Friday, January 29, 2016

Cowloncho #2

Oh yes, I did it again.  Meet Lockroy - a cowloncho with a crochet body and knit sides.  I am really enjoying this "one rectangle, two seams" type of creation.

 After completing all the stitchery, Lockroy looked flat.  There was no pop even though the yarn textures and colors were complementary.  Just blah.

A quick dive into the button stash revealed four wood buttons that were perfect for embellishing the transitional bridge from crochet to knit.  There really are four buttons on this cowloncho.  The last one is on the back side at the bottom.

And aren't you glad that I spared the world a photo of my backside bottom?

The yarns are listed on this project page if you are interested in specifics.

The crochet body is a swath of esc (extented single crochet) interrupted near the edges with a line of fpedc (front post extended double crochet).  Those knitted side panels are pure silk - no fancy work needed to let the silk shine in simple stockinette.

Not much else to say except VOILA!


Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Cowloncho: Part Cowl, Part Poncho

One skein of this.  One skein of that.  Put them together and what have you got?  A cowloncho!

I might be stuck in a groove.  A wonderfully happy groove of mixing yarns and skills.  Joining knit stitches with crochet work has always fascinated me.  Whether as a simple edge, dimensional embellishment or full blown mix it up throughout, I love making texture with stick and hook.


Lemaire Channel is my first cowloncho.  You can read about the yarns by clicking the link to the Ravelry project page.  The main body is knit at a loose gauge.  Then edges are crocheted on (can you say "sparkle yarn?").  A few strategic seams and the cowloncho is ready.

It can be worn as a simple cowl if the arm hole is ignored.


That armhole allows it to be a poncho that stays put. 






Use the armhole and scrunch up the rest like a cowl and you've got a cowloncho.

Those of you with eagle eyes will notice that it fits both me and she who crochets.  If you are more in the large or tall category, more than one ball of each yarn will be required.  

This made me so excited that I made another version with a crochet body and knit edges.  I'm thinking that I'll have to write up both patterns and let you make your own cowloncho. 



Monday, January 25, 2016

The Wonder of Blocking Crochet


She who crochets (aka Daughter #1) is at it again.  Another wrap is off the hook!  Place this one in the Well, don't that just stand up and shout bonjour y'all category because of the colorway.  This is Celestial Strings Berry Lemonade in DK weight.  And it is UV Reactive.  Ain't that fun.


Unblocked.

Not much to look at and this would not make anyone happy.

It appears to be random blobs of color.

A little vinegar water.

A little soak.

Well placed blocking wires and sturdy pins opens up the stitchery and shows the grandeur of the work.

Once she adds a seam, that girl is going to be stylin'.