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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

My first cabling projects, Phildar hat and cowl

I figured it was time to try something new to improve my knitting skills... So I went to my LYS (they are soo super grumpy there, I wish there was another store nearby..) and noticed two super cute projects with cabling in Phildar's magazine.
These patterns are from the Phildar magazine nr. 98 (autumn/winter 2013-2014). The hat is pattern 46 and is knitted with their Partner 6 yarn on size 6 needles. I made a swatch first to try and practice my cables, but it looked like crap. So I just decided to start and see how it went. After a row or 6 it started to look like cables, so I'm glad I just decided to start.
I love the colour of this wool, somewhere between grey and purple! They call it Bruyere. I made the hat shorter then they suggested, instead of 54 rows I knitted around 42, because I prefer my hats more snuggly at the top.

In the store they only had thinner wool than suggested for the pom pom, which is the reason that it is not super nice and round, since I got tired of winding the wool and decided this was enough wool for the pom pom. Cutting it to make it rounder only made it look weirder..
The cowl (or snood) is pattern number 50. I had to take a good look at the pattern to try and decipher it. It is knitted on size 4 needles and wasn't as nice and fast as the hat! I really liked the wool, which is the zephyr line combined with the partner 3.5 (that is the pink colour). 
I'm loving my cables!
I did find an error in the pattern, they ask you to put the stitch on the cable needle and then bring it in front of your work, well, that doesn't look good! You have to move the stitch to the back of your work and then knit the other stitches. 

When I finished it I thought that the cowl was a bit too big to wear it without wrapping, but too small to wrap it twice around my neck. Now that I've worn it for a couple of days I'm really happy with it. When I wear it with my Minoru jacket I just fold it up a bit and it is super nice and warm. 

Are you working on any knitting projects? I've almost finished my Happy Triangles sweater and I'm starting with The Crash sweater soon, knitting along with the Holla Knits Knit-a-long!
Milo also really likes my cowl, he just jumped right in!















15 comments:

  1. I have the same problem with LYS's, why are they so grumpy! I buy from an online place that has great customer service instead, but sometime I just want some in person advice. Love the hat with the brink pink POM!

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  2. Wow you did soooooo well! I love that yarn and the cables look beautiful. I just started Craftsy's cable knitting course and am itching to get started. I just ordered some yarn for a pair of fingerless mitts and a few Thea Colman hats (love Thea Colman!) even though I'm about to head to the beach! I love summer, but can't wait for winter this year to get my sticks going again. It's just too hot to knit a sweater at the moment. I am loving the Happy Triangles sweater. Will look forward to seeing yours.

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  3. love them both! The colours are all beautiful! Bruyere is French for "heather" (struikhei?? is what wikipedia calls it in Dutch, apparently) which is exactly what I thought of when I saw it, before reading:-)

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  4. also, the pom pom is a touch of genius :-)

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  5. You did such a nice job on these. Love them both!

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  6. Love them both! Your cables on the cowl are very nice! I'm still working on my scarf, I don't think I will ever finish...

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  7. Thanks! Which shop do you buy from? I prefer to be able to feel the yarn and see the true colours, but grumpy people take all my yarn-shopping-pleasure away..

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  8. Thanks Jillian! Let me know what you think of the Craftsy course, I haven't tried any of their knitting courses yet.. (still got 2 sewing courses that I bought and haven't even started..) I've started on my second sleeve now, so hopefully somewhere next week I'll be able to post about my Happy Triangles sweater..I googled Thea Colman and really like her hats :)

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  9. Thanks Jo! Ahhh struikhei, it does resemble some kind of plant/autumn colour indeed!

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  10. Thanks Wendy! I am looking forward to your scarf, which size needles are you using? My cowl is knitted on size 4 needles, but it just felt like it was taking forever..

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  11. They're both great! I love the bruyere color, very warm and wintery.
    I've also been knitting quite a lot this winter, but now I must stop making hats and scarfs, because I'm starting to believe that this winter will not be coming anymore... ;)

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  12. Size 4, takes a very long time, but the stitches have a nice size. Still not done...

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  13. Thanks Rachel! This has been a very strange winter indeed.. I loved making this hat, as it's a nice and quick project :)

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  14. I get my stuff from Jimmy Beans Wool. They have great youtube review of their yarn and photos of dogs which wins be over everytime. I don't know if they ship internationally though.

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