do have another one on the go at the moment…

 

Swanlake scarf

 

Swanlake

This time I'm working in Misti Alpacas cloud-soft, hand-painted chunky baby alpaca yarn, this shade is called Swan Lake.

 

Mistialp

 

Mistia

 

It's not quite as chunky as the Big Wool but works just as well and it really is super soft.

If you fancy grabbing your needles and casting on a scarf or a pair of mittens then pop over to ravelry where there are literally hundreds of wonderful free patterns to choose from.

Happy knitting xxx

 

29 thoughts on “Making Winter, December part 2”

  5. How on earth do you find time to do all of this knitting and still have time to take care of a family, house, garden, etc. etc.
    You are one of my heroes, I wish I could do it all like you do.

    Like

    Reply

  6. Since learning to knit a few years ago I have knit myself two scarves which I wear all winter long. One pattern I got from ravelry. 🙂 I knit my husband a scarf one of my sons and my daughter. My son wears his all year round pretty much everyday and has been given the nickname “Scarfkid” by his peers at school. 🙂
    That blue looks just yummy! So does the red….

    Like

    Reply

  8. Ahhhh. Something even I can do. I went and left a breathless comment on the designer of the peerie flowers (spelling????). What a lovely pattern. But I’m not thinking about that. I’m thinking about chunky yarn. Big needles. Moss stitch. I wonder if I can get Rowan yarn around here?

    Like

    Reply

  9. Your scarves look so neat…and I love the colors. May I ask what kind of stitch you use to make the ends neat? Do you slip 1st stitch? I also can’t figure out what kind of cast on you do on the animal dresses?

    Like

    Reply

  13. What a beautiful scarf. I have been on Ravelry looking for gloves/mittens patterns. My little one has such small hands for her age, the size small dwarfed her little hands. Keep warm!

    Like

    Reply

  17. I want a breakdown of a typical day for you … because you achieve so much in a day! Do you get up at the crack of dawn and go to bed in the wee hours? LOL I want to learn to ‘do it all’ like you! :O)

    Like

    Reply

  20. Love your basket of scarves-they look good enough to eat. Will you please stop showing such gorgeous and inspirational ideas? i haven’t started my ‘one-a-day’ yet, and now I want to knit scarves. (I must have at least 6 other projects I ought to be finishing…..)

    Like

    Reply

  23. Hi. I’ve got a couple of chunky yarn for a scarf and was coming to the conclusion that moss stitch is the way forward so thanks for confirming that. I’ve made a start! Lovely colours Julie. Bx

    Like

    Reply

Please leave your comments