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Stravaigin…..

Finished cowl

PatternStravaigin
Designer:  Christina Campbell
Yarn:  The Woolen Rabbit Sporty Kashmir
Colorways:  Natural, Butterscotch and Mancave Blue

Backside

Stravaigin is a Scottish word that means to roam or wander around, often for pleasure and frequently with no particular destination or aim in mind.  This pattern was Christina's knit/walk along pattern for last year and I love it!
This was my first real colorwork knitting other than a few small items I have made over the years.
I was determined to do this without having the cowl pucker with my tighter tension and I was SO happy with how it came out.

One of the other colorwork items I have knit was a little rabbit dress designed by Julie of Little Cotton Rabbits and I will share it soon. 
This tutorial really helped me immensely to understand the importance of consistency in how you catch up the floats.  Like Julie I also knit English style, holding my yarns in my right hand, although I can see how much easier it would be to hold each strand in both hands.

  Already I am thinking of my next colorwork piece so maybe I will give it a try, even though I have yet to be able to get the hang of knitting continental.  Who knows…maybe this time it will click. 😉

Ends to weave

Another thing I did this time was to cut the yarn in between color changes instead of carrying it up the back of the cowl.  I didn't want to have my usual sloppy bump that this can make.  The downside is there were a lot of ends to weave in when I was done, but the reward was a much nicer finish both inside and outside.

All in all this was a fun exercise in learning something that I had always avoided because I thought it was too hard or fiddly, but I actually enjoyed it!  I love the meaning behind the pattern name as well and I look forward to when I can get back out and walking again.  It's been a long snowy winter here with more snow due this weekend, but seriously it has to come to an end soon, right?  When it does, I will be Stravaigin along….

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7 thoughts on “Stravaigin…..

  1. Beautiful, Kim! I love the design — but I especially like those three colors together. Your stitching is beautiful.
    Way, way back . . . when I was knitting in 4-H as a teenager . . . I learned to knit 2-handed color work. The biggest bonus? I also learned to weave ends in as I knit, which is a really nifty trick for color work.

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